Lechón Asado (Cuban Mojo Roast Pork)

Method

1. 1

   Score the pork skin in a crosshatch and stab the flesh all over with a paring knife — deep pockets for the mojo to reach the meat, not just the surface.

2. 2

   Blend the orange juice, lime juice, garlic, oregano and cumin into a loose mojo.

   💡 Twelve cloves is the timid version. Cubans measure garlic by faith, not spoons.

3. 3

   Rub the mojo into every stabbed pocket and over the scored skin; cover and marinate overnight in the fridge.

4. 4

   Bring the pork to room temperature, set it on the onion rings in the roasting pan, and roast covered at 160°C for 3 hours.

5. 5

   Uncover, raise the oven to 220°C, and roast until the skin blisters and crackles, 30–40 minutes.

   💡 Watch it in the last 10 minutes — crackling goes from perfect to burnt fast at this heat.

6. 6

   Pull the pan and let the pork rest 15 minutes before carving so the juices settle back in.

7. 7

   Strain the pan juices into a small pot and boil hard for a minute to cook off the raw marinade.

8. 8

   Pull the meat into chunks, pour the boiled juices over, and serve with moros and yuca.