Here's my take on the famous Yucatan pork! The earthy marinade based on achiote paste lends a brilliant color and flavor to the pork. Of course, I had to incorporate some smoke into the equation!
2TBSMelissa's Bold Rubor your favorite spicy BBQ rub
1 cup blood orange juice
1/2cup cider vinegar
1 brick achiote paste
1TBSkosher salt
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1TBSancho chili powder
1TBSdried oregeno (mexican if available)
1lime, juice from
4cloves garlic
1mediumyellow onionroughly chopped
Pickled Red Onions
1mediumred onionvery thinly sliced
3/4cupcider vinegar
1/4cupwater
2TBSsugar
1tspkosher salt
1/2tspcayenne
2clovesgarliccrushed
Roasted Pineapple
1pineapplepeeled
1/2cupbrown sugar
1TBSBBQ rub
Instructions
For the Pork
Prepare smoker to run at 275 degrees. Cut pork into pieces and season with BBQ rub. Add orange juice, achiote, vinegar, salt, chili powder, oregeno, red pepper flakes, lime juice, garlic and onion to a blender and puree. Form a "basket" with the banana leaves over an aluminun half pan. Pour marinade over pork, and place in smoker for 1 hour. Remove from smoker, fold banana leaves over pork and tie to form a basket. Return to smoker for 4-5 hours or until tender.
For the Red Onions
Some people just marinade the onions in the pickling liquid for a few hours. I prefer to put in a sauce pan, bring to a boil for 2 minutes, then turn off heat and let onions/liquid cool naturally. This softens the onions somewhat and gets a stronger flavor.
For the Pineapple
Peel the pineapple, leaving the bottom and top attached. Roll the pineapple in the sugar and BBQ rub. Place in smoker for 2 hours, rotating every 30 minutes.