Can you believe we have snow, in Minnesota, in April? Our weather has been wild – a few days in the 70s but mostly cold and dreary. I’m forgetting all that coz I’ve gone to Miami. In my mind, at least with this glorious dish: Cuban Lechon Asado Pork Roast.

Cuban Lechon Asado Pork

You might know this iconic roast with tons of garlic, sour orange, and so much flavor it will blow your mind. Cuban Lechon Asado Pork Roast will make you cray cray as it roasts, and the aroma of garlic and citrus wafts through the air. You’re gonna be like, “Is it done yet, is it done yet?!”

About Cuban Lechon Asado Pork:

The wait will all be worth it. If you’re thinking about a party, think about Lechon Asado, but don’t be afraid to make it for a family dinner, because the leftovers are every bit as good as the roast itself, and there are so many ways to use them.

Traditional Cuban Lechon Asado is made with a whole pig, or fresh ham, rind and all, over an open flame. Using a big old pork shoulder and roasting is perfectly acceptable and no less delish. There won’t be crackling skin, but there will be the marinade all caramelized on top of the roast, and the juices that collect in the pan make an outstanding sauce.

You have options when making Lechon Asado: roast until tender and juicy and slice or roast longer until it falls off the bone in shreds and chunks. I can’t choose, so I make mine both ways: the first night sliced, then leftovers reheated later until they can easily be pulled. If I have leftovers, that is!

The Sauce from Cuban Lechon Asado Pork

Serve With Sauce and Sides:

The sauce for Lechon Asado, made from the reserved drippings, is mind-bogglingly delish. Red onion is added to the drippings, cooked until tender, then reserved Mojo is tossed in, just long enough to take the edge off the garlic. It’s a deep, rich flavor enhanced by the fresher garlic and citrus.

For sides, rice and black beans work. A Cuban rice dish like Moros y Cristianos is even better. A little roasted pineapple is fabulous, and of course, Tostones (plantain) are always a winner. We pass a little Sweet Pineapple Mango Habanero Sauce. The fruitiness goes so well with the pork.

Making Cuban Lechon Asado Pork:

This recipe is only barely adapted from the Three Guys from Miami. I love them – check them out when you have a minute or want the grilled version. If you can’t get sour orange, the Three Guys gave a sub. It’s in the recipe below.

I choose to use a food processor for the marinade, but it can be in a blender or made by hand. If making by hand, your best bet is a large mortar and pestle.

The Black Pepper:

Using freshly cracked black peppercorns makes a big difference. Use a grinder to roughly crack or crush in a food processor, blender, with a mortar and pestle, or between two pans.

The Garlic:

Garlic is tedious to peel. Check out the time savers below. With all methods, first cut through the root end (the bottom) of the head, trimming off the bottom of each clove as you slice. Separate into individual cloves by applying pressure to the top of the head.

• Smash:  A few cloves at a time, place on cutting board. Place a wide knife blade on top and apply pressure to crack through the skin. Remove the skin.
• Jar: Add cloves to a large jar and shake vigorously. Most of the skins will fall off.
• Hot Water: Place very hot, not boiling water in a bowl. Add the cloves and soak for two minutes. The peels should slip off.

Cuban Lechon Asado Pork

Leftover Cuban Lechon Asado Pork:

I live for the leftover Cuban Lechon Asado Roast. It’s a big roast, and I have no worries about making this for my smaller family because there is so much that can be done with leftovers First, though, I take some slices for Cubano Sandwiches.

Cubanos are nothing short of cooking alchemy. The ingredients are few and simple: roast pork, ham, cheese, pickle, and mustard. There’s no reason they should be so good! Before I put away leftovers, I’ll slice some of that pork (it makes the sandwiches!) for those sandwiches and set it aside.

Then the rest gets cooked longer (no need to do the same day, up to three or four is fine) until it shreds: Place the roast in a pan, add a bit of water, tightly cover. Cook at 325 degrees for another hour or until tender. 10 to 15 minutes in an Instant Pot does the trick, too.

This gives you marvelous shredded pork for these Pulled Pork Chipotle Empanadas, or anything else pulled pork can be used for. Check out Inspiration and Recipes for Leftover Pork.

