Instant Pot Cochinita Pibil with Achiote Marinade

Name: Instant Pot Cochinita Pibil with Achiote Marinade
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 1 h 25 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 lb (1360 g) boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed of thick surface fat, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks; 8 oz (225 g) banana leaves, thawed if frozen, rinsed and wiped dry, center rib trimmed if very thick; ¼ cup (60 ml) water; 3½ oz (100 g) achiote (annatto) paste, broken into rough chunks (one standard block); ¾ cup (180 ml) sour orange juice (or see substitutions), fresh or bottled; 6 cloves (18 g) garlic cloves, peeled; 2 tsp (2 g) dried Mexican oregano; 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin; ½ tsp (1 g) ground allspice; 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tsp (6 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal); 1 whole (10 g) habanero chile, stem removed, seeds removed for milder heat (optional); 1 medium (150 g) red onion, halved and very thinly sliced; ⅓ cup (80 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 3 limes; ½ tsp (1½ g) kosher salt; 16 tortillas (400 g) corn tortillas (6-inch / 15 cm), warmed

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Yucatán-style pork shoulder marinated in a brick-red achiote and sour orange paste, wrapped in banana leaf and pressure-cooked until spoon-tender. It's served with quick pickled red onions and warm tortillas.

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 1 hr 25 min
Wait: 4 hr
Total: 6 hr 5 min
Makes: About 5 cups shredded pork (8 servings, 2 tacos each) plus pickled onions

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the pork
3 lb (1360 g) boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed of thick surface fat, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks
8 oz (225 g) banana leaves, thawed if frozen, rinsed and wiped dry, center rib trimmed if very thick
¼ cup (60 ml) water
For the achiote marinade
3½ oz (100 g) achiote (annatto) paste, broken into rough chunks (one standard block)
¾ cup (180 ml) sour orange juice (or see substitutions), fresh or bottled
6 cloves (18 g) garlic cloves, peeled
2 tsp (2 g) dried Mexican oregano
1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
½ tsp (1 g) ground allspice
1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground
2 tsp (6 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
1 whole (10 g) habanero chile, stem removed, seeds removed for milder heat (optional)
For the pickled onions
1 medium (150 g) red onion, halved and very thinly sliced
⅓ cup (80 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 3 limes
½ tsp (1.5 g) kosher salt
To serve
16 tortillas (400 g) corn tortillas (6-inch / 15 cm), warmed

Equipment (8)

6- or 8-quart (5.7 or 7.6 L) electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot)
Blender or mini food processor
Large non-reactive bowl or zip-top bag (glass, stainless steel or plastic)
Sharp chef's knife and cutting board
Dry skillet or open gas flame for softening banana leaves
Kitchen scissors
Two forks or tongs for shredding
Small bowl or jar for the pickled onions

Steps

Before you start

Plan for at least 4 hours of marinating (overnight is better), so start in the morning for dinner or the night before.
Thaw the banana leaves in the fridge if frozen. This takes a few hours, or you can run the sealed package under warm water for 10 minutes.
Wear gloves or wash your hands well after handling achiote paste and habanero. Achiote stains countertops, cutting boards and plastic blender jars.
This recipe is sized for a 6-quart (5.7 L) or 8-quart (7.6 L) Instant Pot. Do not fill past the two-thirds line.

