Recipe: Lechón Asado (Roast Pork)

Lechón Asado
(Roast Pork)

1 bone-in fresh ham with skin on (or have your butcher butterfly it for you)
Mojo, enough for marinating and roasting*

To marinate, pierce pork as many times as you can with a sharp knife or fork. Pour Mojo over pork, cover, and let sit in refrigerator at least 2 to 3 hours or preferably overnight.

Select one of three different cooking methods:

A. To roast in the oven, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place the pork, fattest side up, in an open roasting pan. Place pan in oven and reduce temperature to 325 degrees F. Occasionally spoon extra Mojo over the roast as it cooks. Remove roast from oven when the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F on a meat thermometer. Immediately cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. The roast will continue to cook after you remove it from the heat. A perfectly cooked pork roast will be slightly pink to pale white in the middle and the juices will run clear.

B. To grill on the barbecue, use a covered grill such as the Weber kettle or a covered gas grill. Bank the coals to each side of the covered grill, leaving an empty space beneath your ham. If using a gas grill, use front and rear burners only. The idea is to cook with indirect heat. Spoon extra Mojo over the roast occasionally as it cooks. If not using a gas grill, add charcoal to the sides as needed to maintain roasting temperature. Remove roast from the barbecue when the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F on a meat thermometer. Immediately cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. The roast will continue to cook after you remove it from the heat. A perfectly cooked pork roast will be slightly pink to pale white in the middle and the juices will run clear.

C. To cook on the stovetop, place ham in a large Dutch oven or a covered stock pan—whatever you have that the pork will fit in. Add about 1 cup of Mojo to the pan. Bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to low, cover, and cook until completely done. Add marinade as needed to keep at least 1 inch of liquid in bottom of pan; otherwise the roast will burn.

*To make the Mojo, mash together in a mortar and pestle: 8 to 10 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/3 cup orange juice, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 3 tablespoons lime juice.

Buy the Book!

from:
Three Guys From Miami Cook Cuban
100 Great Cuban Recipes with a Touch of Miami Spice
by Glenn Lindgren, Raúl Musibay and Jorge Castillo
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
$29.95/Hardcover
75 color photographs
ISBN: 1-58685-433-X
Recipe reprinted by permission.