History

Spanish lechón roasting met Mayan achiote marination in Yucatán colonial kitchens to produce the slow-roasted whole-pig plate that anchors Mérida's Sunday-lunch tradition. The young pig is rubbed with achiote, sour orange, garlic and salt, then slow-roasted in a wood-fired horno for six hours until the skin is glassy and the meat falls from the bone. Today it appears across Yucatán cantinas and markets, especially at Lonchería La Lupita inside Mercado de Santiago, where it sells out by 13:30, and at El Príncipe Tutul-Xiu. Standard plates pair the pork with frijol colado, chiltomate salsa and warm tortillas.

Common allergens: Pork

Make it at home

Yield 8Hands-on 45 minTotal 5 hrDifficulty Advanced

Ingredients

  • 1 suckling pig (about 5 kg) or 2 kg pork shoulder with skin
  • 150g achiote paste
  • 200 ml sour orange juice
  • 8 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • Banana leaves to wrap

Method

  1. Blend achiote, sour orange, garlic, salt, oregano and pepper into a marinade.
  2. Rub the pig thoroughly inside and out, working the marinade into the skin. Refrigerate covered overnight.
  3. Wrap the pig in banana leaves, then in foil.
  4. Roast at 160°C (320°F) for 3.5 hours.
  5. Open the foil and leaves, raise the temperature to 220°C (425°F) and roast 30 more minutes to crisp the skin.
  6. Rest 20 minutes before carving.
  7. Serve in tortillas with pickled red onion and habanero salsa.

Tip from the editors. Most home ovens can't fit a whole suckling pig; use pork shoulder with the skin attached for the same flavour profile.

Where to eat lechón al horno

Lechón al horno in Mérida

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