Cuban Pork Roast With Mojo Criollo

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.

About 4 1/2 hours before serving, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F 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 the bone. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F, 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 F. Remove the foil during the last 30 minutes of roasting, adding sherry if the meat becomes dry. 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)

Mojo Criollo (Creole Garlic Sauce): Using a mortar and pestle or a food processor, crush the garlic with the salt to form a thick paste. In a mixing bowl, combine the garlic paste, onion, and juice, and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or longer. Minutes before you are ready to serve the mojo, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a medium-size pan until it is very hot, add the garlic mixture (do this quickly because it will splatter), stir, and serve immediately. To reheat, simmer over low heat until heated through, 6 to 8 minutes. The sauce keeps several weeks refrigerated.

Recipe Source: Maria Urrutia

cook's notes

This hearty pork dish is as indigenous to Cuba as black beans. Serve it hot with Mojo Criollo (follows) -the powerful garlic sauce- Add it cold to a platter of entremes variados -cold meals- or use it to construct the Media Noche -a robust midnight sandwich. It is a true Cuban Classic. Maria Urrutia's remarks From her book: Memories of a Cuban Kitchen