Cuban Style Fresh Ham Recipes

FRESH PICNIC HAM TWO WAYS: CUBAN STYLE & BBQ

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. While the oven heats score the skin by slicing through the skin and fat to the meat below. Be careful not to cut to deep.
• Then rub the ham all over with spices, you can rub on a little olive oil to help the spices stick. Put the ham on to a roasting rack in a pan and place in the oven for at least 4 hours.
• The longer you cook it the more the internal fat and muscle will break down; my mother cooks a fresh ham for at 6+ hours, she wants it falling apart. I like mine to have a little more substance left so I go more like 4-5. It's your choice.
• Right before you remove the cooked ham from the oven turn it up to about 425 degrees and let the skin on top brown, don't let it burn. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove the cooked ham from the oven and let it rest at least 20 minutes so the juices can redistribute.
• Now it is time to start cutting this big boy up. Begin by removing that lovely crispy skin. The skin is very similar to chicharon, Latin American dish of fried pork skin. I serve the skin on the side like a lovely pork flavored appetizer, my mother finds this gross so do what you would like. You can also dice the skin up small and sprinkle it over the sliced pork to serve it. Or if you want to break my heart you can discard the skin.
• To slice the ham cut parallel to the bone and you will be able to free large wedge shaped sections of the ham from the center bone. It's not going to be as pretty as you thanksgiving turkey carving but oh well.
• I serve the meat with a squeeze of lime, sprinkle of cilantro, and dash of salt. I always serve this "Cuban style" pork with rice and black beans. Find my recipe for black beans here.

CUBAN LECHON ASADO (ROASTED FRESH HAM)

Steps:

• The day before you plan to serve this dish, trim the excess fat off the pork leg; make shallow slits all over the pork, using the tip of a knife; mash the garlic, salt, oregano, cumin, pepper, bay leaf and olive oil to a paste in a mortar; rub this mixture all over the roast, forcing it into the slits; combine the sour orange juice, sherry, and onions in a small bowl; place the roast in a large, heavy plastic bag; add the sour OJ mixture, making sure that the whole roast gets covered with the mixture; refrigerate and marinate the roast in the bag overnight, turning occasionally during the time.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Drain the roast, and pat dry, reserving the marinade; place it in a lightly oiled, nonreactive, heavy roasting pan; cook the roast for 1 hour, turning once or twice to brown it on all sides.
• Reduce the heat to 325 degrees; pour the marinade and onions over the pork; tent the pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil; (tear off a piece that is 1 1/2 times the width of your pan; fold it in half and crease the top; open it up, and place over the pan like a tent, tightly crimping edges to seal) continue roasting the pork, basting from time to time with the pan juices, until almost cooked, about 1 hour; add a little water or sherry if the pan dries out.
• Uncover the roast and continue cooking until the internal temp reads*at least* 150 degrees F on a meat thermometer, about 30 minutes more; (most Cubans like the meat well done, so after sitting, it should be up to 180 degrees--it's safer, also).
• Let the roast stand for 10 minutes before carving.
• Note: this is traditionally served with black bean soup and white rice, and fried, sweet plantains; for dessert, serve a rich flan and you're set!

LEFTOVER HAM SHEET PAN CUBANOS RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Make the mojo turkey: Add the turkey, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, salt, and oregano to a large bowl. Toss well, then set aside.
• Split the hoagie rolls in half lengthwise and spread 1½ teaspoons of mustard over each roll.
• On the bottom half of each roll, layer 2 slices of ham, ¼ of the mojo turkey, 2 slices of Swiss cheese, and 4 dill pickle chips.
• Bring the sandwiches together and set on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the top and bottom of each roll with the melted butter.
• Place another baking sheet on top of the sandwiches and put a cast iron skillet or other heavy pan on top to compress the sandwiches.
• Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the exterior of the bread is golden and crispy and the cheese is melted.
• Enjoy!

CUBAN ROAST PORK, PERNIL O PIERNA ASADA ESTILO CUBANO

Steps:

• 1. Buy a nice large pork shoulder or fresh ham try to buy with the skin on the fresh ham. I am doubtful you will find a pork shoulder with the skin on it but you can try.
• 2. THE NIGHT BEFORE: Take your pork shoulder or fresh ham and stab it all over making deep stabbings in the meat all over the roast. Next, take your salt and pour about two tablespoons full in your hands and rub deep all over the pork roast or fresh ham sticking your fingers in the deep stabbed holes to penetrate the salt well into the meat. Do this all around the fresh ham. You will need about 2 tablespoons of salt altogether. If it is a very large fresh ham you might need as much as three tablespoons of salt. Rubbing deep into the meat all over and into the holes made with a sharp knife. Please be careful with the knife when stabbing the pork so as to not cut yourself. Make sure your hands are dry as well as the handle of the knife when stapping the pork. You do not want your hand to slide down onto the sharp blade as I have seen happen when stabbing the pork.
• 3. After salting put the pork to a side. In a blender add the lime/lemon or sour oange juice, garlic cloves, and the seasonings bay leaf, cumin powder, oregano, pepper, 1 teaspoon salt. Blend on high until all is liquified.
• 4. This is your Cuban Mojo, pour one cup of the mojo in a jar cover and reserve for later.
• 5. Now take your pork roast and pour the rest of the sauce all over the pork roast rubbing the mojo sauce deep into the pork meat in the slits or holes. The secret is to make sure you rub your pork meat roast or fresh ham with all this lime/garlic sauce making sure it is well introduced into the meat.
• 6. When done sprinkle a little more oregano, cumin, black pepper over the entire roast again just a little sprinkle. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate until the next day for roasting.
• 7. Next day remove pork from the refrigerator let stand on the counter for at least an hour then put into a preheated 325 degree oven.
• 8. Depending on how large a roast you have roast about 3 to 4 hours or a little more.
• 9. Pour a half cup of the reserved mojo and baste your roast every hour with some of the mojo.
• 10. Roast is done when the juices run clear and the meat is tender. Do not cover with aluminum foil to roast. You can tent the roast with aluminum foil but do not crimp the edges all around. You want to roast your pork meat not steam it. I do not even tent mine.
• 11. If the roast starts to get too brown on top tent it with the foil. Take a large piece of foil and fold in half then put over the roast leaving the sides open, no crimping. A five pound roast can take as long as five or six hours slow roasting. When done remove roast from the oven take out of the pan put into another pan. Let roast hang out for a bit.
• 12. In your pan there should be lots of pan drippings. Pour them into a frying pan over medium heat and add the onions and fry them in the drippings.
• 13. Next, take a half cup of the reserved mojo from the refrigerator and pour into the onions sauteing everything for about five minutes. After about 10 minutes slice all of your roast and pour the mojo with onions all over the meat mixing it well into all of the pork meat. Serve with Cuban black beans and white rice. There is another traditional dish served with the pork, rice, and black beans. It is called Yuca (Casava). It is boiled when tender it is served with the pork, black beans, and rice. It looks like boiled potato only it is long and very starchy. It is served with a mojo sauce that is also pored over it but only lemon or lime juice and fresh garlic are used. But that is another recipe. It is a tradition to also include that dish with the Cuban roast pork dinner. Don't forget the Crispy Cuban bread and the Sangria or wine, For dessert pass a delicious flan. Buen Apetito. Enjoy.