Pig Roasting Around the World - Part Nine

Pig Roasting Around the World - Part Nine

~Chef Perry Perkins~

In Ecuador, this roasted pig is prepared by marinating the pork in a sauce of beer, orange juice, garlic, achiote, and local spices.

Slow roasted in giant outdoor clay ovens, with butter and spices, Hornado is often found at food stands in local mercados.

The typical marinade uses a local drink made from fermented corn called chichi, instead of beer, and I like the sweeter flavor it imparts…unfortunately, I can’t find anyplace to buy it, so I use a combination of beer, cider and orange juice, to get a similar taste.

Ecuadorian Roast Pig - Hornado de Chancho

1 - 45lb dressed pig
6 whole heads of garlic, peeled & crushed
3 Tbs. ground cumin
¼ cup ea: fresh oregano, parsley, & cilantro
4 cups of orange juice
6 Tbs. ground achiote powder
Several bags of cubed ice, unopened

Juice of 6 limes
1 Lg. shallot, minced
2 Tbs. ea: sea salt & ground pepper
6 cups each: beer & apple cider
1 lb. of butter or lard
20 med. potatoes, peeled and halved

Rinse the pig and pat dry. With a long, thin knife, punch several deep slots into each ham and shoulder, then flip the pig, and score the skin.

Rub entire pig with lime juice.

For marinade:

Combine garlic, ground cumin, herbs, salt, pepper, and 1 Tbs. achiote powder with 2 cup of beer in a food processor, and puree until smooth. Fill each incision with marinade, and rub more marinade into the scored skin. Place the pig in a cooler, skin side down.

Combine remaining marinade with beer, cider, and orange juice, and pour over the belly-side of the pig. Set 2 bags of ice in the belly, and let the pig marinate and rest for 24 hours, flipping the pig once, half-way through.

After 24 hours, remove the ice, drain excess marinade (reserve) and set the pig on the counter, skin side up, to come to room temp for about 2 hours.

Melt half of the butter, and whisk in half of the remaining achiote powder.

Pat the skin-side as dry as possible with paper towels, flip, and drizzle and brush the melted achiote butter mix all over the interior of the pig. Keep any remaining butter mix to use to baste the pork skin after roasting - and melt the additional sticks of butter with achiote as needed.

Drizzle and brush the melted achiote butter mix all over the dry pork skin. Keep any remaining butter mix to use to baste the pork skin during baking - and melt the additional sticks of butter with achiote as needed.

Place three disposable pans into the bottom of the box, and fill them evenly with the potatoes.

Follow the La Caja Asadora Roasting Box Cooking Instructions and Times, HERE.

After roasting two hours heat additional beer until warm with a bit of the achiote butter and baste the pig. add it to the pan.

Once you flip the pig, and crisp the skin to almost done, brush the skin side directly with achiote butter and finish crisping (watching closely, so it doesn’t burn.

Roast your pig to an internal temperature (in the thickest part of the ham) of 150F minimum.

Remove the lid and coals, set aside, and allow the pig to rest 30-45 minutes.

Serve with your choice of side dishes including the potatoes baked with the pork leg.

~Chef Perry

As a third-generation chef, Perry P. Perkins focuses his love of cooking on barbeque, traditional southern fare, and fresh Northwest cuisine.

Perry runs the non-profit organization, MY KITCHEN Outreach Program, which teaches nutrition, shopping, and hands on cooking classes for at risk youth.

His cookbooks include La Caja China Cooking, La Caja China World, La Caja China Party, and the NEW “La Caja China Grill.”

You can follow the rest of Chef Perry’s cooking adventures at ChefPerryPerkins.com