Name: Oven-Roasted Cochinita Pibil (Yucatán-Style Pulled Pork)
Yield: 10-12
Ingredients: 3-4 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1.5 inch slabs; 1 tbsp kosher salt; Cloves from 1 head garlic, peeled; 3 whole cloves; 1 (3-inch) Ceylon cinnamon stick or 1 (1/2-inch) cassia cinnamon stick; 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns; 1 tbsp whole cumin seeds; 1 tbsp whole allspice berries; 1/8 cup white vinegar; 5 tablespoons (70g) achiote paste; 2 tbsp Mexican oregano; Zest and juice of 1 orange; Juice of 2 limes; 1 tbsp kosher salt; 2 tbsp lard or vegetable oil; 6 banana leaves; ½ white onion, thinly sliced; 2 tbsp lard (optional); Corn tortillas; Pickled red onions with habanero

Make Yucatecan Cochinita Pibil in Your Oven

October 3, 2025

Cochinita pibil is the Yucatán's most iconic contribution to the culinary canon: achiote-and-citrus-rubbed pork, slow-roasted in an underground pit. You don't need a pib (underground oven) to make it at home: just a comal for charring garlic, toasting spices, and softening banana leaves, plus a Dutch oven and some time. After a few hours, the pork is fall-apart tender and ready to tuck into warm tortillas with pickled red onions. This is the kind of meal prep we can get behind.

Organic Corn Tortillas

Oven-Roasted Cochinita Pibil (Yucatán-Style Pulled Pork)

Masienda Team

Rated 5.0 stars by 6 users

Author

Masienda Team

Servings

10-12

Ingredients

For the Pork

3-4 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1.5 inch slabs
1 tbsp kosher salt

For the Marinade

Cloves from 1 head garlic, peeled
3 whole cloves
1 (3-inch) Ceylon cinnamon stick or 1 (1/2-inch) cassia cinnamon stick
1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
1 tbsp whole cumin seeds
1 tbsp whole allspice berries
1/8 cup white vinegar
5 tablespoons (70g) achiote paste
2 tbsp Mexican oregano
Zest and juice of 1 orange
Juice of 2 limes
1 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp lard or vegetable oil

To Cook

6 banana leaves
½ white onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp lard (optional)

To Serve

Corn tortillas
Pickled red onions with habanero

Directions

Season the Pork

Season pork all over with 1 tbsp kosher salt and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes while you make the marinade.

Prepare the Marinade

Heat a comal or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Char the garlic, turning occasionally, until blackened and softened, about 20 minutes.
In the same pan, toast the cloves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cumin, and allspice until fragrant, 1–2 minutes.
Transfer the spices to a blender. Add the vinegar, charred garlic, achiote paste, oregano, citrus juice, citrus zest, and 1 tbsp salt. Blend until smooth.

Make the Cochinita

Toast the banana leaves directly over a gas flame or on a hot comal until softened and pliable, about 30 seconds per side.
Line a large Dutch oven with 2–3 overlapping banana leaves. Arrange the pork inside. Pour the marinade over the meat, spreading to coat evenly. Add slices of white onion in between and on top of pieces of pork. Add 2 tablespoons of lard, if using. Cover with additional banana leaves, then top with the lid. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or up to overnight.
Remove the Dutch oven from the refrigerator and allow the pork to come to room temperature, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Bake the pork, covered, until tender and shreddable, about 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
Shred the pork directly in the pot, mixing with the marinade and juices. Serve warm with corn tortillas and pickled red onions with habanero.

Recipe Note

Leftover cochinita pibil will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. If you have extra rendered fat, don’t toss it – it’s full of flavor. Mix it into beans or use it to fry up some gorditas.

All Comments

Yum! I tried this in the Instapot – 45 min on high pressure, then took out the pork and reduced the sauce. Makes for a really easy weeknight meal, but looking forward to trying the oven version soon.

A source for banana leaves are Asian and Puerto Rican markets. Or down here in South Texas many neighbors’ yards have them.

I’ve found frozen banana leaves at Walmart (Goya brand).

Hi Mariana! Thanks for your comment. The cochinita should marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours, or up to overnight.

Is the pork supposed to sit in the marinade for some time? If so, how long?

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Make Yucatecan Cochinita Pibil in Your Oven

Make Yucatecan Cochinita Pibil in Your Oven

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Oven-Roasted Cochinita Pibil (Yucatán-Style Pulled Pork)

Category

Author

Servings

Ingredients

For the Pork

For the Marinade

To Cook

To Serve

Directions

Season the Pork

Prepare the Marinade

Make the Cochinita

Recipe Note

All Comments

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