Rico's Lechon Pork Cuban Style
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
- Total: 7 hr 10 min (includes marinating time)
- Active: 50 min
Ingredients
Pork Marinade:
6 pounds pork shoulder or pork butt
8 cloves garlic
6 teaspoons granulated salt
6 teaspoons ground black pepper
6 ounces fresh lemon juice
6 ounces fresh lime juice
8 teaspoons ground achiote
8 teaspoons ground coriander (culantro)
8 teaspoons oregano
6 ounces pure olive oil
Blending Ingredients:
6 ounces chopped onions
4 ounces basil
4 ounces green olives
4 ounces pure olive oil
2 ounces green onions
2 ounces green peppers
1 lemon, sliced (peel and all)
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
Mojo Marinade:
8 ounces ground achiote
4 ounces fresh lemon juice
4 ounces fresh lime juice
4 ounces pure olive oil
2 ounces fine diced garlic
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons granulated black pepper
2 sour oranges, sliced into rounds
Serving suggestion: rice and beans
Directions
- For the pork marinade: Rinse the pork with warm water and place on a half-sheet pan preferably 1 to 2 inches deep. Carefully stab 8 to 10 slits with the tip of a chef's knife in different areas of the meat. (Note: If you are using a pork shoulder instead, cut under the thick cap of fat using a fillet knife, cutting while pulling the fat out of the way to one side, revealing the meat; do not remove the layer of fat, just detach it to make way for stabbing slits with your knife.) Using your hands, fill all the slits with garlic cloves, pressing them down into each slit. Add salt and pepper and spread evenly. Pour lemon and lime juices over the pork. Add the achiote, coriander and oregano. Using your hands, massage and spread evenly. Pour the olive oil and spread evenly. Let the pork rest at room temperature for 2 hours.
- For the blending ingredients: Add the onions, basil, olives, olive oil, green onions, green peppers, lemon, red pepper, yellow pepper and 2 quarts water to a blender. Blend until thick. Set aside.
- For the mojo marinade: Stir together the achiote, lemon and lime juices, olive oil, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt, pepper and orange slices in a bowl.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Transfer the pork to a deeper roasting pan, preferably 4 inches deep. Add the blending mixture by pouring it evenly over the pork. Now pour the mojo marinate evenly over the pork. Add water, making sure to pour on the sides of the pan and not on top of the pork, and fill at least two-thirds of the way. Cover the pork with foil, sealing tight, and place in the oven. Roast 3 1/2 hours, then remove the foil and turn the oven up to 425 degrees F. Continue to roast for an additional hour.
- Serve hot with your favorite rice and beans.