Beyond the Burritto – Food in the Yucatán Peninsula

In the United States and across the world, Mexican cuisine is typified by the ubiquitous burrito. Such is its popularity that the US even had a National Burrito Day this month! Despite its international image, the burrito does not enjoy quite the same status at home throughout its native Mexico. While burritos are of Mexican origin, their popularity in the country is mixed, widely available and loved in some states, and hard to find at all in others. This is typical of Mexican cuisine in general, with different states and regions fiercely proud of and loyal to their own culinary heritage and specialty dishes.

While the burrito holds a special status in some northern Mexican states, especially Chihuahua and Sonora, here in the Yucatán Peninsula, in the southeast, they can be very difficult, if not impossible, to find. A big reason for this is that the peninsula, in the same way as other regions, has plenty of its own dishes for restaurants, loncherias and taquerias to showcase.

Cocina Yucateca 

Yucatec Peninsula cuisine is made up of dishes eaten all across the region. In many cases it is not clear exactly where or by whom a dish was first invented or popularized, and it is not uncommon for passionate disagreements to arise between those claiming a dish for their local heritage. Despite some variations, food across the region differs from that in other parts of Mexico for both historical and geographical reasons.

The climate in the region is distinctly Caribbean; it is both warmer and much more humid than the arid northern states, with two of the three hottest states in Mexico making up the majority of the peninsula (Tabasco is even warmer!). For this reason, many of the staple ingredients in Yucatec cuisine are quite different to those in other parts of the country. Corn is traditionally the main staple, as across most of southern Mexico. The climate and soil prevent the cultivation of wheat, a key ingredient in northern cuisine, needed for flour tortillas used in dishes such as burritos. However many here in the Yucatán Peninsula would argue that corn tortillas are superior in flavor and texture, especially those made in the traditional fashion. (The teachers here at Na’atik insist that you should always buy traditional corn tortillas, dismissing mass produced and packaged versions they refer to as tortillas de plástico!). Corn tortillas do however come with limitations in terms of size and flexibility which make them very difficult to use in place of their flour counterparts for dishes such as burritos.

 While the climate prevents the cultivation of crops like wheat, there is also an impact on livestock, with many traditional domestic animals being ill-suited to the heat and humidity. Beef is relatively rare across the region and largely absent from traditional dishes. Pork is much more prevalent with the Yucatán Hairless Pig thriving in a climate that’s less welcoming to its larger cousins. Chicken, and to a lesser extent, turkey, are also common meats. The Caribbean heat makes food spoilage a real concern. This results in the expectation that dishes containing meat and dairy products should be eaten soon after cooking. The long Caribbean and Gulf coastlines have also allowed for a variety of seafood dishes to be popular here as seafood is not readily available in other states.

The cuisine on the Peninsula owes a lot to its fascinating history. Unlike the rest of Mexico, the Yucatan region was part of the Mesoamerican Maya civilization, and the Maya people or those of mixed Maya heritage still make up a large part of the population. It is unsurprising therefore that the traditional Mesoamerican diet of maize, beans and squash continues to have a strong influence on food in the area. Many of the region’s signature dishes have Yucatec Maya names and use traditional cooking methods. In the post Maya era there have been a number of outside influences which have impacted cooking on the peninsula to various degrees, with elements of Spanish, French, Middle Eastern and wider Caribbean cuisine identifiable.  

Maize is one of the most important elements of the diet in the peninsula

Platillos Típicos 

Here are just a few of the regional specialties you are more likely to see on menus and in kitchens across the peninsula.

Cochinita Pibil

Arguably THE signature dish of the peninsula, cochinita pibil is a real labor of love, with its lengthy traditional cooking method resulting in it usually only being available on weekends. Less traditional and quicker methods are used by some restaurants. This is however quite controversial, with many arguing that the result is not really cochinita pibil. The dish represents the fusion of Maya and Hispanic cuisine, with the traditional cooking methods and spices applied to pork brought across the ocean from Europe.

Pork, traditionally suckling pig, is first marinated for eight or more hours in a blend of achiote, sour orange juice and various spices. The whole dish is then wrapped in banana leaves and roasted underground slowly until the meat is very tender. It can be served in tacos or tortas (a sandwich on a bun) and is paired with one of the region’s spicy salsas, raw onions and chili powder.

If you would like a more detailed explanation of the history of this dish, Netflix Mexican food documentary series Taco Chronicles devotes an episode to cochinita pibil in the second season.

Cochinita Pibil

Panuchos y Salbutes

Staple evening dishes, panuchos and salbutes, are the region’s answer to fast food, with Panucherias or Loncherias open late and offering these inexpensive, delicious and filling specialties cooked to order. A panucho is a corn tortilla stuffed with refried black beans and then itself fried and served with a variety of toppings, typically shredded chicken, cabbage, red onions, avocado and salsa. A salbut is similar, but the tortilla is puffier and is not stuffed with beans. 

Immersion students at Na’atik trying their hand at making traditional salbutes

Poc Chuc

Poc chuc, another dish with a Yucatec Maya name, comes from the verb ‘to toast’ and the Maya word for ‘charcoal’. It utilizes sour orange juice in its marinades and salsas to enhance the flavors of grilled pork filets. It is commonly served with traditional elements such as rice, black beans and corn tortillas.

If you would like to try your hand at making this dish at home, this recipe from one of our Spanish teachers featured in an earlier blog

Poc Chuc

Brazo de Reina

Not to be confused with the Chilean sweet treat of the same name, brazo de reina, is a regional tamal variant whose name translates as ‘queen’s arm’. This vegetarian dish is of Maya origin and utilizes one of the region’s superfoods, the chaya leaf, along with other fillings including hard boiled eggs, corn, pumpkin seeds and a rich spicy tomato salsa. Like other Yucatán tamales, a banana leaf wrapping is used rather than the corn husk which is popular in other Mexican states. 

For a step-by-step guide straight from the Maya community here in Quintana Roo, check out our teacher, Erick, and his mother, Mirna’s, recipe here.

Brazo de Reina

Ni’ peek

An accompaniment to many of the peninsula’s dishes, Ni’ peek /nee peck/ is a very spicy salsa. This spiciness is the source of its name, which means ‘dog’s nose’ in Maya, in reference to the way the chilies in the salsa will make your nose wet (runny) like a dog’s. While the ingredients and preparation are similar to the pico de gallo popular all over Mexico, this salsa utilizes sour orange juice and a sizable dose of habanero chilies, giving it a distinct flavor and a substantial kick! Its association with the region is such that it is often referred to as salsa yucateca across Mexico.

Ni’ peek

Want to read more about Yucatec cuisine and culture, or just want some great recipes to try out at home? Check out our wide range of blogs here.

If you are interested in visiting the region and trying these traditional dishes in person, why not take a look at our Spanish and Maya language immersion courses. A key part of this experience is the three meals eaten with our homestay host family, showcasing genuine local home cooking. All immersion courses directly support education for local children. Find out more about our courses and the community work they support here.