Pork Roast Yucatan Style Food

PUERCO PIBIL (YUCATAN-STYLE SLOW ROASTED PORK)

Steps:

• For the Achiote Recado....place annatto seeds and water in small saucepan over high heat; bring to boil, cover, and lower to simmer.
• Cook about 30 minutes, remove from heat, and leet seeds steep for about 2 hours, or until softened.
• Drain, then place in food processor with remaining ingredients; Blend until a smooth paste forms.
• If you would like a spicier recado, add 2-3 habaneros to the processor.
• Combine pork butt and recado in large ziploc, sealing tightly.
• Refrigerate, and let marinate for at least two days (but no longer than 5; meat will grow saltier the longer it is kept), turning occasionally.
• Place a sheet of tin foil in a sturdy pan.
• Cross banana leaves on top of the foil, and place meat in center.
• Add any remaining marinade to pork- it is important that the pork stews in its own marinade.
• Wrap leaves around the meat, covering with more leaves if necessary, to make a neat package.
• Cover pan with one more layer of foil, to prevent steam from escaping.
• [NOTE:If you are unable to get banana leaves, simply place the pork in a roasting pan, covering very tightly with tin foil- But the banana leaves look much cooler.]
• Cook in a 325-degree oven for about four hours, until pork is meltingly tender.
• Let rest for 30 minutes, then coarsely shred, removing any large fatty pieces.
• Serve with salsas, pink pickled onions, warm tortillas, and icy cold beer (or tequila, if that's your thing).

CHEF JOHN'S YUCATAN-STYLE GRILLED PORK

Steps:

• Place orange juice, lemon juice, and lime juice in a bowl. Add garlic, kosher salt, annatto powder, chipotle powder, ground cumin, cayenne, oregano, and black pepper. Whisk until well blended.
• Cut the tenderloins in half crosswise; cut each piece in half lengthwise. Place pieces in marinade and thoroughly coat with the mixture. Cover with plastic wrap with the wrap touching the surface of the meat and marinade. (Or transfer mixture to a resealable plastic bag.) Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours.
• Transfer pieces of pork from marinade to a paper-towel-lined bowl to absorb most of the moisture. Discard paper towels. Drizzle vegetable oil and a bit more annatto powder on the pork.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Place pieces evenly spaced on a hot grill. Allow meat to sear onto the grate until pieces can be easily turned, 4 or 5 minutes. Turn and grill on the other side another 4 or 5 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 135 to 140 degrees F (63 degrees C). Transfer onto a serving platter and allow meat to rest about 5 minutes before serving.

YUCATAN PORK BAKED IN BANANA LEAVES: COCHINITA PIBIL

Steps:

• Run the banana leaves under warm water for about 5 minutes to defrost. Line a medium baking dish with the banana leaves.
• Combine the achiote paste, garlic, vinegar, orange juice, and salt in a blender until smooth. In a large bowl, rub the achiote mixture into the meat. Place the meat in the prepared baking dish. Wrap the meat with banana leaves. Cover container and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• After meat has marinated, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Add 1 cup water to the baking dish. Bake the meat until fork tender, about 2 hours.
• Serve wrapped meat on a bed of steamed white rice with Marinated Red Onions and Habanero Salsa on the side. Alternatively, remove meat from banana leaves and wrap in fresh, warm tortillas with Marinated Red Onions and Habanero Salsa on top.
• In a dry skillet, lightly toast the habanero chiles. Stem, seed, and roughly chop the peppers. Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a small serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

PORK ROAST YUCATAN STYLE

Steps:

• Using a food processor, grind all the meat seasoning ingredients into a paste. Rub the seasoning paste over the surface of the meat after pricking it with a fork.
• Wrap the meat in foil and let marinade while you prepare the clay.
• Combine the dry ingredients for the baker's clay.
• Add liquid in small amounts until dough holds together and can be gathered into a ball.
• Roll the dough out to a measure of 20 x 18 inches. Arrange roast in the center of dough and fold dough over the roast. Seal seams of the dough and place the roast on a baking pan lined with foil--seam side down.
• Roast the meat at 350-375 degrees for 2 1/2 hours (you may want to insert a thermometer to check for doneness).
• Remove from the oven and crack the clay in several places using a hammer.
• Peel off the foil and allow the roast to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
• Serve with tortillas, beans and salad.

