Puerco de Amor (Slow Roasted Latin Pork)
As you've probably figured out by now, I love to cook. I've been cooking since I was 5 years old with my wonderful late mother and then able to cook on my own since 9. Throughout my life, my mother taught me such invaluable cooking skills. Of course, I've also added many of my own. It's truly one of my joys in life.
Cooking puts me in a happy place with memories of my mother and feelings of comfort and peace. I especially love to cook foods that celebrate my Latin heritage. For me and many people, Latin culture and food brings spice and sultriness to their lives.
This dish combines elements of multiple Latin cultures and is one of those dishes that you can definitely not get enough of. In fact, our amazing friend, Jason came to eat it this week with us when I made it and ate multiple servings and then even took some home for lunch the next day. Boy, did that make me feel good. I love when people love my cooking because it is an extension of me- plus it keeps my mother's legacy alive.
This ever so succulent and juicy melt in your mouth pork is amazing. It actually makes your eyes roll back into your head as you eat it. Well, not in a scary way. ;-) Its just bursting with Latin flavor.
I like to serve it with tortillas ,which you'll fill with the shredded meat and top with freshly made salsa (recipe coming soon), chopped cilantro, shredded cheese and sour cream or Mexican crema. Plain Greek yogurt can also be used. You can definitely be creative with your toppings.
Feel free to serve along with refried or whole beans, rice and /or grilled veggies. Your options are endless. I tend to like to recreate leftovers into something new on future days. This time, I actually froze the leftover meat and will whip up some enchiladas in the coming weeks.
My suggestion is to get the biggest pork shoulder roast that you can, because you'll certainly want some leftovers. You can use either a bone-in roast or boneless. Either way, the marinade is the essence of the dish and provides so much of the flavor.
This isn't a dish that you can decide to make and cook the same evening for dinner. It takes two days of preparation. The first day is preparing the marinade, which calls for various items and can take some time. Make your shopping list, go buy your ingredients, prepare your marinade and begin marinating your roast the evening before. You can even marinade the roast for a couple days- whatever is convenient for your schedule.
The next day you'll slow roast the masterpiece and prepare your side dishes and toppings to serve with your feast.
Believe me, this is a very easy dish to make but will bring you maximum wow factor. People are still talking about how much they've enjoyed it when I've made it. It's one of those dishes that you crave the next day and for days after.
Puerco de Amor (Slow Roasted Latin Pork)
Melt in your mouth, slow roasted Latin pork, bursting with flavor!
Makes: One 8lb Pork Shoulder (Bone-In or Boneless)
Prep time:
Cook time:
- 8 lb pork shoulder (bone-in or boneless)
- 8 cloves garlic
- 3 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 cup cilantro (tried and tightly packed)
- 3 teaspoons cumin
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 3 oranges (juiced)
- 4 limes (juiced)
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- Puree all ingredients in blender except for pork.
- Place pork roast into a large mixing bowl and poke holes into roast.
- Pour pureed citrus mixture over pork and massage into meat.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight to marinate.
- Remove the roast from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting to come to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees (Roast setting)
- Remove pork from the mixing bowl and place into a roasting pan, fat side up. Sprinkle with salt. Poke more holes into roast with fork, to allow marinade to further penetrate into the meat as it's cooking.
- Pour 2 cups of pureed citrus mixture onto roast and into roasting pan.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place into the oven.
- After 4 1/2 hours, uncover the roast and put back into oven to brown for 30 more minutes. (Total 5 hours) Can cook even 30 minutes longer.
- Remove the roast from the oven and let the roast rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes. Shred the meat into thin strips and add some of the juice from the pan to moisten the meat.
- Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro. Serve in tortillas and top with desired toppings: sour cream, guacamole, lime juice, etc.
So if you want to make your man, woman or other loved one happy and create a feel good sumptuous night together, take out your Vitamix (or any other blender) and try this recipe out. You won't regret it.