[Recipe + Video] Puerco or Lechón Asado (Pork Roast)

[Recipe + Video] Puerco or Lechón Asado (Pork Roast)

Puerco asado, lechon asado, o pernil asado, are all names for the classic Dominican Christmas pork roast, the star dish of the holidays, dating back centuries. Learn how to make the best lechon asado with our easy guide.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Dominican, Latino, Puerto Rico

Keyword cerdo asado recipe, christmas pernil, dominican pork shoulder, pernil asado dominicano, pernil dominicano, pernil recipe, puerco en puya

Prep Time 6 hours

Cook Time 3 hours

Total Time 9 hours

Servings portions

Calories 505kcal

Author Clara Gonzalez

Equipment

Large roasting pan with wire rack
Meat thermometer, or oven probe thermometer.

Ingredients

For the seasoning

½ cup pitted green olives
½ cup capers
1 large red onion
1 head garlic large, peeled
4 tablespoons oregano (dry, ground)
2 tablespoons pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground)
2 cubanela (cubanelle pepper) or green bell pepper, diced
⅓ cup lime juice or sour orange juice (AKA Seville orange, or bitter orange)
4 tablespoons kosher salt (sea salt without iodine)

Pork

12 pound pork [5.5 kg] (bone-in leg of ham, or shoulder)
3 tablespoons kosher salt (crushed sea salt without iodine)

Instructions

Making seasoning: Mix in all the ingredients for the seasoning in a blender to obtain a coarse paste.
Seasoning meat: Place on a baking tray skin side down. Carve deep holes in the meat on the opposite side of the skin. Keep a distance of about 3 inches between each hole. Don't perforate the skin.
Using a teaspoon, stuff the holes with the seasoning mixture, spread the remaining seasoning on the surface (the side opposite to the skin).
Resting: Cover tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Getting ready for oven: Place skin-side-up on a roast tray lined with aluminum foil, and with a wire rack (see notes).
Pat dry the skin with paper towels. Rub the skin with kosher salt. Cover the leg loosely with aluminum foil.
Heat the oven to 350°F [175°C].
Roasting: Cook in the oven 20 minutes per lb of meat, or until the internal temperature reaches 75 °C [165 °F], start measuring at 4 hrs cooking time for a 12 lb leg, inserting the tip of the meat thermometer reaching the center of the leg.
Once cooked per the instructions above, remove the aluminum foil and return to the oven to cook until the skin is golden brown. If you prefer the skin bubbly, and crackly, finish cooking in the broiler.
Serving: Remove from the oven, cover with a clean tea towel, and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes before serving. If you wish to keep it warm without it drying out, you can place it in an icebox after resting, and serve it up to two hours later.

Video

Notes

Some people like lime juice in their marinade, some prefer bitter orange juice, if you cannot find either lime juice or bitter orange juice where you live, use lemon juice and add the juice of an extra lemon.

If you are wondering about the mystery behind this juicy, plump, flavorful dish, look no further than the seasoning that this dish is made with, half dry rub, half marinade. This works in the same manner as brining, only better, as the pockets of seasoning carved into the meat infuse the pork with all its flavors.

Please keep in mind the type of oven you have. Convection ovens cook foods 30% faster than regular ovens, so adjust your timing for it if you have one. I strongly advise that you acquire a meat thermometer [Amazon affiliate link], as this will guarantee that your pork is cooked safely and to perfection.

A roast tray with rack (Amazon affiliate link) will prevent the meat from boiling in its juices.

Nutrition