Cheaters Lechón Asado (don't judge me.)
/It's raining like mad here in So Cal. And we live in The Bubble (aka. The O.C.). And Nochebuena falls on a Friday. And the men-folk are all working. What does this mean?
It means that there will be no Cuban Caja China Pig Roasting for us. (*insert sad face here*)
Of course, this does not mean that we won't have our lechóncito. We are, after all, self-respecting Cubans. Going without lechón on Nochebuena is not an option.
It just means we'll cheat a little. ;-)
Super Garlicky Lechón Asado (In the crockpot. I know. Shut up.)
- 2 Tbsp. Olive oil
- 1 1/2 lbs. Pork loin chops – the big, thick ones
- 2 cups Mojo Criollo*
- 1 white onion – sliced into rings
- 1 tsp. Parsley
- Stab each of the chops two or three times and brown them quickly in the olive oil.
- Put them in a crockpot. Cover with the mojo and the onion slices and sprinkle with parsley.
Cook on high for 4-5 hours. Or on low for 6-8 hours. - For added Cuban tastiness: Double the Mojo recipe and after the pork is cooked, pull it apart just a bit - it should be very tender - then, move it into a roasting pan.
- Pour mojo over the pork and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.
Serve with black beans and white rice.
*Mojo Criollo
You can use the mojo that comes in a bottle, or make your own.
Here’s my recipe.
- 20 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Coarse-ground Pepper
- 2 tsp. Oregano
- 1 ¾ cups bitter orange juice
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- Using a mortar and pestle, mash together the garlic, salt, pepper and oregano to make a paste.
- Stir in the orange juice and vinegar.
They'll never know the difference. =D
Buen Provecho!
