Mexican (Yucatecan)mexican yucatecan pork lunch freeze-ready achiote

Mexican Cochinita Pibil

Name: Mexican Cochinita Pibil
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 6 servings — eat 4, freeze 2
Cuisine: Mexican (Yucatecan)
Ingredients: 1.4 kg pork tenderloin (or pork shoulder for a richer result); 100 g achiote paste (1 brick); Juice of 2 oranges; Juice of 3 limes; Juice of 1 grapefruit; 8 garlic cloves; 3 tbsp white or cider vinegar; 3 tbsp olive oil; 2 tsp ground cumin; 2 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp ground allspice; 2 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; Banana leaves (optional; parchment + foil works); 2 red onions, thinly sliced; 240 ml white or cider vinegar; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp sugar; Pinch dried oregano; 1.2 kg cauliflower florets (or 2 bags frozen riced); 3 tbsp olive oil; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp salt; 30 g cilantro, chopped; Juice of 1 lime; 4 medium zucchini, sliced; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp smoked paprika

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restaurant6 servings — eat 4, freeze 2

scheduleHands-on 30 min | Total 210 min

bolt470 kcal

Yield6 servings — eat 4, freeze 2

Calories470 kcal

Total Time210 min

Cost/Serving

~$4.33 CAD per serving (estimate)

Ingredients

1.4 kgpork tenderloin (or pork shoulder for a richer result) (pork & achiote marinade)
100 gachiote paste (1 brick) (pork & achiote marinade)
Juice of 2 oranges (pork & achiote marinade)
Juice of 3 limes (pork & achiote marinade)
Juice of 1 grapefruit (pork & achiote marinade)
8garlic cloves (pork & achiote marinade)
3 tbspwhite or cider vinegar (pork & achiote marinade)
3 tbspolive oil (pork & achiote marinade)
2 tspground cumin (pork & achiote marinade)
2 tspdried oregano (pork & achiote marinade)
1 tspground allspice (pork & achiote marinade)
2 tspsalt (pork & achiote marinade)
1 tspblack pepper (pork & achiote marinade)
Banana leaves (optional; parchment + foil works) (pork & achiote marinade — banana leaves (optional; parchment + foil works))
2red onions, thinly sliced (pickled red onions)
240 mlwhite or cider vinegar (pickled red onions)
1 tspsalt (pickled red onions)
1 tspsugar (pickled red onions)
Pinchdried oregano (pickled red onions)
1.2 kgcauliflower florets (or 2 bags frozen riced) (cilantro cauliflower rice)
3 tbspolive oil (cilantro cauliflower rice)
4garlic cloves, minced (cilantro cauliflower rice)
1 tspsalt (cilantro cauliflower rice)
30 gcilantro, chopped (cilantro cauliflower rice)
Juice of 1 lime (cilantro cauliflower rice)
4medium zucchini, sliced (charred zucchini)
2 tbspolive oil (charred zucchini)
2garlic cloves, minced (charred zucchini)
1 tspground cumin (charred zucchini)
1 tspsmoked paprika (charred zucchini)
Salt, pepper (charred zucchini — salt, pepper)
Juice of 1 lime (charred zucchini)
Cilantro to finish (charred zucchini — cilantro to finish)

Nutrition / serving

Calories470 kcal
Protein48 g
Carbs24 g
Fat20 g
Fiber7 g

Cost Estimate

~$4.33 CAD per serving (estimate)

Yucatán's famous pit-roasted pork: tenderloin marinated in achiote and citrus until it turns vivid red-orange and shreds into juicy, tangy strands — piled with quick-pickled red onions.

Instructions

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Quick-pickle the onions

Quick-pickle onions: combine sliced onion, vinegar, salt, sugar, oregano. Refrigerate (excellent for 2 weeks).

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Marinate the pork

Blend achiote paste, citrus juices, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, cumin, oregano, allspice, salt, pepper until smooth. Pour over pork in a deep dish, massage to coat. Refrigerate 4 hr minimum, ideally overnight.

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Slow-roast

Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Line a Dutch oven with banana leaves if using. Add pork with all marinade, wrap in leaves (or cover with parchment + foil). Roast 2.5–3 hr until fork-tender.

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Shred

Shred pork with two forks, return to cooking juices, adjust salt. Sauce should be intensely red-orange.

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Cauliflower rice

Cauliflower rice: pulse florets to rice. Sauté garlic in oil 30 sec, add cauliflower and salt, cook 6–8 min. Off heat, add cilantro and lime.

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Char the zucchini

Charred zucchini: heat oil high, add zucchini single layer, don't move 3 min. Flip, add garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, cook 3 min. Off heat, add lime and cilantro.

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Plate

Plate cauliflower rice, cochinita pork, zucchini alongside. Top pork with pickled onions — essential to balance the rich pork.

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Thermomix method

(marinade): Chop garlic 3 sec/speed 7. Add achiote, citrus juices, vinegar, oil, spices, salt, pepper, mix 15 sec/speed 6 until smooth. Marinate as above. Slow-roast in oven for proper texture. Cauliflower: chop florets 4 sec/speed 5 in batches, then sauté.

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Freeze & Reheat

Cochinita is ideal freezer pork — flavors intensify and achiote keeps it moist. Portion 2 servings (pork + sauce + cauliflower rice). Freeze up to 3 months. Reheat at 70% microwave 5 min, or skillet covered with 1 tbsp water 6 min over medium-low. Pickled onions and zucchini fresh on reheat.

Chef's Cool Facts

Little pig in a pit

"Cochinita pibil" means "little pig in pit" — traditionally cooked underground in a pit oven (pib) wrapped in banana leaves.

Achiote's vivid pigment

Achiote (annatto) gives the vivid red-orange color from bixin, a natural pigment used in Mesoamerica for thousands of years.

Citrus tenderizes

The citrus marinade both flavors and tenderizes, and the achiote's fat-soluble pigment stains the pork all the way through during roasting.