A traditional Mayan dish hailing from the Coast of Mexico – Poc Chuc is one of the best dishes that has come out of the country. Infused with traditional herbs and brimming with Mexicana flavors – this grilled pork is marinated in sour orange juice and served with pickled onions. 

Poc Chuc is not only tasty as it is so effortless to make! 

Pronounced “poke chook,” the process involves making an orange marinade, beating out pork loin cutlets, immersing the pork, and finally grilling it over a very high flame with some red onions which are then bathed with a pickle sauce.

The Yucatecan cuisine is defined by the use of sour orange juice to flavor up various dishes. You can find Naranja agria in every Latin market. However, if you want to make one at home, then you can get close to the same flavor by juicing two oranges, one grapefruit, and three limes and mixing them all.

The serving is enjoyable too! Serve this delicious Poc Chuc with chopped avocado and black beans. However, there is one special sauce that will add a host of flavors to your dish. We are talking about the chiltomate. You may be wondering, What is Chiltomate? Well, that is a tasty and spicy salsa. 

Poc Chuc Recipe
Poc Chuc

We have listed how you can make this sauce, so you need not worry! 

Let’s see how you can make this amazing Mayan Poc Chuc Recipe! 

Tender and Appetizing Poc Chuc Recipe

Quick Stats: 

  • Prep Time: 1 hour 
  • Cooking Time: 15 minutes 
  • Servings: 8 serves 

Ingredients: 

For Marinade: 

  • 3 pounds pork loin
  • One head garlic
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • One teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 cup sour orange juice

For Onions: 

  • 2 pounds red onions, peeled and quartered
  • 1/4 cup sour orange juice
  • One teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground clove

For Chiltomate: 

  • Four plum tomatoes, diced
  • 1/2 cup sour orange juice 
  • salt
  • One teaspoon dried oregano
  • Two red onions, diced
  • 1 to 2 habaneros, minced
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro

Method to Prepare: 

For Marinade

  • If you buy the pork, submerge it into a mixture of 1/4 cup kosher salt to 1-quart water, and let it sit in the fridge overnight. 
  • When you are about to marinate the pork, slice the loins into medallions. 
  • Put the medallion into a heavy freezer bag. Take a mallet and pound the medallion flat. 
  • Keep the cutlets about 1/4 inch thick.
  • Blend all the marinade ingredients apart from pork. 
  • Coat the pork cutlets with the crushed marinade, put them in a bag, and let them sit overnight.

For Onions

  • Get your grill hot and clean the grates. Char the quartered red onions well. 
  • You want significant blackening. 
  • Take them off when they’re ready and cut them into slices you’d like to eat on a tortilla.
  • Take a bowl and mix the remaining onion ingredients. Toss them with the charred, sliced red onions. 
  • Let this sit at room temperature. These can be made up to 1 day in advance.

For Chiltomate

  • First, take a bowl and mix the chopped onion and habaneros with salt, sour orange juice, and oregano.  
  • Let this mixture sit. Meanwhile, dice the tomato and chop the cilantro. 
  • Add the tomatoes to the bowl as soon as they are minced. However, leave the cilantro out until you are ready to serve. 
  • Toss it in at the last minute.

To Assemble

  • To begin the cooking, clean the grates of your griller and get it hot. 
  • Take the pork out of the marinade but avoid scraping or rinsing the pork. Keep the marinade on the pork for better flavor. 
  • Now, keep the flame high and grill the pork for about 2 to 5 minutes per side. Keep an eye on your pork as you want the pork to be almost done.
  • Once cooked, slice the pork thin and put it onto the tortillas with the prepared onions and chiltomate. 
  • Take a medium bowl and make black beans and garnish the Poc Chuc with sliced avocados.
  • Enjoy Poc Chuc with delicious and straightforward brown rice!

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Final Words

Try this seared Mayan poc chuc from Yucatan as it is one of the most perfect and flavorful dinner recipes you will ever try! Brimming with the tanginess of marinade and spiciness of Chiltomate. This traditional Mayan dish is a must-try.