Poc Chuc (Yucatecan — Grilled Orange-Marinated Pork)

Ingredients

• 1 kg pork loin, cut into 30 mm thick slices
• 150 ml fresh sour orange juice (naranja agria), or substitute orange juice with lime
• 60 ml fresh lime juice
• 30 ml rendered lard
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 g cumin seeds, toasted, ground
• 4 g whole black peppercorns, Tellicherry, toasted, ground
• 5 g sea salt
• 2 g dried oregano, Mexican
• Fresh habanero chillies, 2, sliced thinly
• White onion, 1, sliced into rings

Method

1. 1
   Toast cumin seeds and peppercorns in dry pan 90 seconds; grind to powder.
2. 2
   Combine sour orange juice, lime juice, garlic, ground cumin, ground pepper, salt, and oregano in bowl; whisk to emulsify.
3. 3
   Coat pork slices thoroughly with marinade; rest 15 minutes at room temperature.
4. 4
   Heat lard in cast-iron skillet or comal over medium-high until shimmering; remove pork from marinade, shaking off excess.
5. 5
   Sear pork slices 3 minutes per side until caramelized and cooked through (63°C internal); transfer to serving plate.
6. 6
   Pour reserved marinade into hot skillet; deglaze and reduce by half, 2 minutes; pour warm marinade over pork.
7. 7
   Serve with pickled habanero chillies and white onion rings; accompany with warm corn tortillas.