Lechon Asado con plátanos--Cuban Pork Roast With Plantains

This dish was inspired by the meal that Chef Matt enjoyed in Key West at El Meson De Pepe (full review for this wonderful restaurant can be found at The Goode Life .)

Fried sweet plantains and yellow rice compliment this Cuban Pork Roast perfectly!

Lechon Asado is a Cuban pork roast that has been marinated to make it juicy and tender.  The roast will take 24 hours to marinade, so prepare in advance.

If you have been searching for a different side dish to go with your meal try these sweet plantains.  They are not difficult to make at all, and they are simply delicious.



Ingredients for Lechon Asado:

• 1 4 pound pork shoulder
• 3 teaspoons jarred garlic (6 cloves, minced)
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup orange juice

Steps:

24 hours before you plan to start cooking your roast ( roast takes between 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours to cook), start preparing the rub, marinade, and the pork.

Combine the garlic, salt, oregano, cumin, pepper, salt, and olive oil.  This can be done by hand using a mortar, or you can accomplish this by putting all of the ingredients for the rub into a blender or hand held food processor.

Remove the roast from the plastic, and with a knife score by cutting slits over the surface.

Thoroughly rub the garlic mixture over the pork making sure that it gets into the slits.

In a gallon sized zip-top bag mix together the lime juice, orange juice, and sliced onion.

Put the seasoned roast into the bag containing the orange juice mixture.

Squeeze all of the air out of the bag, and make sure that it is sealed well.

Massage the roast through the bag for a few minutes, making sure that the juice covers the entire roast.

Place the roast into the refrigerator for 24 hours.  Every couple of hours take the bag out of the refrigerator and flip (in the bag, no need to get your hands messy) and rub the roast for a minute or two, then place back in the refrigerator. 

The following day when you are ready to start cooking, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Take the roast out of the refrigerator.  Remove pork from bag, saving the juice and onions.  I just kept the juice in the bag, resealed it, and kept it in the refrigerator for later.

With a small amount of olive oil, grease a roasting pan.

Place the marinated roast into the pan.

Place into the pre-heated oven on the middle rack.  Make sure to put the pan into the middle of the rack.

Cook the roast for 1 hour, flipping the pork half way through.  Flip the roast by using a large fork. 

After the hour is up, remove the roast from the oven.

Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F.

Once you have removed the roast from the oven, tent the pork roast using heavy tin foil.  Do this by tearing off a piece of foil that is longer than your roasting pan (about 2-3 inches on either side), and fold the foil in half.  Crease the foil and place over the top of the pan.  Crimp the edges so that the foil does not fall off of the pan.

Continue to roast the pork for an additional hour.  Every 15 minutes of the hour, remove the roast from the oven.  Peel back the foil, and using a large fork, flip the roast over, and baste using either a turkey baster or a basting brush.

After the hour is completed remove the roast from the oven, throw away the foil, and flip and baste the roast one final time.

Put the uncovered roast back into the oven, and cook until the internal temperature (use a meat thermometer and insert it into the thickest part of the roast) reaches 165 degrees F (this should take 1 to 1 1/2 hours).  This will make a medium done roast.  However, if you prefer a well done roast (no pink for me please), leave your roast in the oven for an addition 2 to 2 hours and 15 minutes from the time of uncovering, or until pork is not pink when cutting into the center.

Serve this mouth watering pork roast with sweet plantains and yellow rice.


Ingredients for sweet plantains:

• 2 plantains, cut into 1" thick coins
• 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 

Steps:

Cut the ends off of the plantains, then slice the skin lengthwise to peel it off.

After slicing skin, carefully peel back (like a jacket) and remove.

Slice plantains into 1" coins.

Add unsalted butter to a deep skillet, and heat over medium heat.

When the butter has melted, add the plantain coins in a single layer.

Let the plantains fry for 10 minutes (or until the bottoms are golden brown), then flip them with a spatula.

Sprinkle the brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves over the plantains.

Pour the vanilla into the skillet.

Using a spatula cover the plantains with the spices.

Cook until the sugar begins to caramelize.

Serve warm.

                           Enjoy!


~ Chef Megs

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