Ingredients
- •5 lb boneless pork shoulder
- •2 ½ tsp kosher salt
- •For mojo criollo:
- •1 cup fresh sour orange juice (or 2/3 cup orange juice + 1/3 cup lime juice)
- •12 cloves garlic, minced
- •2 tbsp ground cumin
- •1 tbsp dried oregano
- •1 tsp black pepper
- •¼ cup olive oil
- •1 large onion, sliced
- •For serving:
- •Black beans and white rice (moros y cristianos)
- •Fried sweet plantains (maduros)
- •Fresh lime wedges
- •Hot sauce
Instructions
Blend sour orange juice, garlic, cumin, oregano, pepper, and olive oil into the mojo.
Score the pork shoulder deeply in a crosshatch pattern.
Pour mojo into the scores and over all surfaces. Add sliced onion.
Marinate refrigerated for at least 4 h (overnight is best).
Place pork and all the mojo marinade in vacuum-seal bags.
Seal and preheat sous vide bath to 167°F (75°C).
Submerge and cook for 24 h.
When done, remove pork and reserve bag juices.
Pat the pork dry and place on a wire rack over a sheet pan.
Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C).
Roast for 20–25 min until the exterior is deeply browned and crispy with charred edges.
Meanwhile, strain bag juices into a saucepan and reduce by half for a serving sauce.
Pull the pork into large chunks using two forks.
Drizzle with reduced mojo sauce.
Serve with black beans and rice, fried plantains, and lime wedges.
Notes
- •Sour oranges (naranja agria) are the authentic choice - the OJ + lime mix is a close substitute
- •Scoring the meat deeply lets the mojo penetrate, not just sit on the surface
- •The 450F oven blast after sous vide gives the crispy edges that make lechon lechon
- •This is the traditional Cuban Christmas Eve (Nochebuena) dish