Cochinita Pibil

Last Friday night I was going to make Cochinita Pibil - without the achiote because you can't get it here at our local Sobey's -  when Ana reminded me that we HAVE achiote! She brought some when she arrived from Mexico in September, and we never did use it. After a bit of searching in the cupboard, there it was: Adobo de Achiote La Anita. I have no idea if there is even a word for achiote in English; it is a prickly red fruit that grows in warmer climes than these and is the essential ingredient for any pibil.

Here is a recipe and method for making Cochinita Pibil from my go-to website for authentic Mexican cooking: La Receta de La Abuelita. It doesn't matter if you don't understand Spanish. Just watch and do! Usually Cochinita Pibil is cooked in banana leaves, but as she explains, foil works just as well.

I modified this recipe for the slow-cooker because ... well ... it's just easier. I just fill up the crock with stuff at sundown, turn it on, and go to bed. Usually the aroma wakes me up at 3am at which time I come downstairs, turn off the heat, and do a little taste test.

cochinita pibil underway

Cochinita Pibil in the Slo Kooka:

Step 1:  Toss in some pork (or chicken, but then it's called Pollo Pibil)

Step 2:  Crumble and toss in 1-2 tbsp of achiote paste

Step 3:  Squeeze in juice of 1 orange, 1 lemon, and 1 lime

Step 4:  Chop up 4 cloves of garlic and toss them in

Step 5:  Grind in some pepper, a generous amount of cumin, and 2-3 bay leaves

Step 6:  Set slow cooker on low for 6 hours ... go to sleep.

But before bedtime you can make chicharrones with the nasty bits! That's right ... piggy candy. Pork fat fried in pork fat.

port fat cut off the chops

crunchy salty artery-clogging chicharrones

And the next day ... pour yourself a glass of wine, slice some onions and drizzle them with lime juice, and warm up a few tortillas to wrap around your Cochinita Pibil: dinner is served.

Cochinita Pibil with Mexican rice by Ana