Cochinita Pibil tacos are to die for. Incredibly tender meat topped with chopped cilantro and cebolla en escabeche (pickled red onions). Each bite of this Authentic Mexican recipe is heavenly.

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Cochinita Pibil … in one word: AMAZING! Flavorful and soft, juicy meat. Gimme 3 tacos to start please.

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Not everyone has memories of climbing Mayan ruins and women grinding spices on a metate.

I didn’t realize the impact of living in Southern Mexico had on me until years later. The colors, the flavors, the smells, THE FOOD!!! All of it changed me.

This dish is straight from the heart of Southern Mexico.

More Mexican Pork Recipes:

Cochinita Pibil Ingredients on a wooden surface.

How to Make It

Check out the picture above. These are the ingredients you will need.

It’s actually not very hard to make this recipe. You’re making a sauce, marinating pork, and cooking it for a long time in banana leaves. Easy!

One of the main ingredients in the marinade is achiote. Pronounced “AH-shee-oH-teh.”

Achiote paste is made with annatto seeds and several spices. It is what gives this dish its unique flavor.

Look for it in the spices area or in the Hispanic aisle at the grocery store.

Sour oranges are hard to find. They are native to Southern Mexico and hardly ever travel north.

No worries. You can recreate its distinct flavor.

Sour Orange Substitute:

• Substitute sour oranges for equal parts oranges and limes.

The juice will taste sour and slightly sweet.

A decorative Mexican clay plate with spices for the Cochinita Pibil marinade.

Here are the spices that you will need to make the marinade.

They will give a lot of flavor once they are mixed with the achiote and sour orange juice.

Marinade for Cochinita Pibil in a blender.

Add all the ingredients for the sauce into the blender.
Blend until smooth.

Taste the marinade. It should taste like garlic and citrus.

Personal taste comes into play here. If you think it should be sweeter, you can add another orange. If you think it should be more sour, add the juice of another lime.

Bone-In Pork shoulder on a green cutting board.

Traditionally, Cochinita Pibil is made with an entire pig and cooked underground. It takes all day.

Cut of Pork To Use:

Pork loin, Pork butt, or Pork shoulder. This is pork shoulder.

Cut off as much of the fat as you can.
There will still be plenty of fat left for the meat to come out tasty.

Please note: Authentic Cochinita Pibil is fatty, and shoulder is a fatty cut of meat. Some people in Southern Mexico do not trim the fat off because they say the fat gives extra flavor.

Pork pieces with the red achiote marinade.

Cover the pork.
This goes into the fridge overnight. Or marinate for a minimum of 4 hours.

Do not simply pour the marinade over the pork. The marinade is very strong, and that is why the pieces need to be individually marinated.

Pro Tip:

Depending on the size of the pork, you might have extra marinade left over. Freeze it for later use. It can stay in the freezer for up to 6 months.

A large piece of banana leaf folded on a wooden surface.

• To cook with banana leaves, you need to make them pliable.

Look for them at the Mexican market, or if you have an Asian community near by, look for them in the freezer section.

Banana leaves heating up on a gas stove.

Cut 3 pieces of the banana leaves. About 3 feet each.
Place one of the pieces and over the stove (or over a hot skillet).
Move it gently, carefully, and quickly over the flame with your hands or tongs as it turns dark green.
When it changes colors, that’s when it’s ready.
Take to the faucet, and rinse the banana leaves.

See video for further reference.

Rick Bayless said, “You can very make Cochinita Pibil without banana leaves, but the banana leaves give so much flavor.”

You the man, Rick Bayless!

A collage of how to assemble the banana leaves in the slow cooker for cochinita pibil.

Slow Cooker Instructions:

Add one piece of the banana leaf lengthwise.
Then add another piece of the banana leaf criss cross.
Add the marinated pork.
Cover with the ends of the banana leaves that are overflowing.

This is an authentic Cochinita Pibil recipe except for the slow cooker part. Below are the Dutch Oven recipe and Instant Pot instructions.

To assemble in a slow cooker, you are overlapping the banana leaves criss cross.

Another Pro Tip:

Be sure not to add too much pork. The slow cooker lid needs to fit in order for the meat to cook properly.

A decorative red Mexican cup adding water to the side of the slow cooker.

• Add water around the banana leaves.

The pork meat will be snug inside the wrapped banana leaves. This will help the Cochinita Pibil tacos from drying out.

Do not add the water directly on the meat.

• Place the lid on the slow cooker. Set the slow cooker.

Slow cooker plugged in and cooking the cochinita pibil.

Dutch Oven Instructions:

Follow the instructions up until step 19.
Cover with the lid. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Bake until pork is tender. 2 ½ hours.

Instant Pot Instructions:

Follow the instructions up until step 12.
Place the metal trivet inside the instant pot. Add ½ cup water.
Put one piece of the banana leaf in the pot, put the second piece across, making an X.
Add the pork to the middle of the leaves.
Fold the leaves over the pork to tuck them in.
Lock the lid. Move valve to “Sealing.”
Cook on High Pressure for 60 minutes.
Full natural release for 20 minutes.

Cooked cochinita pibil in a crock pot with the banana leaves opened and tongs inside.

Once the meat is ready, remove the pork from the slow cooker, instant pot, or Dutch oven.
Place the pork in a separate container so as not to get the banana leaves. Discard the banana leaves.
Shred the pork.
The meat should be soft and falling off the bone.

What to Serve With It

Top your taco with chopped cilantro, Mexican pickled onions, and tomatillo habanero salsa.

Cochinita Pibil tacos are so good! Tender meat that melts in your mouth. The DELICIOUS aroma and FLAVORFUL bite of this dish is worth the effort!

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Maggie Unzueta

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Maggie Unzueta is the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer, videographer, and creator of In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. She has been developing easy and authentic Mexican food, Mexican-inspired recipes, and traveling tips since 2010. From family recipes to her extensive travels throughout Mexico, she brings traditional Mexican flavors from South of the Border and into your kitchen. Maggie has been featured in notable culinary websites and other media outlets. For more details, check out her About page.