Thousands of travelers have said that much of a destination can be recognized through its gastronomy, especially through the popular cuisine of the place, which the locals enjoy as a ritual and which has become rooted in their customs.
That is the case of the Cochinita Pibil, the most emblematic dish of Yucatan, which dates back to pre-Hispanic times and which to date has remained in force within the heart of the Yucatecans and of all Mexicans, including, has managed to position itself within of the Top 10 of the Best Street Foods In The World 2023.
Cochinita Pibil is a traditional Yucatec Mayan slow-roasted pork dish from the Yucatán Peninsula. Preparation of traditional Cochinita involves marinating the meat in strongly acidic citrus juice.
- Facts about the Cochinita Pibil
The Cochinita has its origins in the GDP of the Mayan culture, a dish that used to be consumed during the Hanal Pixan (Mayan festival for the dead). - It was made with deer, pheasant, wild turkey, or peccary.
- Today, it is cooked with pork, as a consequence of miscegenation and culinary adaptation.
- The meat is cooked with achiote, a sacred plant of the Mayan world that is related to blood, from its seeds a very characteristic red color of the Cochinita is extracted, which together with sour orange, cinnamon, a variety of peppers, garlic, salt, and oregano give the meat its unique flavor.
- Yucatecans usually allocate every Sunday to tasting the delicious cochinita pibil for breakfast, since on this day the pigs were sacrificed for sale.
TYT Newsroom