Don’t waste the bone and save back a smidge of the meat, and if you’ve made the Cubanos, any leftover ham from them. Then make my Cuban Black Bean Soup. The addition of the pork gives it a whole, new, and equally delicious spin.

Cubano Cuban Sandwich

Other Pork Shoulder Recipes You Might Like:

Braised Pork with Sausage and Cabbage

Colorado Pork Green Chili

Instant Pot Pulled Pork

Pernil (Puerto Rican Pork Roast

Braised Pork Roast with Sausage & Cabbage

Saving Money on Groceries:

What you pay for groceries depends on not just WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.

• The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Think beyond the occasion & use the opportunity to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
• If available, take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality. Be selective when shopping there.

Pork Shoulder:

One of the cheapest animal proteins. Know what rock bottom pricing is in your area and stock up. It may pay to break down larger roasts before freezing – see my post on Large Pork Roasts.

• Sporadic sales will be found throughout the summer.
• The lowest prices are usually in the fall (the animals go to market then) and a few weeks before any big holiday when Ham is traditionally served.

Cuban Lechon Asado

Cuban Lechon Asado, Cuban Roast Pork

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A classic Lechon Asado, a citrusy garlicky pork roast slowly cooked to slice or cooked a bit longer for pulling.

• Author: barely adapted from 3 Guys from Miami
• Prep Time: 30 minutes + marinade
• Cook Time: 5 hours
• Total Time: 6 hours + time to marinate
• Yield: 14 servings 1x
• Category: main dish pork
• Cuisine: Cuban

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Mojo (Marinade):

• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 large head of garlic, separated, smashed, skin removed
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 and 1/2 cups sour orange juice (from around six oranges) and finely grated zest (If you can’t get sour orange juice in your area, use two parts orange to one part lemon and one part lime)
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Shoulder & Sauce:

• 8-pound fresh ham or pork shoulder roast
• 1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
• The Mojo

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Instructions

Mojo Marinade:

Add peppercorns to food processor and pulse to break down. Add garlic, salt, dried oregano, onion, and pulse again. Slowly, through the feed, add the sour orange juice until mixed thoroughly. The mixture should not be completely smooth.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan until warm, remove from heat and carefully add the mash and zest to it. Whisk to combine and let cool. Place a half a cup of it in the refrigerator.

Shoulder & Sauce:

If fat cap is very thick, trim down to about 3/8ths of an inch.. Pierce the pork all over, many multiple times, with a very sharp knife, working it in fairly deeply. Ready a roasting dish, just a bit larger than the pork, line with a generous amount of plastic, hanging over the edges. (Enough to wrap the pork in) and place the pork on top.

Pour the remaining garlic mixture all over the pork, rubbing it into the cuts and crevices. Pull the plastic up over the sides and top, sealing the marinade tightly to the pork. Refrigerate for a minimum two to three hours, but overnight is definitely preferable.

When ready to cook, remove the roast about 30 minutes beforehand, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove plastic and scoop as much of the marinade as possible up and over the pork. Place in oven, turn down to 325 degrees and cook for about 4 1/2 hours for a tender roast (temperature should register at 170 to 175 degrees) or longer for a pulled roast (temperature should be at about 195.)

Baste roast occasionally with the juices, and watch the liquid level at the bottom of the pan. Add water if necessary, and it is likely it will be – do not let the juices dry and burn.

Remove from oven, tent lightly with foil, and let rest for 20 to 25 minutes.

For the sauce, place the juices in a saucepan, defat if desired (strain & save the fat if making bread for Cuban sandwiches) and heat the juices in a small saucepan over medium-high. Add in onion and cook for several minutes until the onion is tender. Add the reserved Mojo and cook for a just moment or two longer to take off the raw garlic taste. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed.

Pour a little of the sauce over the sliced or shredded pork and pass the rest.

Notes

Allow 1/4 to 1/2 pound per person.

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I’ll be posting Cuban Lechon Asado Pork at Fiesta Friday, co-hosted by Julianna @Foodie On Board and Hilda @Along The Grapevine.