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Slow cooker Mexican Cochinita Pibil

Slow cooker Mexican Cochinita Pibil

This traditional Yucatecan dish is cooked at a low temperature for several hours for an incredibly tender and juicy result. Cochinita Pibil gets its beautiful red color and mild peppery flavor from the Achiote spice. Decorated with pickled red onion, this Mexican jewel is sure to please the eye and the belly.

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8 comments

  1. 1
    Carol
    February 4 2021
    How much achiote paste is required, it's missing from the ingredient list at the moment? What can I substitute for it?
    Reply: #2
  2. 2
    Reply to comment #1 by Carol
    Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
    February 4 2021

    How much achiote paste is required, it's missing from the ingredient list at the moment? What can I substitute for it?

    Hi Carol, I am not sure. I have asked the recipe team for assistance.

  3. 3
    Kath
    February 20 2021
    Carol - this link has a recipe for making the paste. Lots of similar recipes available if you Google.

    https://www.eastsidetable.org/tip/achiote-substitute/

  4. 4
    claudia3bartsch
    February 21 2021
    Is there anything I can use instead of achiote paste? I can't buy it here.
    Reply: #5
  5. 5
    Reply to comment #4 by claudia3bartsch
    Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor
    February 21 2021

    Is there anything I can use instead of achiote paste? I can't buy it here.

    Hi, Claudia! I found this recipe that may work for you! https://www.rachaelrayshow.com/recipes/easy-substitute-for-achiote-pa...

  6. 6
    Sanjoy
    February 24 2022
    I make this fantastic recipe regularly (fortnightly probably, sometimes weekly). I have made a few modifications out of laziness and circumstances.
    1. (laziness) Instead of juicing many oranges and lemons, I use the "pickling vinegar" (12%) that is found in all the Swedish grocery stores. I figured that 5% (of something) would be similar in acidity to the orange/lemon-juice mixture, so I dilute it with water (3 parts water : 2 parts of the vinegar) and make about 400 ml. I make a similar mixture for pickling the onions.
    2. (laziness) Instead of making achiote paste, I use 50 ml of sambal oelek (Indonesian chili paste) that is also easy to find in Swedish grocery stores. Here's a recipe for it (that I've not tried): https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/sauces/sambal...
    3. (circumstances) In moving to Sweden, we lost most of our cooking appliances (which take only 110 V) including the trusty slow cooker. So, I cook the pork covered in a Dutch oven in the (actual) oven for about 4 hours at 120 C (250 F).
    With all of the changes, it still comes out very tasty (and all of us prefer the version with sambal oelek compared to my attempt at making achiote paste and using it).
  7. 7
    Jill Caratan
    February 28 2023
    Can I ask how spicy this is? Making it for me and my kids (10, 8, and 5). The 10 y/o likes his heat, but the other 2 freak at the sight of black pepper lol.
    Any subs for the habanero? Is the achiote spicy?
    Reply: #8
  8. 8
    Reply to comment #7 by Jill Caratan
    Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
    March 1 2023

    Can I ask how spicy this is? Making it for me and my kids (10, 8, and 5). The 10 y/o likes his heat, but the other 2 freak at the sight of black pepper lol.
    Any subs for the habanero? Is the achiote spicy?

    The spice level on this can vary. Achiote is a little spicy but not very (usually!)
    https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-achiote-paste-2342971

    A habanero is generally spicy and you may wish to omit it to keep the heat level in check.

Leave a reply

Reply to comment #2 by Kristin Parker

.