Pierna de puerco asada (roast leg of pork creole)

Yield: 8 servings

Measure Ingredient
\N \N One 5- to 6-pound leg or shoulder of pork
6 eaches Cloves garlic
1 teaspoon Dried oregano
1 tablespoon Salt
½ teaspoon Ground cumin
\N \N Freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup Seville (sour) orange juice or 1/4 cup sweet orange juice

combined with ⅛ cup each fresh lime and lemon juice ½ cup dry sherry 2 large onions, thickly sliced 1. The night before serving, remove any excess fat from the leg of pork and pierce the meat all over with the tip of a knife. In a mortar, combine the garlic, oregano, salt, and cumin, and mash into a paste. Place the pork in a nonreactive pan and rub it well with the paste, sprinkle liberally with pepper, add the orange juice, sherry, and onions, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight, turning the meat several times. 2. About 4½ hours before serving, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the meat from the marinade, pat it dry, and reserve the marinade. Place the pork in an aluminum-foil-lined roasting pan. Roast 1 hour, turning the roast to brown on all sides. Insert a meat thermometer, making sure it doesn't touch bone. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees, pour the reserved marinade over it, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and cook another 3 hours or so, turning the meat once and basting frequently with pan juices, until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees. Remove the foil during the last 30 minutes of roasting, adding sherry if the meat becomes dry. 3. When it is done, remove the leg of pork to a serving platter and allow it to stand, covered with the foil, 15 minutes before carving. Serve with Mojo Criollo (Creole Garlic Sauce).

Makes 8 servings PIERNA DE PUERCO ASADA Roast Leg of Pork Creole

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