Lechon Asado
A traditional centrepiece of a Cuban Nochebuena, or Christmas Eve supper, this crispy-skinned ham makes any holiday celebration complete. Marinated in a zesty blend of garlic, citrus and spices, this substantial main dish might just become your new holiday tradition. The recipe is a labour of love, so take care to start it the day before you plan on cooking it. Pair this Lechon Asado with Gray Monk Pinot Noir or Black Sage Cabernet Sauvignon.Ingredients
Serves 10-12
2 heads garlic, broken into cloves and peeled, divided
2 tsp (10 ml) kosher salt, divided
1 tsp (5 ml) black peppercorns
1 tbsp (15 ml) ground cumin
1 tbsp (15 ml) dried oregano
¼ cup + 3 tbsp (105 ml) olive oil, divided, plus more for oiling
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh orange juice
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lime juice
½ cup (125 ml) rum
1 tsp (5 ml) onion powder
4 dried bay leaves, lightly crushed
10 lbs (4.5 kg) uncured, bone-in leg of ham or bone-in pork shoulder
fresh herbs of choice, for garnish
2 oranges, cut into wedges, for garnish
Instructions
- In bowl of a food processor, combine cloves from 1 head garlic, 1 tsp (5 ml) salt and peppercorns and pulse until a fine paste forms. Pulse in cumin, oregano and ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
- Add remaining garlic cloves and 1 tsp (5 ml) salt to processor (no need to clean it out). Pulse, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until a paste forms. Add juices, rum, onion powder, bay leaves and remaining 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil. Blend until well combined. Set aside.
- Place ham in a roasting pan large enough to hold it. Using a sharp knife, gently separate skin from ham enough for it to flap over backwards, but do not cut it off completely. Pierce meat several times with tip of knife. Pour garlic-citrus marinade over meat and then rub garlic herb paste generously all over. Place pork skin back over meat to cover garlic herb paste. Cover with a piece of parchment or foil large enough to cover ham and secure around roasting pan. Place in refrigerator to marinate overnight.
- When ready to cook, remove from refrigerator and bring to room temperature for 30 minutes, then preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
- Uncover ham and pat skin dry with a paper towel—the dryer the skin, the crispier the final cooked skin will be. Lightly oil a new piece of parchment or foil big enough to cover ham and secure around roasting pan. Roast until internal temperature is 180 F (82 C), 3 to 4 hours.
- Remove roasting pan from oven and increase oven temperature to 450 F (230 C).
- Uncover ham and transfer cooking juices to a medium saucepan. Set aside.
- Return ham to oven, uncovered, and continue roasting to crisp up skin, about 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- Meanwhile, remove and discard any fat that has settled on top of cooking juices. Bring juices to a hard simmer over medium heat. Simmer until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Season to taste and strain if desired.
- Once out of oven, transfer ham to a cutting board and let rest, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
- When ready to serve, transfer ham to a serving platter and garnish with fresh herbs and orange wedges, if desired. Slice or shred ham to serve. Serve simmered marinade alongside as a sauce.