Instant Pot Cochinita Pibil Tacos
- Makes6 to 8 servings
- Cook Time2¼ hours
- Active time plus cooling1 hour active
- 2
From the Mexican state of Yucatán on the Gulf of Mexico, cochinita pibil, in its most traditional form, is suckling pig (cochinita) that has been marinated in the juice of sour oranges and achiote paste, wrapped in banana leaves and slow-roasted in an underground pit (pib). The fork-tender meat is shredded and served with pickled red onions that offer a sharp, tangy contrast that offsets the richness of the pork. There are many simplified modern takes on the dish, including the pressure-cooked version that Jorge Fritz and Beto Estúa, proprietors of Casa Jacaranda cooking school in Mexico City, showed us how to make. This recipe is our adaptation of theirs; we swapped a conventional stovetop pressure cooker for the ultimate convenience of a 6-quart Instant Pot. (If you’d like instructions for cooking in a Dutch oven, see below.) Achiote paste is a key ingredient in cochinita pibil; it’s the source of the dish’s characteristic red-orange hue. We use achiote paste, which is made with the ground annatto seeds plus other seasonings, all compressed into a small, solid brick. Despite its bold, vivid color, annatto is quite subdued in flavor, with hints of earthiness and pepper. Look for achiote paste, typically sold in small blocks, in the international section of the supermarket or in Latin American grocery stores. If not available, a substitute can be made by stirring together ¼ cup sweet paprika, 1½ teaspoons ground cumin, ½ teaspoon granulated garlic, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and 3 tablespoons white vinegar to form a stiff paste. Use in place of the paste called for in the recipe. We sought a substitute for the avocado leaves that Fritz and Estúa blended into the flavor base for their cochinita pibil. We discovered that fennel seeds nicely mimic the leaves’ anise-like nuances. Sour oranges, a common ingredient in Yucatecan cooking, are hard to come by in the U.S., so instead we juice regular oranges, but add a couple tablespoons of lime juice for tartness, stirring it in at the very end to preserve its brightness and acidity.
Don’t discard the fat that you skim off the cooking liquid after removing the pork. You will need 3 tablespoons of it for sautéing the onion and browning the shredded pork to finish the dish.
Step 1
In a 6-quart Instant Pot, stir together the pork, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 habanero, half the onion, the garlic, fennel seeds, oregano and ½ cup water.
Lock the lid in place and move the pressure valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook or Manual; make sure the pressure level is set to High. Set the cooking time for 50 minutes.
Step 2
While the pork cooks, in a blender, combine the orange juice, the remaining habanero and achiote paste. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute; set aside.
Step 3
When pressure cooking is complete, allow the pressure to reduce naturally for 15 minutes, then release the remaining steam by moving the pressure valve to Venting.
Press Cancel, then carefully open the pot. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a large bowl. Tilt the pot to pool the cooking liquid to one side and use a wide spoon to skim off as much fat as possible from the surface; reserve the fat.
Step 4
Select More/High Sauté and bring the liquid to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced to about ½ cup, 25 to 30 minutes.
Pour the orange juice-achiote paste mixture into the pot, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the mixture thickens enough that spatula drawn through it leaves a trail, about 5 minutes.
Press Cancel to turn off the pot. Using potholders, carefully remove the insert from the housing; set aside.
Step 5
While the cooking liquid is reducing, shred the meat, discarding any bits of fat and gristle; set aside.
Step 6
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of reserved pork fat until barely smoking.
Add the remaining onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Add another 1 tablespoon of the reserved pork fat to the skillet and heat over medium-high until shimmering. Add the shredded pork and cook without stirring until browned and crisped on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir and continue to cook, until well browned, another 5 to 7 minutes.
Step 7
Stir the contents of the Instant Pot insert and the reserved browned onion into the pork; cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is heated through, about 5 minutes.
Off heat, stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the pork to a serving bowl, then serve with the tortillas and the pickled red onions for making tacos.
