Tacos de poc chuc
Poc chuc is a Yucatecan dish of thin pork steaks marinated in sour orange and grilled over charcoal, eaten wrapped in corn tortillas with charred onion, tomato salsa and habanero. Its name comes from Maya words meaning roughly to toast over coals.
Etymology
Both Larousse Cocina and México Desconocido derive the name from two Maya words: pok, to toast or roast, and chuc, charcoal. Spellings vary, including poc-chuc and poh chuc. Larousse also records the spelling pook chuuk, closer to Maya orthography. México Desconocido associates the dish with Maní, a Maya town in the south of Yucatán state, alongside the Mérida restaurant story.
History
The dish as it is known today is credited to Los Almendros, a restaurant specializing in Yucatecan food, where it was first served in 1962. According to Larousse Cocina, the restaurant's original version was salted pork with chiltomate (a roasted tomato and chile sauce) and kabax beans. Because the salty meat overpowered the sauce, the cooks added a relish of grilled red onion, sour orange juice and a little vinegar, which became a defining part of the plate.
México Desconocido also records a competing view that some form of grilled meat dish existed among the Maya before the conquest and was later transformed by the arrival of pork. The 1962 restaurant attribution is the better documented of the two.
Preparation and serving
Thin steaks cut from the pork leg or loin are marinated in sour orange juice with roasted garlic and black pepper, then cooked quickly over charcoal so the edges char. The meat is sliced into strips and brought to the table with chiltomate, strained black beans, grilled red onion, sour orange wedges, ground habanero and chopped cilantro, along with a stack of hot corn tortillas so diners can assemble their own tacos. Radishes and avocado are common garnishes. Larousse notes that the dish is now often served with xnipec, and that fish versions made with local species such as mullet or snook are also common. México Desconocido's home version seasons the sour orange marinade with oregano, thyme and black pepper and grills tomatoes and onions alongside the meat for the accompanying sauces.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 kg boneless pork leg or loin, sliced 5 mm thick and pounded thin
- 1 cup sour orange juice, or 2/3 cup orange juice plus 1/3 cup lime juice
- 4 garlic cloves, roasted and mashed
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 red onions, halved
- 4 plum tomatoes
- 1 habanero
- Chopped cilantro
- 16 corn tortillas
- Refried black beans, avocado and radishes to serve
Steps
- Mix the citrus juice, garlic, pepper and salt. Marinate the pork in it for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
- Light a charcoal grill. Grill the onion halves and tomatoes until charred and soft, and blister the habanero.
- Chop the grilled onion and toss it with a little extra citrus juice and salt.
- Blend or mash the tomatoes with a little of the habanero and salt to make a simple chiltomate.
- Grill the pork over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until charred at the edges.
- Slice the meat into strips and serve with the tortillas, onion, chiltomate, beans, cilantro, avocado and radishes.
Where to try it
- Los Almendros, Mérida: Restaurant credited by Larousse Cocina and México Desconocido with first serving poc chuc in 1962.
- Chichén Itzá, Los Angeles, California
- El Rey Taquiza Artesanal, San Francisco, California
Reviews
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See also
References
- "Poc chuc". Larousse Cocina. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "Poc-chuc maya, receta, significado e historia". México Desconocido. Retrieved 2026-10-10.