What it is
Mexico's culture ministry sums up poc chuc as lean pork, marinated and grilled, served with roasted red onion, beans and sour orange. Yucatán's tourism ministry recipe book classifies it as a main course, snack, starter or antojito.
The tourism ministry recipe
- One kilogram of thin pork fillets.
- A marinade of juice from four sour oranges, pepper, thyme, oregano and salt, for about an hour.
- Salt the meat and grill it over coals, then cut it into cubes.
- A salsa of roasted tomato (peeled and seeded), roasted onion and cilantro.
- Serve with sliced avocado and chopped radish; strained beans and pickled red onion are recommended.
The dish's roots
The state recipe book links the name to cooking over coals and mentions an older version made with venison, as context. The tourism ministry sees the sour orange marinade as an example of Maya techniques meeting ingredients introduced later.
When to eat it
A guide from Mérida's city government lists poc chuc among Friday dishes, along with pan de cazón. Still, you'll find it every day at restaurants and fondas.
Tips
- Order it with fresh tortillas and build your own tacos.
- The roasted onion is essential: don't skip it.
- Habanero salsa comes on the side; use it carefully.
Poc chuc and day trips
Poc chuc is a hearty meal after a day of cenotes or ruins. Mary Tours trips return to Mérida in the afternoon and leave from its office on Calle 61 in the historic center; schedules are in the booking section.
Fun facts
- Poc chuc marinates for about an hour.
- The salsa's tomato is roasted, peeled and seeded.
- There used to be a venison version.
Related tours
Archaeology · 11 h
Chichén Itzá, Izamal and Valladolid
Four stops in one day, and none of them rushed
from $1,200 MXN per person
See itinerary
8:00 AM – 8:00 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour on the road to Izamal. The guide uses the drive to set up what comes next.
- 9:00 AM San Antonio de Padua Convent — The story of the 16th-century Franciscan convent told in its atrium, then free time to walk the yellow town.
- 11:15 AM Chichén Itzá — Guided walk through the Temple of Kukulkán, the Sacred Cenote, the Ball Court, the Tzompantli and the Jaguars and Eagles platform.
- 1:45 PM Regional lunch in Kaua — Buffet of Yucatecan dishes: cochinita, relleno negro, lime soup and meat-free options.
- 3:00 PM Selva Maya cenote — The swim lands exactly when the sun is at its worst. Changing rooms and showers on site.
- 4:20 PM Valladolid — Francisco Cantón Rosado park with its original railings, the church of San Servacio and the murals in the town hall.
- 8:00 PM Back in Mérida — We drop you off where the day started.
Included: Air-conditioned transport, General culture guide, Regional buffet lunch
Not included: Chichén Itzá entrance, Cenote entrance, Drinks
Cenotes · 7 h
The four cenotes of Santa Bárbara
Four different cenotes and a lunch made by hand
from $1,450 MXN per person
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- 10:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour on the road to Homún, through the ring of cenotes.
- 11:00 AM Cascabel cenote — Closed, cave type. You descend inside and the water sits in half-light: the most striking of the four.
- 11:30 AM Chaksikín cenote — Semi-open. You go down between limestone walls painted with Maya-themed murals.
- 12:00 PM Xooch cenote — Semi-open, with a shaft of light that falls straight onto the water mid-morning.
- 12:30 PM Pool Cocom cenote — Open and surrounded by vegetation. You swim along a channel out to the wide part.
- 1:30 PM Regional lunch — Home cooking with hand-made tortillas. Plenty of time to eat without rushing.
- 4:00 PM Back to Mérida — An hour back, arriving around five.
Included: Transport, Certified guide, Entry to all four cenotes, Regional lunch
Not included: Drinks with lunch
Archaeology · 11 h
Maya Train, Chichén Itzá and Izamal
The Mérida–Izamal leg by train, the rest by road
from $1,600 MXN per person
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8:00 AM – 7:00 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Transfer to the station — From the office to the Maya Train station in Mérida.
- 9:18 AM Maya Train ride — Forty minutes from Mérida to Izamal. Ticket included.
- 10:15 AM Izamal — The yellow town, the three-tier Baroque altarpiece and free time on the main square.
- 12:30 PM Chichén Itzá — Guided walk through the Sacred Cenote, the Temple of Kukulkán, the Jaguars and Eagles platform and the Ball Court.
- 2:30 PM Lunch in Kaua — Buffet of typical regional dishes.
- 3:45 PM Selva Maya cenote — The swim of the day, with the heat already easing off.
- 5:00 PM Back to Mérida — Two hours on the road back.
Included: Transport, General culture guide, Maya Train ticket Mérida–Izamal, Midday meal
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Nature · 9 h
Celestún and the pink flamingos
The largest flamingo colony in North America
from $1,600 MXN per person
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8:00 AM – 5:00 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour and a half west, out to the port.
- 9:30 AM Boat ride — Flamingo and bird watching, the mangrove tunnel, the freshwater spring and the Maya bath on the sandbar.
- 11:00 AM Lunch by the beach — Fish, octopus or shrimp from the gulf, at a table facing the sea.
- 1:00 PM Free time on the beach — Almost three hours to swim, walk the shore or do nothing at all.
- 4:00 PM Back to Mérida — Arriving around five.
Included: Transport, Guide, Boat ride, Lunch from a set menu
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Frequently asked questions
What is poc chuc?
Thin pork fillets marinated in sour orange and grilled over coals.
What's it served with?
Roasted tomato salsa, roasted red onion, beans, avocado, radish, cilantro and tortillas.
Is it spicy?
No; heat comes from habanero salsa on the side.
What day is it eaten?
A city guide links it to Fridays, but it's available every day.
