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Slow Roasted Cuban Pork Shoulder

Slow Roasted Cuban Pork Shoulder

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5 from 4 reviews

  • Author: Sonja Goeden
  • Total Time: 14 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 1x

Description

Oven roasted to pull apart tenderness, this Slow Roasted Cuban Pork Shoulder is the perfect weekend feast. Marinated the evening before in a quickly put together mix of lime, orange, garlic, some herbs and spices, all that is left to do for you on the day, is an optional quick chopping of veggies for gravy and to put the whole thing into the oven. Then forget about it for a few hours and do something for yourself.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4 lb pork shoulder on or off the bone. (Either ask your butcher to score the skin for you or score it yourself.)
  • 2 tsp kosher salt for the marinade (Plus more for the skin)
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 3 oranges (Zest and Juice )
  • 6 limes (Zest and Juice)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic (smashed)
  • 1 tbsp fresh oregano (chopped. Or 1 tsp dried)
  • 2 tsp Coriander, ground (Alternatively cumin)

Gravy Ingredients (Optional):

  • 3 medium carrots
  • 2 celery sticks
  • 2 red onions
  • 1 bulb of garlic
  • 2 bay leaves (fresh or dry)
  • 600 ml vegetable stock (You could also use chicken stock)
  • 1 orange (Zest and Juice (Optional))
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup ((Optional))

Instructions

  1. Begin by preparing the marinade. Zest and juice the oranges and limes. Chop cilantro and smash the garlic cloves. In a large container or freezer bag, mix the zest, juice, cilantro, smashed garlic, kosher salt, ground black pepper, oregano, ground coriander (or cumin), and olive oil. Ensure the marinade is for the meat, not the skin, keeping the skin dry.
  2. Place the pork shoulder, whether on or off the bone, into the marinade. Seal the container or bag and refrigerate it overnight to infuse the flavors.
  3. On the day of cooking, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Remove the marinated pork from the fridge about an hour before roasting. Pat the pork dry with paper towels and generously salt the scored skin with kosher salt. Let the skin dry while the pork comes to room temperature.
  4. Put the pork, skin side up, in a large roasting tray. Roast it in the preheated oven for 30 minutes to crisp up the skin.
  5. After 30 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (175°C). Cover the pork and tray with foil to prevent drying. Continue to roast for an additional 4.5 hours, checking and rotating as needed for even cooking.
  6. While the pork roasts, you can prepare the optional gravy. Roughly chop carrots, onions, and celery. Smash garlic cloves. After 4.5 hours of slow roasting, remove the pork from the oven and skim most of the fat from the tray, storing it for later use.
  7. Add the chopped vegetables, bay leaves, stock, and garlic to the tray. Place the pork on top and return it to the oven without foil for another 1 hour to allow the vegetables to roast and the pork skin to become crispy.
  8. After the final hour, remove the pork from the oven and place it on a plate. Cover it with foil and let it rest.
  9. Continuing with the gravy, remove excess fat from the tray. Pass the tray contents through a sieve into a pot to collect the flavorful liquid. Smash the vegetables to extract more flavor and discard the solids.
  10. On medium-high heat, boil the gravy down to about half its volume. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt, pepper, and optionally, orange juice and maple syrup for a Cuban marinade theme.
  11. And you are ready to serve your Slow Roasted Cuban Pork Shoulder in any way you enjoy. Pull off the bone, drizzle with gravy or BBQ sauce. Enjoy with potatoes and a light salad or on pulled pork sandwiches. It’ll be delicious either way.

Equipment

Notes

The equipment section may contain affiliate links to products I know and love.

Meal Prep

Due to the marinading process, Slow Roasted Cuban Pork Shoulder is ideal for meal prep. You do all the (rather minimal) work the day before and just throw it into the oven on the day for a few hours of pretty much unattended roasting, while you go about your day.

Leftovers from this can be used in a million ways. They make fantastic sandwiches, salad toppings, or just a reheated meal. They can be frozen too.

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Marinating: 8 hours
  • Cook Time: 6 hours
  • Category: Dinner, Main Course
  • Method: Roast
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Calories: 236
  • Sugar: 9
  • Sodium: 670
  • Fat: 11
  • Saturated Fat: 3
  • Carbohydrates: 16
  • Fiber: 3
  • Protein: 19
  • Cholesterol: 62

For The Pleasure Of Eating

Let me know if you made it. I'd love to read your thoughts.

Find it online: https://forthepleasureofeating.com/slow-roasted-cuban-pork-shoulder/