Cuban lechon asado, pork roast marinated in oil-free citrus-garlic mojo then slow-cooked or pressure-cooked until shreddable

The mojo needs to go on the night before, which means dinner tonight actually starts with a decision you make today. That is the real ask here, planning a day ahead when the day in front of you is already full. Do it once, on a Sunday or whenever the errand list is short, and the rest of the week is fed. The pork goes low and slow while you are at work, at a class, asleep, and comes out shreddable, warm and citrus-bright, 4 days of dinners waiting in the fridge.

An 8 to 10 hour braise breaks the connective tissue in a pork shoulder down slowly, concentrating zinc along the way. An immune system running hot draws on zinc to quiet back down, and 8 hours in the slow cooker leaves a real amount of it in the meat you shred back into the juices. This will not undo a diagnosis. It is one more solid brick in a wall you build meal by meal.

This roast will feed 8 people from 1 animal, all the way through. Shred it into its own juices, keep the fat instead of skimming it all away, and let a Sunday roast be an occasion even when it is just you and a Tuesday.

Ingredients

• 4 to 6 lb pork roast (Boston butt works well)
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups mojo criollo marinade, made without oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp lard or olive oil (for the Instant Pot method)

For an oil-free mojo criollo (per the source AIP note), blend the juice of sour oranges, or a mix of lime and orange juice, with plenty of pressed garlic, dried oregano, and salt. If a traditional mojo recipe calls for cumin, omit it, as cumin is an excluded seed spice on AIP.

Method

Pat the pork dry and pierce it all over with a sharp knife so the marinade can work its way in. Set it in a deep bowl or a large bag and pour the oil-free mojo over it, turning to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge overnight, turning once if you remember.

Lay the sliced onion across the bottom of the slow cooker. Set the pork on top and pour the marinade over it.

Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, until the meat shreds easily with a fork.

Lift the pork out and shred it. Skim some of the fat off the cooking juices if you like, then return the shredded meat to the pot and toss it with the juices so it stays moist. Taste and adjust the salt.

Serve warm. Refrigerate up to 4 days, or freeze in its juices for up to 3 months.

Instant Pot variation

Marinate the pork overnight as above. Set the Instant Pot to saute, warm the lard or olive oil, and brown the roast on all sides for color and flavor. Turn it off. Add the sliced onion and pour in the marinade. Seal and cook on high pressure for 75 to 90 minutes for a 4 to 6 lb roast, then let the pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes. Shred and return to the juices.

Oven variation

Marinate overnight. Set the pork and onion in a covered roasting pan with the marinade, and roast at 300 F for about 4 to 5 hours, until fork-tender, uncovering for the last 30 minutes to brown the top. Shred into the juices.

*Adapted from thecuriouscoconut.com*