As we approach the Day of the Dead, it is a Yucatecan tradition to enjoy this delicious dish to celebrate it. It is a local tradition for families to gather to eat pib, so it is common in the Peninsula to see people ordering this famous dish from restaurants and cooks days in advance to enjoy it with their loved ones during the festivities. Pib is a type of tamale, usually round or square.
Mucbipollo is prepared in all the states of the Yucatán Peninsula. Its celebration is called Hanal Pixán, which translates to “food of the souls” and is a Maya tradition carried out to remember, in a special way, friends and relatives who have passed away. It is a significant event for the relatives of the deceased, as they know that, during these days from October 31 to November 2, the souls “receive permission” to visit their families.
The first day is dedicated to children and is called u hanal palal. November 1 is for deceased adults and is known as u hanal nucuch uinicoob. The third day, u hanal pixanoob, often includes a special mass called misa pixán, usually held in the town cemetery.
The tradition involves several rituals, but the main one consists of setting up a table that functions as an altar, illuminated with wax candles, beneath the trees in the courtyard, near the graves of family members. Typical seasonal foods such as atole nuevo, pibes (mucbipollos), jícaras of tan-chucuá (a thick corn and cacao beverage), and fruits like jícamas, oranges, and mandarins are placed on the altar. Along with these, the altar is adorned with decorative items like candles, flowers, and photos of the deceased.
On the day for children, the altar is decorated with a brightly colored embroidered cloth, and besides the food, sweets and toys are also placed, along with flowers like xpujuc (wild, yellow), xtés (red), and virginias. These offerings remain on the altars overnight, from November 1 to 2. After the souls of the deceased have “taken grace,” the families gather to eat the mucbipollos and other offerings while sharing memories of the departed.
One week later, the bix (eighth-day remembrance) is held, a more modest repetition of the previous rituals. During these nights, rows of candles are lit at the doors of homes and around graves to help guide the souls as they leave the community at the end of the celebration.
The pib or mucbipollo is traditionally made in Maya communities with great respect, as it marks the beginning of the new harvests. It is made with corn dough, pork lard, pieces of chicken, and local spices, forming a large tamale wrapped in banana leaves and slowly cooked underground.
In memory of their ancestors, who passed down their knowledge and even the land they work on, people strive each year to preserve this tradition and teach it to the younger generation. The Maya ceremony, which used to be performed to give thanks and ask the gods for rain, includes offerings like corn, beans, squash, and poultry to prepare the dishes shared with attendees.
In the ritual, 13 pibes are prepared to symbolize the 13 Mayan heavens, and they are placed on the altar representing the cardinal points and elements of nature. The priest prays in Maya to ask the gods of the forest and fields for permission to sow the land and ensure a good harvest.
Today, the dish is made in a square mold with all the ingredients and is often presented with chicken, although traditionally turkey was used. When unearthed, the pib is cut and served in squares. It is placed on the altar as an offering to the deceased, believed to allow the souls to “consume” it spiritually when they visit.
After the Day of the Dead celebrations, the living eat the pib during family gatherings, remembering their loved ones. Eating pib in Yucatán has deep cultural roots, even influencing work life, as colleagues often share the dish at work during this time.
Here’s a full recipe for Mucbipollo, this recipe will serve 10 to 12 people.
Ingredients:
For the filling:
1 whole chicken (about 1.5 kg)
500g pork (shoulder or ribs)
1 sprig of epazote
3 garlic cloves
1 onion, quartered
Salt, to taste
For the dough (masa):
1.5 kg of nixtamalized corn dough
300g of pork lard (or shortening)
100g of achiote paste (dissolved in 1 cup of chicken broth)
500g of cooked xpelón beans (black beans, optional)
Salt, to taste
For the kol (sauce):
4 cups of chicken broth (from cooking the meat)
100g of achiote paste
2 tbsp of corn flour (dissolved in cold water to thicken the broth)
Salt, to taste
For the garnish:
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
Epazote leaves
Banana leaves (to wrap the tamal, about 10 large ones, cleaned and toasted over the fire)
Preparation:
Cook the chicken and pork: In a large pot, place the chicken, pork, onion, garlic, epazote, and salt. Cover with water and cook until tender, about 40 minutes. Remove the meat and shred it, reserving the broth for later use.
Prepare the dough: Mix the nixtamalized corn dough with the lard, achiote paste, salt, and xpelón beans. Knead the dough until it is smooth and uniform. The dough should be soft and not too dry.
Make the kol sauce: In a pan, heat 4 cups of the reserved broth and dissolve the achiote paste in it. Add the corn flour mixture to thicken the sauce, stirring constantly until it thickens to a gravy-like consistency. Adjust salt to taste.
Assemble the mucbipollo:
Line a large roasting pan or tray with banana leaves.
Spread a thick layer of dough on the banana leaves.
Add a layer of shredded chicken and pork over the dough, followed by some slices of tomato, onion, and epazote leaves.
Pour some kol sauce over the meat.
Cover the meat with another layer of dough.
Fold the banana leaves over the tamal to wrap it completely.
Cook: Traditionally, mucbipollo is cooked underground using hot stones. If you don’t have this setup, preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Bake the tamal, wrapped in banana leaves, for about 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the dough is firm and fully cooked.
Serve: Once done, unwrap the tamal and cut it into portions. It is typically served with kol sauce on the side, along with a spicy habanero sauce.
You are now ready to celebrate día de muertos! I am always available and happy to hear from you at al**********@gr***********.com!