Poc Chuc (Yucatecan Grilled Pork with Sour Orange)
Thin pork steaks soaked in orange and lime, charred hot and served with pickled onions and fiery habanero salsa.
Made with Habanero salsa and Pickled red onions (cebollas encurtidas) and Corn tortillas from masa harina. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time40 min + marinating
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.44 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Beat the pork steaks gently with a rolling pin or the flat of a knife until about 1 cm thick. Mix the orange juice, lime juice, garlic, oregano, salt and olive oil in a shallow dish.
- 2
Add the pork and turn to coat. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. Do not leave it longer, as the acid turns the meat mushy.
- 3
Heat a griddle pan or barbecue until very hot. Lift the pork out of the marinade and shake off the excess. Throw the leftover marinade away, as it held raw meat.
- 4
Grill the pork for 3 to 4 minutes each side until charred in places and cooked through, with no pink and juices running clear.
8 min - 5
Warm the tortillas from your base recipe in a dry pan for 30 seconds each side, wrapped in a clean cloth to keep soft.
- 6
Rest the pork for 3 minutes, then slice. Serve with the sliced tomatoes, coriander, pickled red onions (see the base recipe) and a small spoonful of your ready made habanero salsa (see the base recipe). It is very hot, so serve it on the side.
Tips
- Poc chuc is traditionally made with sour orange. Orange juice mixed with lime juice gives the same tart, slightly bitter edge.
- Slice the pork thin and even so it cooks fast and chars before it dries out. Pork loin steaks work well in the UK.
- Serve the habanero salsa in a small bowl with a spoon so each person controls the heat.
Storing and freezing
Keep cooked pork covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot pan until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Can I use chicken instead of pork?
Yes. Use 600 g chicken thigh fillets, flattened, and grill for 5 to 6 minutes each side until cooked through. It is not traditional, but the citrus marinade suits it.
What is poc chuc?
Poc chuc is a Yucatecan dish of thin pork steaks marinated in sour orange and grilled over charcoal. It is usually served with pickled red onions, tomato and a very hot habanero salsa.
Why throw away the marinade?
Marinade that has touched raw pork can carry bacteria. Either discard it or boil it hard for several minutes before using it as a sauce. Throwing it away is safest.
More made with habanero salsa
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.