Yucatecan-Style Pork

Name: Yucatecan-Style Pork
Prep time: 9 h
Cook time: 9 h
Total time: 9 h
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 3 Tbsps annatto (achiote) seeds; 3 fresh or thawed frozen banana leaves; 1 teaspoon black peppercorns; 3 kilograms boneless pork shoulder (not lean), cut into 3-inch chunks; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 6 garlic cloves; 118 milliliters fresh Seville (bitter) orange juice; 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican), crumbled; 10 servings Accompaniments: habanero salsa; warm tortillas or rice; 3 teaspoons salt; 1 large white onion, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices; 1 teaspoons whole allspice

You can never have too many main course recipes, so give Yucatecan-Style Pork If you have cumin seeds, allspice, garlic cloves, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes approximately 9 hours.

Instructions

Put pork in a large bowl and rub with 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons juice.

Ingredients you will need

Juice

Pork

Salt

Dry Seasoning Rub

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Toast peppercorns, cumin, and allspice together, then cool slightly.

Ingredients you will need

Peppercorns

Allspice

Cumin

Toast

Transfer to grinder along with annatto seeds and grind to a powder.

Ingredients you will need

Annatto Seeds

Transfer to a small bowl.

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Mince garlic and mash to a paste with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt using side of a large heavy knife.

Ingredients you will need

Garlic

Ground Meat

Salt

Equipment you will use

Knife

Add to ground spices along with oregano and remaining 6 tablespoons juice and stir to make a paste.

Ingredients you will need

Oregano

Spices

Juice

Toss pork with paste to coat well.

Ingredients you will need

Pork

Add onion and toss to combine.

Ingredients you will need

Onion

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.

Ingredients you will need

Banana Leaves

Toast

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.

Equipment you will use

Roasting Pan

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.

Ingredients you will need

Banana Leaves

Pork

Equipment you will use

Aluminum Foil

Frying Pan

Put oven rack in middle position, then put pan with pork in oven and heat to 400°F (to take chill off pork gently).

Ingredients you will need

Pork

Equipment you will use

Oven

Frying Pan

Once oven has reached 400°F, bake until pork is very tender, 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours.

Ingredients you will need

Pork

Equipment you will use

Oven

Discard foil and open banana leaves, then serve pork with salsa and tortillas.

Ingredients you will need

Banana Leaves

Tortilla

Salsa

Pork

Equipment you will use

Aluminum Foil

·In place of the Seville (bitter) orange juice, you can use 1/4 cup fresh regular orange juice plus 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, stirred together.·Pork in banana leaves (not baked) can be chilled up to 1 day.

Ingredients you will need

Banana Leaves

Orange Juice