evenstranger
Cook
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2007
- Messages
- 91
In the third installment of the El Mariachi trilogy, Once Upon a Time In Mexico, Johnny Depp's character orders a pork dish, puerco pibil, in every restaurant he visits. Director Robert Rodriguez included a rough version of the recipe on the DVD. I have written it down and made a few modifications.
Puerco Pibil
Marinade
5 T annato seeds (I couldn't find annato, so I used a 3.5 oz box of Achiote Red Paste by El Yucateco)
2 t cumin seeds
1 T ground pepper
8 allspice
1/2 t cloves
2 T salt
1/2 c orange juice
1/2 c white vinegar
2 habanero peppers, seeded and deveined
8 cloves of garlic
juice of 5 lemons (about 3/4 - 1 c)
a splash of good tequila
I place all the above ingredients in my blender whole and just run it until smooth. Spices can be ground first, but this seems to work well with minimal effort.
Five pounds of pork butt (without the bone), cut into 2" cubes. (Your butcher will do this for you if you ask nicely.)
Pour the marinade over the pork and let sit for an hour or two.
As for cooking, there are a couple of methods. The video called for wrapping the pork in banana leaves and roasting in the oven. I tried it and although it added a little flavor, not enough to deal with the hassle of cleanup afterward. For me, I'll either place in a large covered pot/dutch oven, or I'll drop the whole shebang in my crock pot. If you do it in the oven, set it for 325 for about four hours. Crock pot, I use high for an hour or so, low for five to six hours. When done, the meat will fall apart completely, and can be shredded with minimal effort. Serve with tortillas, rice, maybe some black beans or pintos.
Enjoy!
Puerco Pibil
Marinade
5 T annato seeds (I couldn't find annato, so I used a 3.5 oz box of Achiote Red Paste by El Yucateco)
2 t cumin seeds
1 T ground pepper
8 allspice
1/2 t cloves
2 T salt
1/2 c orange juice
1/2 c white vinegar
2 habanero peppers, seeded and deveined
8 cloves of garlic
juice of 5 lemons (about 3/4 - 1 c)
a splash of good tequila
I place all the above ingredients in my blender whole and just run it until smooth. Spices can be ground first, but this seems to work well with minimal effort.
Five pounds of pork butt (without the bone), cut into 2" cubes. (Your butcher will do this for you if you ask nicely.)
Pour the marinade over the pork and let sit for an hour or two.
As for cooking, there are a couple of methods. The video called for wrapping the pork in banana leaves and roasting in the oven. I tried it and although it added a little flavor, not enough to deal with the hassle of cleanup afterward. For me, I'll either place in a large covered pot/dutch oven, or I'll drop the whole shebang in my crock pot. If you do it in the oven, set it for 325 for about four hours. Crock pot, I use high for an hour or so, low for five to six hours. When done, the meat will fall apart completely, and can be shredded with minimal effort. Serve with tortillas, rice, maybe some black beans or pintos.
Enjoy!
