Cuban Roast Pork (Lechón Asado - Simple, Easy-to-Make Cuban, Spanish, and Latin American Recipes with Photos

Step 1

Raúl Musibay: ...or enough hungry Cubans around...

Step 2

Raúl Musibay: That's the most important part -- you need the skin and the layer of fat underneath. If you cannot find a fresh ham, substitute a pork shoulder roast

Step 3

Raúl Musibay: Finally, you can also make this on top of the stove in a large Dutch oven. Adjust the heat to low, cover and cook until completely done.

Step 4

Mash the garlic, salt, and peppercorns together with a mortar and pestle.

Step 5

Add dried oregano, onion, and the sour orange to make a mash -- mix thoroughly.

Step 6

Heat the olive oil in a 2-quart saucepan until hot, but NOT deep frying hot! We're looking for something in the neighborhood of 220 degrees F. Remove the saucepan from the heat source. Carefully add the mash to the hot oil and whisk gently. Let cool.

Step 7

Pierce the pork as many times as you can with a sharp knife or fork.

Step 8

Pour garlic mixture (save a little for roasting) over pork, cover and let sit in refrigerator for 2-3 hours or preferably overnight.

Step 9

To roast in the oven, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place the fresh ham or pork shoulder,

Step 10

fattest side up, in an open roasting pan. Place pan in oven and reduce

Step 11

temperature to 225 degrees F. Spoon extra marinade over the roast occasionally as it cooks. Using a meat thermometer, roast should be removed from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 195 degrees F. -- for fork tender, "pulled-pork" quality. (If you want a roast you can slice, remove when the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F.)

Step 12

Immediately cover with foil and let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Step 13

Use a covered grill, such as the Webber kettle or a covered gas grill. Bank the coals to each side, leaving an empty space beneath your fresh ham or pork shoulder roast. If using a gas grill, use front and rear burners only. The idea is to cook with indirect heat. You want a low heat, so do not over do it with the coals!

Step 14

Spoon extra marinade over the roast occasionally as it cooks. If not using a gas grill, add charcoal to the sides as needed to maintain roasting temperature. Using a meat thermometer, roast should be removed from the grill when the temperature reaches 195 degrees F. -- for fork tender, "pulled-pork" quality. (If you want a roast you can slice, remove when the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F.)

Step 15

Immediately cover with foil and let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving. The roast will continue to cook after you remove it from the heat.

Step 16

Place the fresh ham or pork shoulder in a large Dutch oven, or a covered stock pan -- whatever you have that the pork will fit in. Add about one cup of marinade to the pan. Bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to low, cover and cook until completely done. Add additional marinade as needed to keep at least one inch of liquid in bottom of pan -- otherwise the roast will burn. Using a meat thermometer, roast should be removed from the pan when the temperature reaches 195 degrees F. -- for fork tender, "pulled-pork" quality. (If you want a roast you can slice, remove when the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F.)

Step 17

Servings based on the size of your ham. Allow about 1/4 to 1/2 pound per person, depending on side dishes.