Authentic coquito is a traditional Puerto Rican holiday drink that’s similar to eggnog in texture, but better. Traditional coquito consists of rum, spices, sweetened condensed milk, and spiced tea. Most recipes that I’ve seen don’t have the tea, but I learned about the inclusion of the tea from a chef I worked with ages ago. It’s a must in my opinion as it adds a depth of flavor to the drink.
Puerto Rican coquito is better than Egg Nog
Coquito often gets compared to Egg Nog. In fact, many consider Coquito the Puerto Rican version of the popular drink, but there are major differences. Egg Nog is made with eggs, milk, and cream and coquito is made with a coconut base. There are some variations of coquito that include egg yolks in the base, but in the traditional sense, it’s not included.
- The tea- No this isn’t gossip! I’m talking about a legit tea that’s packed with aromatics and flavor! By steeping star anise, cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, and cloves into boiling water, you’ll get an amazing game changing flavor to your coquito.
- The rum– Bacardi and Don Q are my rums of choice for coquito! I use a Bacardi gold rum for this recipe and I use a lot!
- For reference, here are the versions of Bacardi and Don Q that I use:
- Don Q– https://www.totalwine.com/spirits/rum/silver-rum/don-q-cristal-rum/p/96480750?glia=true&cid=plia:Shopping+US+None+ENG+SPART:::google&s=101&&pid=cpc:Performance+Max%2BUS%2BDELA%2BExtra+Support%2BSTANDARD+PRIORITY::google::&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAg8S7BhATEiwAO2-R6t_HKq58K1dAFn7Ae7Qdzj8GCEl-e4OVQTpKvFnw1Rx8R8If5J3LmRoCE1sQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
- Bacardi– https://www.totalwine.com/spirits/rum/aged-rum/bacardi-reserva-8-yr/p/90888750?glia=true&cid=plia:Shopping+US+None+ENG+SPART:::google&s=102&&pid=cpc:Performance+Max%2BUS%2BDELA%2BExtra+Support%2BSTANDARD+PRIORITY::google::&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA0rW6BhAcEiwAQH28IgsPvJDoOvaMDEsePR3ktKUUmjLTB8olbXGjn5pHJ9YsLr6Uu-SRKxoCgcIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
- Don Q Puerto Rican Rum
- Bacardi Gold Rum
- Cream of Coconut (Or Coconut Milk)
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Evaporated Milk
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Cinnamon Sticks
- Star Anise
- Allspice berries
- Cloves
- Vanilla beans (or vanilla extract)
- Steep the tea for as long as possible. Like any tea, the steeper the tea, the deeper the flavor. I recommend letting it steep until the water and pot cools completely.
- Strain the final run of ingredients at least twice. This allows any excess bits of cinnamon to not be included in the final product.
- Add a stick of cinnamon to each bottle of coquito you make for added flavor!
- Let the coquito chill overnight once bottled. The ingredients need time to settle.
How to Make Authentic Coquito!
Description
Experience the rich and festive flavors of this authentic Puerto Rican coquito, a This recipe is made with creamy coconut milk, sweet condensed milk, and spiced rum, as well as a unique tea that packs in a ton of flavor!
Whether you’re celebrating the holidays or simply looking to enjoy a delicious tropical beverage, this coquito is the ideal drink for any occasion.
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Ingredients
Instructions
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Pat your pork belly dry with a paper towel on both sides.
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Season the meat side down with your barbecue seasoning.
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Season the fat side down with kosher salt.
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Place in the fridge for 24 hours uncovered.
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The salt will release any excess moisture and essentially dry out the skin allowing it to crisp up.
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After 24 hours, turn on your oven to 375 degrees.
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Place the pork belly onto a baking rack on top of a baking sheet fat side up and bake for an hour.
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Switch the oven to broil.
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Broil the pork belly until it gets crispy. Make sure you monitor the pork as its broiling.
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Wait about 15-20 minutes before slicing.
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Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Servings 8
