Ingredients
- 4 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut in 3-inch chunks
- 3.5 oz achiote paste
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 large banana leaves, thawed if frozen
- Pickled red onions for serving
- Warm corn tortillas for serving
- Habanero salsa for serving
Method
- Blend the achiote paste, orange juice, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, allspice and salt until smooth.
- Toss the pork with the marinade, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Heat the oven to 325°F. Pass the banana leaves quickly over a burner to soften them, then line a baking dish with them, letting them hang over the sides.
- Add the pork and all the marinade, fold the leaves over the top and cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Roast until the pork shreds easily, about 3 1/2 hours. It passes the safe 145°F early on; it takes this long to get fall-apart tender.
- Shred the pork right in its juices and serve in tortillas with pickled onions and habanero salsa.
Notes
No banana leaves? Wrap the dish in parchment, then foil.
It holds beautifully in a slow cooker on warm, which makes it an easy taco bar for a party.
Bitter Seville oranges are traditional; the orange, lime and vinegar mix stands in for them.