Qorkz Kitchen
/Cochinita Pibil Tacos
Welcome to Qorkz Kitchen! This week we are making Cochinita Pibil Tacos from the Cindy's Supper Club Cookbook written by favorite Napa chef Cindy Pawlcyn. These tacos are a representation of the famous slow-roasted pork of the Yucatan where the pork is wrapped in a banana leaf and buried in a fire pit. We are sticking with the banana leaf but instead using a dutch oven with a touch of cervesa. We make homemade tortillas, and housemade pickled red onions complete the dish. We pair the tacos with a Humanitas Zinfandel where the bright fruit and spices complement the sweet smokey pork. We hope you enjoy!
Achiote Paste Ingredients
5 Tablespoons Annatto Seeds
2 Teaspoons Cumin Seeds
1 Tablespoon Black Peppercorns
8 Whole Allspice Berries
1/2 Teaspoon Whole Cloves
3 Habanero Peppers (Seeded)
1/2 Cup Orange Juice
1/2 Cup White Vinegar
8 Cloves Garlic
2 Tablespoons Salt
5 Lemons Juiced
1 Tablespoon Tequila
Directions
With a spice grinder, grind the annatto seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, allspice berries, and cloves to a fine powder.
Juice the lemons and set aside
Cut the habanero peppers in half and remove the seeds. Be VERY careful not to transfer any of the oil from the peppers to your hands as it will burn if you get it in your eyes. Wash your hands and any tools used throughly after this process.
In a blender or food processor, mix the ground spices, habanero peppers, orange juice, vinegar, garlic, and salt.
Mix in the lemon juice and tequila and blend until smooth
Set aside the achiote paste for use later.
Wine Pairing
For the smokey, spicy and sweet pork we recommend a Zinfandel with big fruit flavors, spice, and subtle cola flavors. The Humanitas Zinfandel $45 is a perfect balance for the heat and sweet of the tacos.
Pork Marinade Ingredients
8 - 10 Cloves Garlic
1 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
3 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar
Juice And Zest Of 1 Lime
1/2 Cup Achiote Paste
3 Tablespoons Dried Mexican Oregano
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds Toasted
1 Teaspoon Allspice Berries
2 Teaspoons Black Peppercorns
3 Pounds Boneless Pork Butt
2 Banana Leaves
1 Cup Cervesa
Directions
Using a mortar and pestle or the back of a knife, smash together the salt and garlic to form a paste.
Zest and juice one lime. Set aside for later use.
Set a small frying pan to medium heat. Add the cumin, allspice, and peppercorns. Toast until fragrant stirring constantly so as not to burn the spices.
Combine the oregano and toasted cumin, allspice, and peppercorns in a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder.
Transfer the garlic paste to a bowl, add the vinegar, lime juice, lime zest, achiote paste, oregano, cumin, allspice, and pepper. Mix well to combine.
Wash the pork butt and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the pork into 4 equal sized pieces.
Place the pork into the bowl of marinade and stir to completely coat. Remove the pork and marinade and place into a zip top bag. Store in the refrigerator for 2-24 hours to fully incorporate.
A Note On Banana Leaves
Banana leaves can be a challenge to find depending on where you live. If you live near a Mexican mercado or Asian market you can find them in the frozen section. Some markets will have fresh ones in the produce section. It doesn't matter which ones you use for this recipe. If using the frozen kind, allow to thaw prior to use. Over a warm burner or in an oven set to 200 degrees F., warm the leaves prior to use to make them pliable.
Assemble The Pot For Cooking
Using a heavy bottomed pot (I'm partial to my favorite dutch oven) line the bottom with the banana leaves allowing the excess to hang over the sides. Remove the meat and marinade from the bag and place into the center of the banana leaves.
Fold the tops of the leaves over to form a pouch for the pork.
Pour the cup of Cervesa around the outside of the leaves and seal the top with the lid.
In an oven set to 275 degrees F., roast the pork for 3.5 hours. Check the liquid level every hour and add more been if necessary.
After 3.5 hours, remove the pork to a cutting board and let sit for 5 minutes. Using thongs or two forks, shred the pork by pulling it apart.
Pickled Red Onion Ingredients
2 Red Onions
2 Tablespoons of Salt
2 Tablespoons Dried Mexican Oregano
1 Cup Water
3 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar
Cut the red onion into strips.
Combine the onion in a bowl with the salt, oregano, and vinegar. Stir to combine and squeeze together to incorporate.
Add the water to the bowl to cover the onions.
Set aside to pickle. This can be done in as little as 1 hour for a light pickle or 12 hours for a heavier pickle.
Tortilla Ingredients
1 Cup Maseca Masa
1 Pinch Salt
1 Cup Water
Directions
Combine the masa, salt, and water in a non-reactive bowl and stir to combine. Depending on the humidity you may need to add up to another 1/3 cup of water.
Using either a spatula or dough hook, stir the ingredients together to fully incorporate the liquid. When the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl cleanly, the dough is finished mixing.
This next step is the most important when making tortillas. Just walk away for 30 minutes and let the dough fully hydrate. If you try and make tortillas without this step the dough will crack and fall apart.
After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the bowl and knead it on a work surface lightly dusted with masa. Work the dough for 5-10 minutes. This will make the dough elastic and soft. The dough should not be sticky. If the dough sticks to your hand or the surface, add a tablespoon more masa and continue to work the dough until it is smooth. Roll the dough into balls of dough roughly the size of a golfball.
Take a zip top bag and cut away the top. Cut the bag to roughly the size of your tortilla press to use as a liner.
Taking the dough balls one at a time, place them inside the tortilla press and flatten into a tortilla.
Set a non-stick flat bottomed pan or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. When it comes to temperature, add the tortillas one at a time to cook. The tortillas should sizzle when you put them on the pan. If they don't sizzle then up your heat. Cook on one side for about 20 seconds until the sides start to curl. Flip the tortilla and cook on the other side for one minute or until the middle begins to bubble. Flip the tortilla again and using your pointer finger, gently push down on the middle of the tortilla. This should cause the tortilla to briefly inflate with steam. Allow to cook for another ten seconds or so and remove the tortilla from the heat. Flatten and cook all of the tortillas the same way.
This next step is equally important in ensuring your tortillas are delicious when you go to eat them. You must create a warm environment in which to store your finished tortillas. If you don't store them in a warm environment they will become brittle and crack when you fold them. There are tortilla warmers available on the market but I made my own using a pot with a lid and a few kitchen towels.
Finish The Dish
Add some of the pork onto a warm tortilla. Top with pickled red onion and some shaved queso fresco cheese. Pour a glass of Zin and enjoy!
