CUBAN ROAST PORK

Mar 13, 2020All Recipes

Cuban Roast Pork with Chicharrones

Enjoy this authentic 5 hours, slow roasted mouthwatering pork dish. I usually

marinate the pork overnight in the refrigerator, place it in the oven at 9:00 am

the following morning, then around 2:00 pm it’s succulent, moist and ready for

Sunday dinner. I can assure you that it’s worth the wait! Serve with

scrumptious Moros (Cuban Rice & Black Beans) and plantains.

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

5 lbs (2.2 kg) pork leg or shoulder

1 Tbsp (15 mL) white vinegar

Juice of 2 oranges

Juice of 2 lemons

Juice of 2 limes

2 Tbsp (30 mL) minced garlic

1 tsp (5 mL) dried oregano leaves

¼ tsp (1 mL) ground cumin

2 Tbsp (30 mL) olive oil

1/4 cup (60 mL) Raquel’s Seasoning Salt (see recipe)

Crackling

1/3 cup (80 mL) fine sea salt

2 tsp (10 mL) baking soda

2 1/2 lbs (1.1 kg) pork skins or pork belly

3 limes, cut into wedges for garnishing

1. Preheat oven to 275˚F (135˚C). Set aside a 13- x 9-inch (33 x 23 cm) deep

roasting pan or a 5-quart (5 L) Dutch oven.

2. Rinse pork (leg or shoulder) in a large bowl with cold water and 1 Tbsp (15 mL)

white vinegar. Pat dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, add the citrus juices,

garlic, oregano leaves, cumin, and whisk in the olive oil.

3. Season generously on all sides of the meat with the seasoned salt. Cover the pan with aluminum paper (or the Dutch oven with a lid), and transfer to the oven and roast for 5 hours,

basting with the pan juices halfway through cooking.

4. To prepare the crackling, in a small bowl, mix together sea salt and baking soda. Dry pork skins with paper towels and place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels.

5. Rub skins generously with salt and baking soda mixture. Transfer to the bottom shelf in the refrigerator for about 2 hours or overnight.

6. Remove skins from the refrigerator and dust off salt mixture with paper towels. Cut pork

skins into 1-inch (2.5 cm) segments.

7. In a wide-bottom 7-quart (7 L) pot over high heat, add pork skins with just enough water to cover and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to simmer, turning pork skins over on opposite sides every 15 minutes.

for about 2 hours or until water evaporates and lard forms. You may continue to fry the pork segments in this lard (only if using a splatter-proof screen for safety) or fry segments in a portable deep fryer with lid to cover for about 3 minutes until golden and crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and season with the seasoned salt (optional), set aside.

8. After 5 hours, turn the oven to broil on high for 2-3 minutes to caramelize the roast pork’s skin. To serve, slice tender pork leg and transfer to a platter. Spoon pan juices over top and garnish with lime wedges and sautéed onions with bell peppers. Place cracklings on the side of the pork and enjoy.

TIP: It’s imperative that you place a frying screen over the pan as pork fat

splatters and could cause a severe burn. You may also fry the pork segments

in the basket of a deep fryer, about 3 minutes until crispy and golden.

More Recipes from Island Gurl Foods

Blackened Rainbow Trout with Strawberry Salsa

Get your pan sizzling hot for this sweet rainbow trout spicy makeover. Paired with a sweet, tart and crunchy Strawberry Salsa, for a go-to fast weekday meal. Leftover salsa would be delicious tossed with greens or spooned over...

Tropical Mango Cheesecake

Mango is hands-down my favourite fruit. With nuances of orange, peach and melon, it’s like no other fruit. Ripe Kent, Palmer or any other type of non-fibrous mangoes are preferred for this bright and citrusy cheesecake. Serves 8 INGREDIENTS Crust 4 cups (1 L) honey...

MAD MAC & CHEESE PLEASE!!!!!

Mad Mac & CheeseBahamian mac and cheese (aka macaroni) is the most rich,luscious and cheesy baked dish. Every family takes pride in theirrecipe. However, my girlfriend, Maddie, makes the most illustriousmacaroni in the Bahamas. I’ve added a few ingredients to put...

Pigeon Peas & Dumpling Soup!!!

No better way to shake the winter blues than diving into a bowl of this luscious, protein rich soup filled with yummy dumplings! Follow me as I guide you step by step, and instruct you on how to make this wonderful recipe from my childhood. Watch my video...

Upside-Down Mini Apple Cakes

With a regular muffin pan, it’s easy to make small individual desserts that are so popular in restaurants. Chopped hothouse rhubarb can be substituted for the sliced apples.  Preparation Time: 15 minutes  Baking Time: 15 to 20 minutes  Makes 12  2 tbsp (25...

Berry and Bacon Grilled Cheese

Who can resist a grilled cheese sandwich with smoked Cheddar and bacon, and topped with thick slices of sweet Ontario berries?  Preparation Time: 10 minutes Grilling Time: 6 minutes Makes 4 half sandwiches  4 slices multi-grain bread 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) vegetable oil 1...

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Although the cooking and cooling time may seem long, this soup is a cinch to make.  Roasting intensifies the sweet pepper and tomato flavours and creates a wonderful aroma during cooking. It’s delicious served hot, at room temperature or even chilled. Preparation...

Greek Salad Kebabs

Kebabs are a fun, quick and easy way to serve vegetables. Turn them into a meal by adding cooked, cubed Ontario pork or lamb and serve in a pita.  Preparation Time: 15 minutes Standing Time: 15 minutes Serves 4 (Makes 8 kebabs)  3/4 cup (175 mL) plain yogurt 1 clove...

AGUA FRESCA (AKA COOL FRESH DRINKS)

Year round it’s hot in Latin America and what better way to quench your thirst than with these (literally translated) fresh water drinks. In Ontario, we too are blessed with hot sunny summer weather, so instead of using the tropical fruits typically used in these...

MINI QUICHES IN PROSCIUTTO CUPS

Here’s a quick and easy appetizer.   Preparation Time:  15 minutes Baking Time:  10 to 12 minutes Makes 12 6 slices Ontario Prosciutto, fat trimmed and halved 2 tbsp (25 mL) crumbled Ontario Goat Cheese 1-1/2 tbsp (22 mL) chopped black olives 2 Ontario Eggs...

Primavera Quiche

Celebrate the season with this colourful and tasty combination of spring vegetables seasoned with fresh dill in this Italian-inspired quiche. Egg Mixture 4 eggs ¾ cup 5% light cream or milk ¼ tsp salt & pepper Filling 1 tbsp butter ¾...

Coco Bread Beef Patties

These rich and buttery style patties are Jamaica’s sweet breads, named after its key  ingredient coconut milk. It’s a great alternative sandwich bread and perfect as a patty stuffed with savoury beef. Makes 6 Servings ½ cup (125 mL) warm coconut cream 1 cup (250...

Trout & Beans Trash Can Nachos

Trout & Beans Trash Can Nachos Serve these next level nachos whenever you’re entertaining for an impressive and tasty display. Yields: 6 servings Refried White Beans 2 Tbsp olive oil ¼ piece onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, diced 2 cups Ontario canned cannellini...

STRAWBERRY MINT DAIQUIRI

For ultimate flavour, use fresh, ripe, juicy Ontario Strawberries. Why not freeze some Ontario Strawberries to enjoy these daiquiris all year round? Preparation Time: 5 minutes Makes about 5-1/2 cups (1.375 L) 2-1/2 cups (625 mL) Ontario Strawberries 12 fresh Ontario...