Cochinita Pibil — Yucatecan pork in achiote and sour orange

Start the pickled onion first: combine the sliced red onion and habanero in a bowl. Add 80 ml sour orange juice and a pinch of salt. Toss and refrigerate for at least 2 hours — overnight is better. The onions will turn bright pink.

Make the achiote marinade: blend the achiote paste, 180 ml sour orange juice, garlic, oregano, cumin, black pepper, allspice, and salt until completely smooth.

Cut the pork shoulder into 8 cm chunks. Pierce each piece all over with a knife tip. Coat thoroughly in the achiote marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Pass the banana leaves quickly over a gas burner or hot comal to make them pliable — they turn from dull to shiny. Line a deep roasting dish with the leaves, leaving enough overhang to wrap the pork.

Place the marinated pork in the leaf-lined dish. Pour any remaining marinade over the top. Fold the banana leaves over the pork to seal completely. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.

Roast for 3.5–4 hours until the pork is completely tender and shreds with no resistance. Check at 3 hours — if a fork slides in without effort, it is done.

Open the foil and banana leaf wrapping carefully — steam will escape. Pull the pork from the liquid and shred with two forks. Return the shredded pork to the cooking juices and mix well.

Serve on warm corn tortillas topped with the pickled habanero onions. No other garnish is needed — the onions provide all the acidity, heat, and freshness the dish requires.