Puerco Asado Recipe (Pork Roast)

Puerco Asado Recipe (Pork Roast)

Puerco Asado (Pork Roast) is the main dish in our Christmas and New Year's dinner meals. Nothing like a pernil asado.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Dominican, Latino, Puerto Rico

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

Prep Time 6 hours

Cook Time 3 hours

Total Time 9 hours

Servings generous portions

Calories 505kcal

Author Clara Gonzalez

Ingredients

8 lb pork [3.63 kg] (leg of ham)
1 lime

For the seasoning

½ cup of brined pitted olives (throw away the brine)
½ cup capers
1 large onion
8 cloves garlic , peeled
1 tablespoon parsley finely diced
4 tablespoons oregano
2 tablespoons pepper
2 bell peppers diced into small cubes
4 tablespoons bitter orange juice , or lime juice
3 tablespoons salt

Instructions

Making seasoning: Mix in all the ingredients for the seasoning in a blender to obtain a coarse paste.
Seasoning meat: Carve deep holes in the meat on the opposite side of the skin. Keep a distance of about 3 inches between each hole. Scrub with the lime, getting the juice into the cuts.
Using a teaspoon, stuff the holes with the seasoning mixture, spread the remaining seasoning on the surface (the side opposite to the skin).
Resting: Place on a roast tray with rack (Amazon affiliate link) or else the bottom of the roast will just boil in its own juices when cooked. Place skin-side up.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and let it rest in the fridge for at least 5 hours before cooking (best if 24 hrs).
Heating oven: Pre-heat the oven to 300°F [150°C].
Roasting: Uncover and cook in the oven until the thermometer reaches 71 °C [160 °F], start measuring at 3.5 hrs cooking time, with the tip of the meat thermometer reaching the center of the ham.
If you don't have a meat thermometer: Cook for 4 hours. Turn around and stab deeply with a carving knife. Check that the meat is not pink and has a uniform color throughout. Return to the oven if necessary and cook for another 30 minutes (always skin side up) before testing again. Repeat as necessary.

Notes

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.

Nutrition