Jonathan Zaragoza is a Chicago-based chef who got his start in professional kitchens working at the Michelin-starred Sepia and Sixteen, before becoming the chef of Masa Azul at 22. Jonathan’s path has taken him throughout Mexico, deep into its rich culinary heritage, to bring its traditions with him to London, Dubai, Paris, and the U.S.

Jonathan Zaragoza

Cochinita pibil is a Yucatecan preparation that’s more of a ritual than a dish: whole suckling pig, doused in an aggressively spiced marinade of citrus juice, vinegar, and achiote (aka annatto; for its distinctive red coloring), wrapped in banana leaves and slowly cooked in a “pib,” a kind of earthen oven dug in a hole in the ground. If you want to break down a whole pig and dig a hole in the ground to make this recipe, go ahead—I’m a big fan of that energy. Check out the video to see how we built an aboveground pib and hosted an epic cochinita feast.If you don’t want to do any of that, don’t worry: Cooking cochinita pibil in an oven works great, since pibil is essentially a braise with added smoke flavor. You don’t even need a suckling pig, since a pork shoulder produces fantastic pibil. The key is to use gentle, moist heat, just like with <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/barbecue-landing">barbecue</a>, so all the <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/decoding-tough-and-tender-cuts">tough collagen in the shoulder converts to melty gelatin</a>. Shredded and dressed with the braising liquid, it’s melt-in-your-mouth delicious, perfect for stuffing into tortas, serving in tortillas, or piling on top of a bean-stuffed and deep-fried tortilla for a panucho.This recipe has a lot of downtime, so you have lots of time to practice your <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/how-to-shape-your-homemade-masa-tortillas">handmade tortilla skills</a>, make some <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/salsa-de-habanero">creamy habanero salsa</a>, <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/pickled-red-onions">pickle some red onions</a>, and otherwise get ready to eat some of the best tacos you’ve ever made.

Cochinita Pibil