Carribean: Belize: Belizean Cochinita Pibil (Barbecued Pork)

INGREDIENTS:

4 lb pork shoulder

4 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon whole black pepper

1 tablespoon whole allspice

1/2 teaspoon whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 tablespoon Mexican oregano

4 tablespoons achiote annatto (or if you have it red recado)

1 1/2 cups sour orange (or substitute sour orange marinade from your local Mexican grocer)

Banana leaves

1 Large white onion

Optional: 1 large red onion and distilled white vinegar to make an accompanying quick pickled onion

INSTRUCTIONS:

PREPARING THE SPICES AND MARINADING THE PIBIL:

Score the fat of the shoulder and rub the whole pork shoulder with salt.

Set aside and begin the marinade: First, toast your whole spices and garlic on the stove until aromatic.

Next, in a spice grinder (or blender) combine all the dry spices: salt, cumin, whole black pepper, whole allspice, whole cloves, cinnamon, oregano, achiote.

Grind until uniform and powdery. Blend garlic, and whisk or mix all ingredients together with sour orange until uniform.

Place the pork shoulder in a large bowl or large ziplock bag with the marinade.

Turn the pork to coat it entirely.

Allow marinating at least 2-3 hours, preferably overnight in the refrigerator.

COOKING THE PIBIL:

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

Brown the pork shoulder on the stove with a little oil. Use the same heavy pot you are cooking it in.

Next, lay two banana leaves out, overlapping.

Place the marinaded, browned pork in the middle.

Chop the white onion and place on the pork as well as a scoop or two of the marinade. Fold up the leaves around the pork like a present. To tie your present either use strips of banana leaf, or kitchen string.

In a heavy pot, place a small rack, or, scrunch up a ring on aluminum foil. The foil donut keeps the meat package out of the liquid at the bottom of the span and causes it to steam more than boil.

Pour the rest of the marinade plus a cup of water in the bottom of the pan.

Place the wrapped pork on top of the aluminum foil ring or rack. Put in the oven with the lid on the pot.

Cook for 4-5 hours

RECIPE FOR QUICK PICKLED RED ONIONS

Optional: To make quick pickled onions, place blanched red onion slices in a bowl of distilled white vinegar

Add salt and pepper to taste. I like about 1 tablespoon of salt for a larger onionTraditional Belizean Cochinita Pibil is cooked underground.

Enjoy