Poc chuc is thinly sliced pork loin marinated in sour orange, grilled over wood and served with pickled onion, beans, rice and a charred tomato salsa.

Poc chuc is a relatively young Yucatecan dish, popularized by Los Almendros in Ticul in the 1960s before the chain expanded to Mérida in 1972. The name combines Mayan poc (toasted) and chuc (charcoal). The technique is to marinate thin pork loin or leg slices in sour orange and salt for an hour, then grill over an extremely hot charcoal fire for under three minutes a side. Standard plates pair the pork with frijol colado bean broth, charred white onion, avocado, pickled habanero salsa and a stack of warm corn tortillas. La Chaya Maya, El Príncipe Tutul-Xiu and Los Almendros all run reference versions in Mérida.

Where to eat Poc chuc in Mérida

3 editor picks for Poc chuc in Mérida, ranked by editorial score. All Mérida signature dishes · Poc chuc across every city.

Book food experiences in Mérida

See all 591 food experiences in Mérida

Make it at home

Serves 44 hrEasy

Ingredients

  • 4 pork loin steaks, 200g each, butterflied and pounded thin
  • 200 ml sour orange juice (or 60% orange + 40% lime)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 large tomatoes, halved
  • 1 small red onion, sliced for pickling
  • Pickling liquid: 100 ml white vinegar, 50 ml lime juice, pinch of salt
  • Refried black beans, rice and corn tortillas to serve

Method

  1. Marinate pork loin in sour orange juice, garlic, oregano, pepper and salt for 3 hours, refrigerated.
  2. Pickle red onion in vinegar, lime juice and salt for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Char tomato halves directly on a grill or under a hot broiler until blackened. Mash with a fork for the salsa.
  4. Heat a charcoal grill or cast-iron pan to very hot.
  5. Grill the pork loin 1-2 minutes per side, no more, or it dries out.
  6. Serve immediately with charred-tomato salsa, pickled red onion, refried beans, rice and warm tortillas.

Editor tip. The Yucatán original cooks over wood charcoal; if you only have gas, sear in a cast-iron pan very hot, very briefly.

Common allergens: Pork.