Castacan Yucateco

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide heavy cazuela or 6-quart Dutch oven
• •Wire rack set over a rimmed sheet pan
• •Sharp chef's knife and wooden cutting board
• •Glass or ceramic bowls for the pickle and the xnipec (never aluminum, the sour orange will react)

Instructions

1. 1

   Pickle the red onion

   Place the sliced red onion in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over it, count to thirty, then drain. This takes the raw bite out without cooking the onion. Return it to the bowl and add the cup of naranja agria juice, the teaspoon of salt, and the teaspoon of oregano yucateco. Press the onions down so the liquid covers them. Let them sit for at least one hour. They will turn bright magenta. This is the cebolla morada encurtida that goes on everything in the Peninsula.

   Make these the day before if you can. The longer they sit in the sour orange, the deeper the pink and the cleaner the flavor.
2. 2

   Season the pork belly

   Pat the pork belly slabs dry. Rub them with the tablespoon of salt and the half cup of naranja agria juice. Smash the four extra garlic cloves with the side of a knife and rub them into the meat. Let the belly sit on a rack for at least 30 minutes, uncovered, in the refrigerator. The skin needs to dry. Wet skin will not crackle. This is the step most cooks skip and then wonder why their castacan is leathery.

3. 3

   Render in lard

   In a wide heavy cazuela or Dutch oven, melt the lard over medium-low heat. You want enough fat to come halfway up the pork belly once it goes in. Lay the slabs in skin side up, then add the halved onion, halved garlic head, bay leaves, peppercorns, and oregano. The lard should bubble lazily around the meat, not aggressively. La manteca es el sabor. Cook uncovered for one hour and forty-five minutes, turning the slabs once at the halfway point.

   Do not let the lard boil. If it does, lower the heat. A rolling fry will toughen the meat before the collagen has time to break down.
4. 4

   Make the xnipec

   While the pork cooks, make the xnipec. The name means dog's nose in Maya because the heat from the habanero should make the dog's nose run. Combine the diced tomato, finely diced white onion, minced habanero, chopped cilantro, naranja agria juice, and salt in a glass bowl. Stir and let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Use gloves when you handle the habanero. Two habaneros for an honest Yucatecan version. One for guests who do not know what they are getting into.

   Do not blend or process the xnipec. The texture of small, even dice is part of the dish. The habanero must remain identifiable so the eater can see what they are about to bite into.
5. 5

   Crisp the skin

   After an hour and forty-five minutes, the meat should be tender enough to pierce easily with a knife but still holding its shape. Lift the slabs out with a slotted spatula and drain on a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Pat the skin dry. Heat the oven to 450F. Arrange the slabs skin side up on a fresh rack over a sheet pan and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, until the skin blisters and crackles. Listen for the snap. That sound is castacan ready.

6. 6

   Chop and serve

   Let the castacan rest for five minutes. Chop the slabs into rough bite-sized pieces, skin and all, on a wooden board. The skin should shatter under the knife. Pile the pieces on a warm platter and sprinkle with finishing salt. Serve with warm corn tortillas, the pickled red onion, and a bowl of xnipec set in the center of the table. Each person folds their own taco. Asi se hace y punto.

Chef Tips

• •Naranja agria is not optional. If your Latin market does not carry it, mix equal parts fresh orange juice with fresh lime juice and add a small splash of grapefruit juice. It is a compromise, not an upgrade, but it gets closer than orange alone.
• •Oregano yucateco is a different plant from Mediterranean oregano, with a more anise-like, almost citrus note. Find it at a Mexican grocer specializing in Peninsula ingredients. Mexican oregano is the next best substitute. Italian oregano is wrong for this dish.
• •Handle the habanero with gloves and never touch your eyes after. The chile vendors at the Mercado Lucas de Galvez in Merida will laugh at anyone who picks one up bare-handed.

Advance Preparation

• •The pickled red onion can be made up to one week ahead and keeps refrigerated in its own brine. The color and flavor deepen with time.
• •The pork belly can be rendered in lard one day ahead and refrigerated in its rendered fat. Crisp the skin under high oven heat just before serving.
• •The xnipec is best made within an hour or two of serving. After that, the tomato breaks down and the salsa turns watery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 250g)