Cuban Slow Roasted Pork (Lechon Asado)
This juicy, tender, slow roasted pork that has been marinaded in garlic, lime-orange juice and a bunch of flavor boosting spices then served with caramelized onions became my family's ultimate pandemic comfort food.
Ingredients
- 1 (5-6 pound) pork shoulder
- ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1⅔ cups freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2½ tsp dried oregano, divided
- 2½ tsp ground cumin, divided
- 2 tbs kosher salt
- ¾ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, divided
- 15 large garlic cloves
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- cilantro, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Using a sharp pairing knife, make deep incisions (about ½ inch deep) all over the pork shoulder (including the sides and bottom). This will allow the marinade to seep into the meat.
- Add the lime juice, orange juice, 2 tsp oregano, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp black pepper and garlic cloves to a blender. Blend until everything is well mixed and liquified. Pour one cup of the marinade into a jar and refrigerate.
- Take the remaining salt and rub it all over the pork, including the sides and bottom making sure to get it into the incisions. Place the pork into a resealable plastic bag and pour the remaining sauce all over it. Seal the bag and flip it a few times to make sure that the sauce gets into the incisions. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
- Remove the pork from the refrigerator and allow it to rest at room temperature for about one hour. Preheat the oven to 325 °F.
- Remove the pork from the plastic bag and place it into a roasting pan that is just large enough to hold it. Pour the marinade from the bag over the pork and sprinkle it with the remaining ½ tsp oregano, ½ tsp cumin and ¼ tsp black pepper. Place in oven and roast uncovered for about 4-5 hours until the meat is very tender and the internal temperature reaches 180 °F. Pour half of the reserved marinade into a small dish and use it to baste the pork every hour while it's roasting. Reserve the rest of the marinade for later.
- Remove the roasting pan from the oven, transfer the roast to a carving board , tent loosely with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for about 15-20 minutes.
- In the meantime, add the sliced onions and any remaining pan drippings to a large sauce pan. Sauce the onions over medium heat until they begin to caramelize, about 15-20 minutes.
- Slice the roast and add it to the sauce pan with the onions. Pour the remaining ½ cup of the marinade over the pork and onions and mix to combine. Heat for just a few minutes to warm everything through. Remove to a serving plate, garnish with fresh cilantro (if using) and serve immediately.