Three Hawks

The Spices of Life

Large Baking dish or Roasting Pan

Zip-lock bag

Blender

Aluminum foil

Banana leaves (optional)

1/2 cup Puerco Pibil Spice Blend

2 Tablespoons Salt

1-3 habanero or Jalapeño chilis (note)

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 

1 Shot finest tequila you can find (note)

5 lbs. of Pork Butt, cut into 2 inch cubes

Remove seeds and inner membrane from habanero.

Add salt, habanero, orange juice, vinegar, lemon juice, and tequila. Blend on high for 30-60 seconds.

Stir Puerco Pibil Spice Blend into the liquid. 

Place cubed pork into a large zip lock bag; pour the marinade over pork. Seal bag and mush bag around to spread the paste over the pork. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours, turning several times.

Line the baking pan with banana leaves (or foil if you don't have leaves).

Pour pork and marinade into pan.

Cover with more banana leaves and then foil. Crimp foil around pan to make sure steam doesn't escape.

Bake in the oven at 325° F for 4 hours.

This dish is very strong in flavor, and some people might want to dilute it a bit. Ideal candidates are white rice and pico de gallo. Shred the pork and mix into or serve on top of white rice and pico.

Habanero is the hottest chili in the world, so you might want to "wimp it down a bit." Here are some tips: 

1) use less habanero or even a half or quarter of one; 

2) instead of blending the habanero, just slice into strips and place them whole in the zip lock bag; 

3) make sure you don't get the seeds or membrane into the dish. 

4) Don't pick your nose or touch your eyes or contacts for two days after handling the inside of Habanero (or just wear gloves while cutting it).

It doesn't really matter what kind of Tequila you use as long as it's real Tequila. This means it should say 100% agave, and no Cuervo Gold or any other "gold" Tequila.