Slow-Roasted Yucatecan Pig

[rberg02]

Re: Slow-Roasted Yucatecan Pig

Cochinita Pibil or Puerco Pibil is one of my favorite Mexican dishes. Rick Bayless's recipe serves 35. For those who would like to make a smaller batch, here are some other recipes

In the movie "Once up a time in Mexico," it was Agent Sands favorite dish and he ordered it wherever it was on the menu. In fact it was so good at one place, he shot the cook "just to restore the balance" as he explained. The director, Robert Rodriguez, made this video to show how it is made (it was included on the dvd of the movie). He makes his own achiote paste for his recipe. Here is the link:
YouTube - 10 minute cooking school: Puerco Pibil

Another smaller recipe using commercial achiote paste is in the Rosa Mexicana cookbook Rosa's New Mexican Table as is a recipe for the pickled red onions. I have made this recipe several times in the retained heat of my WFO. We served the puerco like tacos in homemade tortillas using the recipe from Rodriguez's second 10 minute cooking school video "Sin City Tacos," topped with pickled red onions (these are great with the pork) and hot sauce, and sided with refried black beans, and Mexican style rice. Some folks put the black beans on the pork as well.

I actually found banana leaves in the produce section of the Cub store in Duluth, MN.
Ron

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Slow-Roasted Yucatecan Pig

How is that Caja thing built? Is it just plywood and sheetmetal? Is there a solid pan under the coals to keep the ash from falling on the meat?

Plywood lined with sheet metal (stainless?). There is a solid metal lid and then a grate (both with handles). The charcoal is lit an placed in the lid. After about an hour you add more charcoal, then another hour your take the lid and coals off, turn over the pig to skin side up. Then you put the lid back on and shake the tray to get the ash out (it just dumps out back on the lid) and add more coals....I think it is about 1/2 hour after that....

Take a look at this page for a blow by blow with good pictures:

https://www.lacajachina.com/Articles.asp?ID=156

Drake

[asudavew]

Re: Slow-Roasted Yucatecan Pig

Yes, I want one too!! Just like that!

I'm having one hell of a problem finding a large roasing pan. Swiss people don't do turkey, so they don't buy or sell roasting pans... the best I found so far is in Germany for around 300 USD - plus taxes and postage. I dunno, seems like a lot to me. How about an internet crash-course on welding?

I can send you one Frances.

I can get them locally for pretty cheap.

I'd be happy to help you.

I use this one and I've cooked numerous things in it.

Bed Bath & Beyond Product

It's pretty cheap and well made.
I am not sure how much it would cost to ship to you.

But let me know.

Dave

[chuckster]

Re: Slow-Roasted Yucatecan Pig

My stuffed turkeys browned very quickly in a hot oven in one hour. I was worried they would burn so I covered them (plus the lid) for another 3 hours of cooking with aluminum foil - that seemed to work. Only the ends of the legs were blackened. They were definately completely cooked.

When I cook the pork the banana leaves keep it from getting too done on the outside. In fact next time I was thinking about taking the lid off for the last 45-60 minutes to crisp up the outside.

How is that Caja thing built? Is it just plywood and sheetmetal? Is there a solid pan under the coals to keep the ash from falling on the meat?

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Slow-Roasted Yucatecan Pig

My Dad has one of those Caja China's. It is a great piece of equipment, nearly foolproof.

The main difference I see with the WFO/Coffin combo, is at the end of the caja china cooking cycle, you up the heat (by removing the ash from the charcoal to allow more air flow) and this crisps the skin. I would think you could do the same thing by getting some flame going in the oven...

Attached are a couple of caja china pics.

Drake

[Frances]

Re: Slow-Roasted Yucatecan Pig

...I'm sure if you promised to provide us all with nice made-to-order coffins, you could be bumped up to master builder.

[chuckster]

Re: Slow-Roasted Yucatecan Pig

Never mind - I figgered it out - Wood Fired Oven!! DUH!

Guess that's why it says "serf" under my name??

[chuckster]

Re: Slow-Roasted Yucatecan Pig

No plans and no need for more to do - GRIN

What is a WFO? World Federation of Ovens?

You might could find a sheet metal shop or Air Conditioning company to make one for you.

I want to try that Cuban Pork Recipe from the link above.

[Richard]

Re: Slow-Roasted Yucatecan Pig

You have very effectively turned this into a La Caja China for a WFO.
See following link

La Caja China Box Pig Roasting Grills Whole Pig Roasting Grills Pig Cooker Grills

This is great.

Any plans to turn this into a side business - Made to order coffins - for our WFO's

[Frances]

Re: Slow-Roasted Yucatecan Pig

Yes, I want one too!! Just like that!

I'm having one hell of a problem finding a large roasing pan. Swiss people don't do turkey, so they don't buy or sell roasting pans... the best I found so far is in Germany for around 300 USD - plus taxes and postage. I dunno, seems like a lot to me. How about an internet crash-course on welding?

[james]

Re: Slow-Roasted Yucatecan Pig

I just used some leftover stainless from a job that I was working on.

Chuck
North Carolina

Wow. I wish I could do that. :-) Maybe we need to find someone to make these for the rest of us.

James

[Inishta]

Re: Slow-Roasted Yucatecan Pig

That is simply superb........................I want one...................

Come to think about it............Christmas is coming..................

[chuckster]

Re: Slow-Roasted Yucatecan Pig

Here's the Turkey Coffin! Just made it home today before it got dark to take some photos - sure gets dark quick this time of year.

Anyway, as you can see its not rocket science stuff, but its sure better than the old pan and easier to use. I just used some leftover stainless from a job that I was working on.

Its 13-inches wide X 10-inches high X 28-inches long. If I push it all the way to the back of the oven its about 8-9 inches from the door.

Later,

Chuck
North Carolina

[asudavew]

Re: Slow-Roasted Yucatecan Pig

This is a pic of the pork when it was done. This was before the new SS pan and I only did two shoulders to see how it would work out.

I tried to take a photo of the "Turkey Coffin" but I'll have to wait until daylight.

Man that looks good!

[chuckster]

Re: Slow-Roasted Yucatecan Pig

This is a pic of the pork when it was done. This was before the new SS pan and I only did two shoulders to see how it would work out.

I tried to take a photo of the "Turkey Coffin" but I'll have to wait until daylight.