The role of pickled onions in cochinita pibil
Cochinita pibil is the slow-roasted, achiote-marinated pork of the Yucatan. It is rich and earthy, and it is traditionally served with cebollas encurtidas, thinly sliced red onions pickled in citrus with habanero and oregano. The acidity cuts through the fat, and the pink onions add crunch and color to tacos, tortas and panuchos.
Many versions are quick: a short soak at room temperature, then into the fridge. They are refrigerator condiments, not preserves.
Traditional vs vinegar versions
- Traditional: thinly sliced onions rinsed or softened with hot water, then soaked in sour orange juice (or a mix of lime and orange) with salt, oregano and habanero. These keep for a few days.
- Vinegar-based: many popular recipes add white or red wine vinegar to the citrus. This gives a sharper flavor and a predictable acidity, which helps the onions keep longer in the fridge.
The recipe below leans toward the traditional flavor but includes some vinegar, so you can make a batch to last the week.
Ingredients
Makes about one pint.
- 2 medium red onions, halved and very thinly sliced from root to tip
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (or use sour orange, see below)
- 1/4 cup white or red wine vinegar, labeled 5% acidity
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or pickling salt
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1/2 to 1 habanero, thinly sliced (optional, use gloves, and remove seeds for less heat)
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar, optional
- A few black peppercorns or an allspice berry, optional
Method
- Place the sliced onions in a colander and pour just-boiled or very hot water over them, then drain well. This is a common technique to take the raw bite off the onion and set the color. Alternatively, skip this step for a sharper onion.
- In a jar or bowl, stir together the lime juice, orange juice, vinegar, water, salt, oregano and sugar until the salt dissolves.
- Add the onions and habanero. Press them down so they are submerged.
- Let them sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, then refrigerate. Many cooks like at least 2 hours, and some prefer overnight for brighter color and more flavor.
Drain before serving, and use a fork or tongs.
Substituting sour orange
Sour orange (naranja agria) is hard to find outside Mexico and Latin American markets. A common substitute is a mix of lime juice and orange juice, often roughly 2 parts lime to 1 part orange, sometimes with a little grapefruit juice. The flavor is similar but not identical. Bottled sour orange juice from Latin markets can be used if available.
Fresh citrus tastes best here. Some recipe authors specifically avoid bottled lime juice for flavor.
Storage
Because citrus juice has variable acidity, treat the juice-heavy version as a short-term condiment. Keep it refrigerated, and plan to eat it within about a week. Vinegar-based versions without much juice may keep for two to three weeks, and some recipes say up to a month, but the onions get softer over time. If you want a longer-lasting version, use more vinegar than citrus.
Discard onions that smell off or look slimy or moldy. Do not can this recipe.
Why are my pickled onions soft?
Several things make pickled onions lose their crunch:
- Slicing too thin. Very thin slices soften quickly. Slice about 1/8-inch thick if you want them to last.
- Cutting against the grain. Cutting root to tip instead of crosswise helps the slices keep their shape.
- Hot brine or long hot-water soaks. Pouring boiling brine or soaking for a long time cooks the onions.
- Age. Onions steadily soften in an acidic brine over days.
- Old or weak onions. Start with firm, fresh onions.
For the crunchiest result, use cold or room-temperature brine and eat them within a few days.
Can I pickle red onions? Qdoba-style and other versions
Yes. Red onions are among the easiest vegetables to quick-pickle, and they turn bright pink in acid. I do not have the exact Qdoba recipe, but restaurant-style pickled onions are generally a mix of vinegar, lime juice, salt, sugar and cilantro or oregano. You can approximate that taste by leaving out the habanero, using more vinegar than lime, and adding a pinch of sugar and fresh cilantro stems.
English pickled onions are a different preparation. Small onions are usually brined in salt, then packed in spiced malt or distilled vinegar and left to mature for weeks before eating. Those jars are often stored at room temperature before opening, which depends on tested acidity and procedures, so if you want to make shelf-stable ones, follow a tested recipe from a source like the National Center for Home Food Preservation rather than improvising.
If you need a garlic-free pickled onion for a restricted diet, see our guide to low FODMAP pickled onions.
Serving ideas
Spoon them over sliced cochinita pibil on warm tortillas, or into tortas and tacos. They are also good on beans, eggs, grain bowls, avocado toast and grilled fish.