During our stay at Casa Hamaca, the owner, Denis, kept talking about the pibil (pib), and we eagerly signed up to learn all about this ancient Maya earth oven. Our plan was to go to the market with Denis to gather all the ingredients for Tamales—a classic Maya dish made of meat, tortilla, egg, tomato, and spices, all wrapped up inside a banana leaf and cooked in the pib.
In Mayan, “pib” means “hole in the ground,” and it’s a traditional cooking method that has been used in the area for centuries. The Maya people call Tamales “Chachacua,” which can be cooked on a pan or baked in the pib.
We started our day at the market, which was a highlight on its own. It was incredibly clean and well-maintained, bustling with the morning activities of butchery and commerce. After selecting a few ingredients, we headed back to the guesthouse and met the friendly Maya staff at Casa Hamaca. They began showing us how to prepare the meal, and we even got involved, cleaning banana leaves and mixing meats.
After boiling the chicken and pork, the staff showed us how to prepare the vegetables and sauce for the Tamales. We all sat outside in the beautiful jungle courtyard, folding the delicious mixture into the banana leaves to get them ready for the pib.
While we were busy folding and rolling, the Maya men prepared the pib next to the guest house. They filled the stone-lined hole with wood and tinder, lit the fire, and placed rocks inside to help conduct heat while cooking.
We placed our Tamales onto the hot rocks, covered them with palm fronds, buried them under a layer of soil, and let them cook for about 20 minutes. After removing and letting them cool, we enjoyed our delicious efforts with the wonderfully warm staff in the restaurant area.
The entire day was fantastic. It gave us a chance to connect with the close-knit community and learn about the Maya pib and cooking culture.
Anyone can come here and take part in a Maya Cookout like we did. While there are cenotes, ruins, and tortillarias all over the Yucatan, Casa Hamaca’s unique take on a Maya luncheon was definitely a highlight of our trip to Valladolid.
If you’re interested in a Maya Cookout, contact Denis at Casa Hamaca. The day costs $110 per group or family and includes the market trip. You can reach Denis Larsen at (52) 985-100-4270 or via email at mexicodenis@gmail.com.
