Pig Roasting Around the World

Part Six

~Chef Perry Perkins~

Then, of course, there’s Cuba, motherland of the magic box.

In Cuba, roasting a whole pig is the main event and most anticipated course in holiday parties, especially Christmas and New Year. For Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) families gather together as a time for rekindling of ties among families as they celebrate the coming of Christmas.

A Cuban feast just wouldn’t be complete without the roasted pig. The hogs are marinated in sour orange juice, garlic, oregano, and salt, a combination called Mojo (mo-ho).

The feast typically includes black beans, white rice, tostones (fried plantains), yuca con mojo, salad and lots of Cuban bread

Lechon Asado

1 (45- to 50-pound) dressed pig
1/3 cup Adobo Criollo

2 cups coarse sea salt

Mojo

Note: Sour oranges can be hard to find outside of Cuba and Florida, this recipe creates a similar flavor by combining both sweet and sour citrus.

5 heads garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
3 cup freshly squeezed orange
2 ½ teaspoons oregano

1 teaspoon ground bay leaves
2 ½ teaspoons coarse sea salt
1 ½ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)

For every head of peeled garlic cloves, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, six black peppercorns, and ½ teaspoon of oregano. Mash this combination into a paste with a mortar and pestle (or food processor). Scoop the paste into another bowl.

For every head of peeled garlic cloves, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, six black peppercorns, and ½ teaspoon of oregano. Mash this combination into a paste with a mortar and pestle (or food processor). Scoop the paste into another bowl.

Repeat the process until you’ve used up all of the garlic. If adding the scotch bonnet pepper, grind it with the last batch (carefully), and then whisk the whole bowl to combine.

Combine the orange juice and lemon juice, and let sit at room temperature for an hour.

Use immediately to marinate the pig, or refrigerate is using later.

Place pig skin side down on a large table. Strain ¼ of the mojo into tall glass, reserving the solids. Transfer liquid to a large syringe and inject into the meat of the pig every 3 to 4 inches, on a grid, (be careful in the thinner sections, not to push the needle all the way through the meat.)

Sprinkle both sides of the pig with coarse sea salt, and adobo criollo and rub it in well; use the reserved solids from mojo to coat the body cavity. Cover, and chill the whole pig overnight.

Bring pig to room temperature before roasting, and place 3 large disposable steam pans under the bottom rack in your La Caja China, to catch the juices.

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

Heat juices from the pans, strain, and transfer to a serving bowl.

Serve meat on rolls topped with warm mojo and chopped onions. Delicioso!

~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