The meat is flavored with a blend of spices, including achiote paste, which gives it a unique and vibrant orange color.
Servings 8Servings
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Belizean
Ingredients
3poundsboneless pork shouldercut into chunks
1/2cuporange juice
1/4cuplime juice
1/2cupwhite vinegar
1/2cupachiote paste
2tablespoonsminced garlic
1tablespoondried oregano
1tablespoonground cumin
1teaspoonground cinnamon
1teaspoonsalt
1/2teaspoonblack pepper
2bay leaves
1large onionsliced
2cupswater
Banana leavesoptional
Equipment
blender
large bowl
Large Dutch oven or casserole dish with lid
Aluminum foil (if using a casserole dish without a lid)
Method
In a blender, combine the orange juice, lime juice, white vinegar, achiote paste, garlic, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Blend until smooth.
In a large bowl, combine the pork shoulder chunks and the marinade. Mix until the pork is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best results.
Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
In a large Dutch oven or casserole dish, layer the sliced onions and bay leaves. Add the marinated pork and any remaining marinade. Pour in 2 cups of water.
Cover the dish with banana leaves (optional) and then with a lid. If using a casserole dish without a lid, cover tightly with foil.
Bake in the preheated oven for 3 to 4 hours, or until the pork is tender and falls apart easily with a fork.
Remove from the oven and discard the banana leaves (if used) and bay leaves.
Shred the pork with a fork and mix it with the cooking juices.
To make shredding the pork easier, let it cool slightly before shredding.If you don't have access to banana leaves, you can use parchment paper or aluminum foil to cover the pork while it cooks.For a more authentic flavor, use bitter oranges (Naranja Agria) instead of orange juice.