Cuban Roast Pork Is The Go-To Cuban Feast

Cuban roast pork is as Cuban as it gets, folks. This traditional Cuban dish is known as lechon asado in Spanish, and it’s the go-to feast for every special occasion. It’s served for Christmas and, in many Cuban homes, for Thanksgiving, too! The pork is marinated overnight or even longer and then cooked until it falls off the bone and the skin is super crispy.

This dish is such a main event that I couldn’t call myself a Cuban blogger and not have a recipe for Cuban roast pork on my blog. In fact, I didn’t consider myself a full adult until I made my first lechon asado by myself. 

Pork Shoulder or Whole Pig?

Depending on the size of your party, you might make a bone-in pork shoulder or a whole pig. We’re a small family, so I’ve only made the pork shoulder. But it’s not unusual for Cubans to make a whole pig. In that case, they usually use a special BBQ roaster called a Caja China (Chinese Box). This cooks the lechon asado in record time with a super crispy skin. (Between you and me, I much prefer the pork roast, the whole pig is a little intimidating!) Don’t tell mom ?

You might wonder why the roaster is called a Chinese Box. No one knows for sure, but I’ve heard two main theories. The one that makes the most sense is that it’s called a Chinese Box because we like to label anything clever or complicated as originating from China. It may not be very PC nowadays, but it is what it is ?

What Makes Lechon Asado So Dang Good!

I’m not a huge pork fan, but this is my favorite way to eat pork! What makes this dish so good? First, it’s the tangy marinade which we’ll talk more about in a minute. And then it’s the crispy bits of meat that are fall of the bone tender and packed with hours and hours of mojo flavor.

But what gets me every time is the crackling. Roast pork with crackling is my guilty pleasure. The crispy, tasty skin that’s cooked until it crackles. This is hard to understand if you’re not Cuban. But Southerners will understand. 

At Mami’s house, cooking the pork is a group effort and a spectator sport. Everyone ends up checking the pork roast to see how it’s doing. But I am not fooled. What they’re really doing is scoping out the crackling so they can get first dibs. I see you, little brother ?

The Roast Pork Marinade

The secret to the tastiest pork is to infuse the pork roast with tons of mojo marinade. Mojo is an all-purpose Cuban marinade made with sour oranges, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. 

The marinade is inserted into the meat using a turkey baster affiliate link, and the larger garlic pieces are usually inserted under the skin using a knife. I use the baster a bit, but mostly I end up cutting slits into the roast and filling them with garlicky mojo. You need to let the roast pork sit in the marinade at least overnight, but longer is better. 

How To Cook A Roast Pork

The pork sits in the marinade overnight (I can’t emphasize this enough). Then it’s cooked in the oven at 325 degrees for about 4-5 hours, depending on the size of the pork roast. A good rule of thumb is to cook it for about 30 minutes per half a pound. 

You need to watch the roast to ensure the skin doesn’t burn and that your less scrupulous family members have not tried to nab a little burnt piece while your back is turned. I usually loosely cover the roast with a tent foil once the skin is crispy to avoid overcooking it. 

What To Eat With Lechon Asado

The traditional Cuban side dish to eat with lechon asado is congri rice made with black beans, although some folks prefer Cuban black beans with white rice. 

Another must-have side dish for this meal is boiled yuca smothered in onions and mojo sauce. Yuca is a dense and starchy root vegetable also known as cassava. It’s served with lots and lots of onions drenched in mojo sauce. 

Of course, you finish this epic meal with the traditional caramel flan. It’s the most popular Cuban dessert, and it’s always served with lechon asado. 

What To Do With The Leftover Pork

The best part of this meal is the leftovers! In fact, you always want to make sure to have leftovers to make pan con lechon with yuca fries. The leftover pork bits are pan-fried with a little mojo, topped with sauteed onions, and served on Cuban bread. And the leftover yuca is cut into thin planks and fried. The result is crunchier, heartier “fries.”

I think I actually like the leftovers even more… except that there’s never any leftover crackling ?

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