Puerto Rican Pork Shoulder Lechon Asado Recipes

DADDY EDDIE'S ROAST PORK (PERNIL), PUERTO RICAN-STYLE

Steps:

• Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper in a mortar and pestle; mash into a paste.
• Make deep slits into the pork with a small knife. Stuff slits with the paste; rub any remaining paste over the pork.
• Place pork in a plastic roasting bag and put in a roasting pan with a rack. Let marinate in the refrigerator, 8 to 48 hours.
• Take pork out of the refrigerator, uncover, and bring to room temperature, 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Roast pork skin-side down in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 2 hours. Flip pork and continue roasting, skin-side up, until juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), 2 to 4 hours more.

RICO'S LECHON PORK CUBAN STYLE

Steps:

• 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.

PUERTO RICAN PORK SHOULDER (LECHON ASADO)

Steps:

• Step 1: Carefully remove the skin from the pork shoulder ham and set it aside. Using the tip of a paring knife, make a series of cuts in the pork, each about 1/2 inch deep, 1/2 inch wide, and spaced 2 inches apart. Place a sliver of garlic and a sprig of fresh oregano in each slit. ShareTweetPin9 Shares Step 2: Make the rub: Combine the salt, dried oregano, granulated garlic, pepper, and sage in a bowl and stir with your fingers to mix. Sprinkle the rub all over the pork shoulder. (You may not need all of the rub; it keeps well in an airtight jar and is good to have on hand for an impromptu grill session.) Drizzle the olive oil over the seasoned pork and rub it into the meat. ShareTweetPin9 Shares Step 3: Put the pork skin back on the roast and tie it in place with butcher's string or pin it in place with bamboo skewers. ShareTweetPin9 Shares Step 4: Make the annatto oil, if using, by heating the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the annatto seeds and cook until fragrant and brown and the oil turns bright orange, 2 to 4 minutes. Immediately strain the oil into a heatproof bowl. Discard the annatto seeds. ShareTweetPin9 Shares Step 5: To grill, ideally you'll grill the pork shoulder over the charcoal. If you want a smoke flavor, charcoal will give you the most pronounced result. Grill the pork shoulder until dark golden brown on the outside and completely cooking through. If you spit roast the pork shoulder with the rotisserie covered, it will take 2 to 2 1/2 hours; grilling with the rotisserie uncovered will take a little longer. if you are grilling using the indirect method it will take about 4 hours. Use an instant-read thermometer to test for doneness, inserting it into the thickest part of the meat but not touching any bones or the spit. When the pork is done the internal temperature will be 190 degrees to 195 degrees F. Start basting the pork with the annatto oil, if using, or with plain vegetable oil after the pork has grilled for 30 minutes, if spit roasting, or after 1 hour of indirect grilling. Continue basting every 30 minutes. If you are using a charcoal grill, add 1 1/2 cups of wood chips or chunks after the first and second hours. Add fresh coals to each side of the grill every hour. Rotisserie method: Set up your grill for spit-roasting and build a medium fire. Thread the roast on the spit and place it on the rotisserie. Spit-roast the pork shoulder until dark golden brown on the outside, and completely cooked through, 3 to 3-1/2 hours with the grill uncovered, 1 hour less if you cover the grill. After 30 minutes, start basting the pork with the annatto oil and baste once every 30 minutes. If a smoke flavor is desired, toss the wood chips on the coals of your gas grill, or place in the smoker box of your rotisserie. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check for doneness. The internal temperature should be 190 degrees. ShareTweetPin9 Shares Step 6: Transfer the pork shoulder to a cutting board. Remove the skin and cut it into 1-inch squares. it will crisp into cracklings as it cooks. Thinly slice the pork and serve it with the cracklings and the Sparkling Barbecue Sauce if desired. ShareTweetPin9 Shares

CUBAN GRILLED PORK (LECHON ASADO)

Steps:

• Prepare the marinade
• Mix all marinade ingredients in a bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Marinate the pork
• If using a flavor injector (see cooking notes), strain half the marinade into a bowl, adding the strained-out garlic to the other half of the marinade. Use the injector to take in some strained marinade, pierce the pork with the tip of the needle, and inject it into the flesh. Do this all over the meat until the strained marinade has been used up.
• If you are not using a flavor injector, use a long, thin knife to create deep gashes all over the flesh and pour the marinade over the pork.
• Place the marinated pork in a deep bowl or container. Generously season the outside of the pork with salt and pour the remaining marinade all over it, spreading the onion rings all over the top.
• Cover well with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
• Boil the marinade for basting
• Remove the pork from the marinade and place it on a platter. Transfer the marinade to a saucepan, add the onions, and bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Place the boiled marinade and onions in a blender and puree until smooth. The marinade is now ready to use as a basting liquid.
• Grill the pork
• Before heating your grill, remove the pork from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.
• Heat your grill to 550°F and close the lid. Wait at least 15 minutes before lowering the temperature to 300°F. Oil the grill grates with a vegetable oil-soaked paper towel held with a long pair of tongs.
• If your cut has the skin still attached, begin the cooking process with the skin side up (away from the direct heat).
• Grill your meat about 2 1/2 hours total. Turn the meat over once when you are one quarter through with the cooking time, again when you are halfway through, and once more when three-quarters of the cooking time has elapsed. The pork is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 150°F on the grill (it will continue to cook when it's off the heat, raising the internal temperature to the desired 160°F).

LECHóN ASADO

Steps:

• Combine the juices, garlic, dried oregano, cumin (optional), and black pepper for the marinade in a blender and process until smooth. Set aside until ready to use.
• Place the pork in a large roasting pan. With the tip of a sharp knife, make numerous incisions into the meat (do not score the skin). Toss the marinade over the pork, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to marinate overnight, turning the meat several times if possible.
• Preheat the oven to 250°F.
• Bring the pork to room temperature. Remove the meat from the marinade, pat it dry, and reserve the marinade. Place the pork skin-side up inside the roasting pan and add the marinade back into the roasting pan. Cover the pork with aluminum foil and insert into the oven.
• Cook for 8 to 9 hours until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 170°F to 190°F near the bone, shreds easily, and the liquid runs clear when the meat is pierced.
• To get crisp skin, remove the pork from the oven and turn the oven up to 450°F. Once the oven is preheated, remove the foil from the pork and put it back in the oven. Check the pork every few minutes so the skin does not burn. Remove the pork when it has crisped nicely, 15 to 30 minutes total.
• Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest 15 to 20 minutes before carving. Discard the braising liquid. Serve in chunks and drizzle with Mojo Criollo sauce.

ROAST PORK (LECHON ASADO)

Steps:

• Remove excess fat and skin from pork roast.
• Marinate with spices, pierce holes in meat, and set aside for 2 hours.
• Roast at 350F for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Turn the meat and baste frequently.