Chef Cetina’s Cochinita Pibil (Achiote-Rubbed Pork Baked in Banana Leaves)
Courtesy of the Chichén Itza Restaurant, Los Angeles, California

By Katharine A. Díaz
June/July 2006

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1	ounce achiote paste
1	cup sour orange (Seville orange) juice
1	tablespoon salt
5	pounds pork (end of loin, pork butt, or boneless pork shoulder)
1/2	pound banana leaves, frozen or prepared

1. Make a marinade by mixing the achiote paste, sour orange juice, and salt until well blended.

2. In a large bowl, marinate the pork meat in the marinade.

3. Line a Dutch oven or casserole with the thawed banana leaves or prepared fresh leaves, overlapping the leaves slightly and covering the bottom and sides of the baking dish.

4. Place the pork meat in the banana leaf-lined pan. Pour the remaining marinade over the meat and fold the banana leaves over the meat.

5. Cover and seal the baking dish with aluminum foil, heavy preferred. For best flavor, refrigerate from 3 to 12 hours, turning at least once.

6. Place the foil-covered baking dish in a 350°F preheated oven. Bake for 5 hours or until the meat is tender to the point of falling apart when touched with a fork.

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