Lechon Asado
With its rich mix of African, Spanish, and Indigenous Taíno roots, Puerto Rico has a long history of merging diverse culinary traditions to create new flavors. From plantains brought to the Island by enslaved Africans, to yuca cultivated by the Taíno, to rice brought by the Spaniards, Puerto Rican food has evolved throughout the centuries, and it continues to do so.
The art of pig roasting is taken so seriously in Puerto Rico that lechón asado was declared an official part of the Island’s gastronomic heritage. Cooking lechón is a ritual; the pig roasts for over eight hours before being skillfully carved behind the counters with machetes. Every lechonera has a unique recipe, but one constant is the adobo; a seasoning containing salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, annatto, and sometimes ajíes dulces—a mild sweet pepper which is a staple in Puerto Rican cuisine.
INGREDIENTS
For the mojo
50 peeled cloves garlic
5/8 oz. kosher salt (1-1/2 Tbs. Diamond Crystal or 1 Tbs. Morton)
1 Tbs. freshly cracked black pepper
1 Tbs. dried oregano
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. fresh orange juice (from 1 medium)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 large)
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice (from 1 small)
For the pork
1 6- to 8-lb. bone-in, skin-on pork shoulder
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1-1/2 lemons)
3 large lemons, cut into wedges
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
METHOD
Combine the garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl and whisk in the juices. Reserve 1/2 cup of the mojo and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Use a paring knife to make 20 deep slits all over the pork. Using your fingers, push the remaining mojo into the slits. Wrap the pork well in plastic wrap, place skin side up on a rimmed baking sheet or platter, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
Let the pork sit at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking. Meanwhile, set up a charcoal or gas grill for indirect cooking between 325°F and 350°F; if using a charcoal grill, bank the lit, ashed-over coals to one side of the grill. Cover the grill, and adjust the vents as needed to reach the temperature range. For a gas grill, cover the grill, turn off one or more of the burners, and adjust the active burner(s) to reach the temperature range.
Pat the pork skin dry with paper towels. Put the pork, skin side up, on the cooler part of the grill and cook, rotating (but not flipping) every couple of hours, until the skin is crisp and an instant-read thermometer registers 190°F to 200°F in the centre of the pork, 6 to 8 hours.
Toward the end of the pork’s cooking, combine the reserved 1/2 cup mojo, the onion, olive oil, and lemon juice in a 2-quart saucepan. Cook, stirring often, over medium-low heat, until the onion softens and the flavours meld, about 8 minutes. (The mojo can sit at room temperature for a few hours.)
Serve the pork
Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Remove the skin. Tent just the pork with foil and let sit for up to an hour before serving. Scrape off and discard the soft fat underneath the skin, then cut the crispy part (the crackling) into bite-size pieces. Transfer to a small platter, add a few lemon wedges, and serve the chicharrones (cracklings) as an appetiser.
Meanwhile, use your hands to break the meat into chunks and transfer to a large bowl. Pour about 1/3 cup of the mojo over it and toss to coat. Transfer to a large platter along with the remaining lemon wedges. Sprinkle with the sea salt and serve, passing the remaining mojo around the table with it.