1
Cut the pork
- Pat the pork shoulder dry.
- Trim off any thick slabs of surface fat, leaving thin fat for flavor.
- Cut the meat into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks and place them in a large non-reactive bowl or zip-top bag.
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Ready when: Chunks are roughly equal in size, about 2 inches (5 cm), so they cook evenly.
Tip: Don't cut the pieces smaller than 2 inches. They can turn stringy and dry under pressure.
2
Blend the marinade
- In a blender, combine the achiote paste, sour orange juice, garlic, oregano, cumin, allspice, black pepper, kosher salt and the habanero, if using.
- Blend on high for 45–60 seconds until completely smooth, scraping down the sides once.
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Ready when: The marinade is a smooth, brick-red, pourable paste with no visible bits of achiote.
Tip: If the paste is stiff and the blades stall, add 1–2 tablespoons of the juice and blend again.
3
Marinate the pork
- Pour all the marinade over the pork.
- Toss or massage with gloved hands until every chunk is coated.
- Cover the bowl (or seal the bag), and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours, turning the pork once halfway through if you can.
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Ready when: The pork is evenly stained deep orange-red.
Tip: Don't marinate longer than 24 hours. The acid will start to turn the surface of the meat mushy.
4
Pickle the onions
- About 30 minutes before the pork finishes, put the sliced red onion in a small bowl or jar.
- Add the lime juice and ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and stir well so the onion is submerged.
- Let it sit at room temperature, stirring once or twice.
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Ready when: The onions turn bright pink and soften slightly but keep some crunch.
Tip: You can make these a day ahead. Refrigerate them in their juice.
5
Soften banana leaves
- Cut the banana leaves with scissors into pieces large enough to line the inner pot and fold over the pork, about 12 × 16 inches (30 × 40 cm).
- Pass each piece over a gas flame or press it onto a dry skillet over medium heat for 15–20 seconds per side.
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Ready when: The leaves turn glossy and a deeper green, and they bend without cracking.
Tip: Skip this and the leaves will split when you fold them.
6
Assemble the pot
- Pour the ¼ cup water into the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
- Lay 2 or 3 leaf pieces across the bottom and up the sides, letting extra hang over the rim.
- Add the pork and every bit of marinade.
- Fold the overhanging leaf over the top, then cover with another piece to seal the meat in a parcel.
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Ready when: The pork is fully enclosed by the leaves, and the water is under the leaf layer.
Tip: Don't stir the pork into the water. A thick marinade sitting on the bottom can trigger a 'Burn' warning.
7
Pressure cook
- Lock the lid and set the steam valve to Sealing.
- Select Pressure Cook (or Manual) on High and set 50 minutes.
- The pot will take about 15 minutes to come to pressure before the timer starts counting down.
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Ready when: The pot beeps at the end of the 50-minute cook.
Tip: If you get a 'Burn' notice, release pressure, stir in ¼ cup more water and restart.
8
Natural release
- Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes without touching the valve.
- Then move the valve to Venting to release any remaining steam.
- Open the lid away from your face.
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Ready when: The float valve drops and the lid turns freely. A chunk of pork should shred easily with a fork and read about 195°F (90°C).
Tip: Quick-releasing right away can make the meat seize up and the sauce spurt out.
9
Shred the pork
- Open the banana leaf parcel.
- Using two forks or tongs, shred the pork right in the pot, discarding any big pieces of fat.
- Stir the meat through the juices, then discard the banana leaves.
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Ready when: All the meat pulls apart into soft strands and is coated in red juices.
Tip: Skim the fat from the top of the juices with a spoon before shredding if it looks greasy.
10
Reduce the juices
- Select Sauté on the Instant Pot, set to High (or Normal if it boils too hard), and simmer the shredded pork uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Turn off the pot.
- Taste, and add a pinch of salt if needed.
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Ready when: The juices are thickened and glossy and cling to the pork, with little liquid pooling at the bottom.
Tip: Don't reduce it until dry. The pork should stay moist and saucy.
11
Warm tortillas and serve
- Warm the tortillas on a dry skillet over medium heat for 20–30 seconds per side, or wrap them in a damp towel and microwave for 45 seconds.
- Pile the pork into the tortillas and top with drained pickled onions.
- Serve right away.
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Ready when: Tortillas are soft, pliable and lightly speckled.
Tip: Keep the warmed tortillas wrapped in a clean towel so they don't dry out.

Good to know

Tips

Achiote paste is already salty, so don't add more salt to the marinade. Taste only at the end.
Use the juices left in the pot as a sauce. Spoon them over the tacos or toss rice in them.
For a more traditional finish, spread the shredded pork on a sheet pan and broil 3–4 minutes to lightly crisp the edges.
If your blender jar is plastic, rinse it right after use. Achiote stains.

Make ahead

"Marinate the pork up to 24 hours ahead. The pickled onions keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. The cooked pork can be made 3 days ahead and reheated in its juices."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: store the pork in its juices in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze with its juices for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat covered in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water for 5–8 minutes, or microwave in 1-minute bursts, stirring, until steaming hot."

Substitutions

sour orange juice (or see substitutions) → ½ cup (120 ml) fresh orange juice plus ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lime juice. This mimics sour orange's sweet-tart balance. Seville oranges are in season in winter if you can find them.
banana leaves → Parchment paper plus a layer of foil. You will lose the subtle grassy aroma, but the pork will still cook and stay moist. Line the pot with parchment and cover the pork with foil.
habanero chile → 1 serrano chile, or omit. Serrano is milder and still adds a green heat. Omit for a family-friendly, no-heat version.
boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt) → Bone-in pork shoulder, 3¾ lb (1.7 kg). The cooking time stays the same. Remove the bone before shredding.