The Ultimate Cuban Lechon Asado Recipe

Cubans are known for their love of roasted pig or lechon asado. And though we also roast whole pigs, you'll notice that the distinctive difference between American and Cuban pig roasting is their use of sauce. While we love using herbs, spices and seasoning for our pig, Cubans on the other hand make use of mojo criollo, their popular marinade. Follow this recipe if you want to serve a Cuban-flavored lechon asado to your loved ones and friends!

Ingredients:

Sauce:

• 2 onions, sliced into rings
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons salt
• 2 heads garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 4 cups orange juice

Roast:

• 8 pounds boneless pork blade roast (shoulder part)
• salt

Cooking Instructions:

1. Create your mojo criollo marinade. Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set it aside for about 10 minutes.
2. It is best to use an injector to make marinating easier for your pork shoulder. Strain half of the sauce that you made earlier. Pour the solids back into the other half of the sauce. You will use that for basting.
3. Now dip the injector into the strained sauce and fill it up. Pierce your pork shoulder with the needle and inject the sauce into the meat. Repeat this process in all areas until you have used up all the strained marinade.
4. Put the pork in a clean container and rub the meat with salt. Pour the rest of the marinade onto the pork and let it get soaked. Put it in the fridge and let it stay there overnight. For best results, marinate it for 24 hours.
5. The following day, remove the meat from the marinade and transfer the mojo criollo to a saucepan. Add two onions (sliced into rings) and let the mixture boil for about two minutes. Once done, allow it to cool down. Process the sauce in a blender and create a smooth puree.
6. Set up your charcoal grill and set your meat on the grill with the skin side up. Cook it for a total of 2.5 hours and only turn it to the other side once it is already halfway done. The desired internal temperature is 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

I hope that you'll love this lechon asado recipe! To achieve the best results, make sure that your pig is fresh. Also read about how to buy pork from the market to get awesome tips! And if you still don't have a La Caja China, visit www.LaCajaChina.com to order one today.

The Ultimate Cuban Lechon Asado Recipe first appeared on http://Blog.LaCajaChina.com.