Lechon Asado

by Unknown

Pit-roasted pork, the traditional centerpiece of a Cuban Nochebuena.

Lechon Asado

  • Servings: 8-10 servings

Lechon Asado, or pit-roasted pig, is the traditional centerpiece of a Cuban Nochebuena (Cuban Christmas Eve supper). This holiday stirs the same sort of emotions—and digestive juices—in a Cuban heart that Thanksgiving does in ours. This recipe calls for a more manageable size cut of meat: a fresh (uncured) ham, which has the dual advantage of being more widely available than whole pigs and of being able to fit in your refrigerator.

Ingredients

  • 8-10 lbs pork shoulder (skin on)


For the adobo marinade:

  • 1 head garlic, broken into cloves and peeled
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup sour orange juice or 1/2 cup orange, 1/4 cup lime, 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry (see vermouth)
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced

Directions

  • Make shallow slits in the pig or ham, skin side and meat side, using the tip of a paring knife.
  • Mash the garlic, salt, oregano, cumin, pepper, bay leaves, and olive oil to a paste in a mortar and pestle or puree in the food processor. Add 1 cup sour orange juice. Rub this mixture all over the pig, forcing it into the slits. Place the pig or ham in a plastic bag with the remaining sour orange juice, sherry, and onions. Marinate overnight, turning several times.
  • Build small fires at the opposite ends of the grill. The heat should be medium-low, about 275 degrees. Place the pig on the grill, skin side up. Cook tightly covered for about 2 hours. Place the wood chips in the smoking pan and replenish as needed. Invert the pig and baste with any excess marinade. Continue cooking until the skin is very crisp and the meat is fall-off-the-bone-tender. Baste often with leftover marinade. The pork will be safe to eat when the internal temperature reads 160 degrees on a meat thermometer. Cubans like their pork really well done, about 180 degrees. Replenish coals and wood chips as necessary.
  • To serve, pull the meat away from the bones. Discard the bones. Chop the meat with a cleaver and cut the crisp skin into shards. Serve the meat and skin with Cuban bread and mojo.