This is a taco recipe that comes from our constant craving for the unequivocal Cochinita Pibil sandwich and our never-ending love for tacos. Cochinita Pibil is a traditional slow-roasted pork dish from the Yucatán Peninsula. Its genius lies in the marinade highs and lows; earthy achiote paste or annatto seed, bright orange and/or grapefruit juice, and rich and roasted flavors from roasted garlic. This taco recipe takes into account the spirit of the Pibil and travels to another galaxy in the form of tacos, made with New Mexican chile of course.
These can be made vegetarian using all beans, cauliflower or potatoes in place of the meat. The last time I made these I used elk, but any meat you have a hankering for will work. Pork shoulder is wonderful, it just takes more time than a vegetable, ground beef or a picked cooked rotisserie chicken.
This would be a fabulous dish to put in the slow cooker overnight. If you cook it this way, you could easily use dry beans instead of cooked ones. This “taco” filling is just as tasty over nachos, in burritos, over rice, and yes, even salad.
PrintCochinita Pibil Chile Tacos
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 1-3 hours
- Total Time: 1-3 hours
- Yield: serves 6-8
- Category: Tacos
- Method: Slow Cook
- Cuisine: Southwest
Ingredients
For the chile paste:
- 8 dried red chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 8 garlic cloves, peels left on
- 1/2 t. black peppercorn
- 1/2 t. whole cloves
- 2 t. whole coriander
- 1 t. whole cumin
- 1 T. dried oregano
- 2 T. maple syrup
- 1 grapefruit, juiced
- 1/2 c. water
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the tacos:
- 2 T. olive oil
- 2 # meat (beef chuck, brisket, ground beef, chicken, bison or elk)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 green bell peppers, diced
- 1 can (14.5 oz.) cooked beans OR 1 c. dried chicos
- 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 2 c. broth (veggie, chicken, or beef)
For serving (optional):
- tortillas
- Scallion, sliced
- Jalapenos, sliced
- greek yogurt or sour cream
- Avocados
- Cilantro leaves
- Lime wedges
- Cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
First, make the chile paste: Bring a medium saucepan of water to a simmer. While you’re waiting for the water to heat, In a separate cast iron or other heavy-bottomed skillets over medium heat, sear the red chiles pressing them in the pan until they soften and smell aromatic, but not too much that they burn. Turn them, gently cook on the other side and transfer them to the simmering water saucepan. Turn off the heat and let them sit for 15-30 minutes, then strain them and reserve. Add the garlic cloves to the hot cast iron pan (with their peels still on) and brown them on all sides, before removing them and peeling them once they are cool enough to handle. Once again the cast iron will be empty but still hot. Add the peppercorn, cloves, coriander, and cumin to the pan and gently cook until the spicy fragrance wafts up at you. Transfer these spices to a dry blender and blend until it forms a powder. Add the chiles, peeled garlic cloves, maple syrup, grapefruit juice, and water. Blend until smooth and reserve.
To make the tacos: heat oil in a large dutch oven over high heat. Season the meat with salt and pepper and sear on all sides, working in batches as necessary as to not overcrowd the pan. Reserve the cooked meat in a bowl and reduce the heat to medium.
Add to the hot pot the onion, and green bell peppers and let cook for around ten minutes. Add the beans, can of tomatoes, broth, prepared chile paste, and cooked meat back to the pot. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours depending on the type of meat used. Ground beef or already cooked meat will take around 30 minutes, whereas tougher cuts like brisket, stew meat or pork shoulder could take up to 3 hours to tenderize. Once the meat is fully cooked, serve it with tortillas and your favorite taco toppings. Enjoy!
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