YUCATAN STYLE PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the annatto seeds, vinegar, olive oil, oregano, coriander, cumin, black pepper, chiles and garlic in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Rub the paste all over the pork shoulder. Lay one banana leave in the bottom of a deep hotel pan, then place the rubbed pork on top. Add the orange and lime juices, then add the salt. Lay the remaining banana leaf over top. Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 5 to 6 hours.
• Remove the pork and allow to cool. Remove the fat and bone and shred the meat. Then serve while hot, it's ready to eat.

YUCATECAN-STYLE PORK

Steps:

• Put pork in a large bowl and rub with 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons juice.
• Toast peppercorns, cumin, and allspice together, then cool slightly. Transfer to grinder along with annatto seeds and grind to a powder. Transfer to a small bowl.
• Mince garlic and mash to a paste with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt using side of a large heavy knife. Add to ground spices along with oregano and remaining 6 tablespoons juice and stir to make a paste.
• Toss pork with paste to coat well. Add onion and toss to combine.
• Holding both ends of a banana leaf, drag leaf over a burner on moderately high heat slowly until it changes color slightly and becomes shinier, then turn over and toast other side. Toast remaining banana leaves in same manner.
• Line roasting pan with leaves, shinier sides down, by arranging 1 leaf lengthwise and 2 leaves crosswise, letting excess hang over sides. Trim overhang to about 8 inches on all sides.
• Transfer pork mixture to banana leaves, then fold overhang of leaves over pork to enclose completely. Cover pan tightly with foil and chill, at least 6 hours.
• Put oven rack in middle position, then put pan with pork in oven and heat to 400°F (to take chill off pork gently).
• Once oven has reached 400°F, bake until pork is very tender, 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours.
• Discard foil and open banana leaves, then serve pork with salsa and tortillas.

CUBAN-STYLE ROAST PORK

Steps:

• Grind garlic, salt, black pepper, cumin, oregano, and coriander into a paste using a mortar and pestle.
• Transfer half of the garlic and spice paste to a bowl; add lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, and vinegar. Beat the mixture with a whisk until smooth.
• Cut several inch-long, deep slits into the fatty side of the pork roast. Rub the reserved garlic paste into the slits.
• Put rubbed roast into a gallon-size resealable plastic bag. Pour the liquid mixture over the roast, squeeze as much air from the bag as possible and seal; refrigerate, turning occasionally, 8 hours to overnight.
• Remove pork roast from refrigerator, put into a roasting pan, and let warm at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Roast pork in preheated oven for 30 minutes, reduce heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and continue cooking until pork is no longer pink in the center, about 2 hours more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 170 degrees F (75 degrees C).

PORK CHOPS YUCATáN-STYLE

Steps:

• Stir water, kosher salt, bay leaves, allspice, and black peppercorns in medium bowl until salt dissolves for brine. Arrange pork chops in 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Pour brine over. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour, turning occasionally.
• For charcoal grill:
• Remove top rack from barbecue. Place 1 aluminum pan in center of lower grill rack for drip pan. Light briquettes in chimney; carefully pour onto lower grill rack, forming piles on either side of drip pan. Drain wood chips; scatter wood chips evenly over coals. Return top grill rack to barbecue.
• For gas grill
• Remove top grill rack from barbecue. Prepare barbecue (medium heat). If using 2-burner grill, light 1 burner. If using 3-burner grill, do not light center burner. Drain wood chips. Stack 2 mini loaf pans (one inside the other); fill with 1 cup wood chips. Stack remaining loaf pans; fill with 1 cup wood chips. Place pans directly on flame (if using 3-burner grill, place both pans on 1 lit side). Place aluminum baking pan on unlit portion of grill. Return top grill rack to barbecue.
• Grill onion quarters until browned (skin may burn), about 3 minutes per side. Cool and peel. Thinly slice and place in bowl. Add orange juice and lime juice. Season onion mixture to taste with salt. Mix in chopped cilantro.
• Remove pork from brine; pat dry, then grill covered over drip pan until cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to plate; let rest 10 minutes.
• Arrange cabbage on platter. Top with pork, avocado, and radishes. Drain onion; scatter over pork and vegetables. Sprinkle chopped cilantro leaves over. Serve with warm corn tortillas.