New year’s eve dinner beside the Christmas eve is one that gets the family together in México. Depending on their economic possibilities, some families will say goodbye to the old year with one of the must well Kwon main dishes in these days: a Stuffed Turkey, Tamales, Roasted Pork loin or Baked pork of leg. Usually, the main dish will be accompanied by a salad, mash potatoes, and pasta.
Roasted Pork Leg Recipe | Pierna de Puerco al Horno
I know that it doesn’t sound very Mexican to some, but in my family and many the families I had met in all the different places I have lived in México, that is what they will cook. Besides, this blog gives me an opportunity to share a few samples of the many different ways that food is cooked and enjoyed in my home country, and hopefully, this humble effort will help dissipate some misconceptions about our rich, authentic Mexican food.
I like this pork leg recipe because it is very easy to cook and the end result is a delectable dish that will impress your guests, even the most demanding connoisseurs. The leftovers, if any, will be great in a taco, sandwich or Panini the next morning. In my family, everyone wants to take some meat home to prepare warm and toasty sandwiches the next day.
Will you cook anything for New year’s eve or New year’s day? Do you have any traditions on this date? I know some people like to carry suitcases around the block at midnight believing they will travel a lot the new coming year. In some states of southern México, like Chiapas, Tabasco, and Veracruz, people burn the “old year man” believing that by doing so they are burning all the “bad things” or memories that happened to them in the dying year and will enter the new year with a “fresh start”. The “old year man” is made up of rags and straw-like a scarecrow and its size is like a human being. You can see a picture here and a video of the burning here.
People “sit” their old year man outside their house several days before December 31st. Just waiting for the end of the year to come and to scare the bad spirits. They stuff firecrackers inside the old man and at midnight it will burn in the middle of the street or in an empty lot. People will gather to watch the lively spectacle and then everyone will hug each other wishing the best for the new year to everyone.
Now to the recipe, which by the way is adapted from the book “Y la comida se hizo para celebrar”. (And the dinner was made to celebrate) ISBN968-24-1875-5, dated 1984. I know, this has been with me for 28 years. It’s an excellent book that is part of a collection of 9 cookbooks in the Spanish language.
How to make Roasted Pork Leg Recipe
Instructions:
- In your blender place the garlic, chopped onion, salt and pepper with 1 cup of the wine or cider. Blend until it forms a paste and set aside. Using a sharp paring knife make incisions on the meat. Introduce almonds and prunes inside the incisions you made to the meat. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- With the help of a kitchen, syringe injects the meat (in 4 or 5 points) with ¼ cup of the wine. Spread the 2 tablespoons of lard on the meat.
- Place the pork leg inside the oven bag and then in a large baking pan. Mix the pineapple juice with the paste you prepare in the blender and cover the meat.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 3 hours. After this time open the bag being careful when opening to avoid a steam burn. Place the pineapple rings and cherries, sprinkle the brown sugar over the meat. Return to the oven and keep cooking for ½ hour more basting the meat with its own juices until it is golden brown.
- With the juices left in the pan, you can prepare a gravy to go along with your mash potatoes.
¡Buen provecho!
Mely,
I hope you make them... If you do, please come back to let me know your experience.
More recipes:
Chile Colorado with Pork and Nopales
Black Beans and Pork Cracklings Tamales
📖 Recipe
Roasted Pork Leg Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Leg of pork of about 12 pounds skin removed.
- 15 seedless prunes cut in half
- 2 cups of sparkling apple cider with some alcohol content or 2 cups of white wine
- ½ cup of blanched peeled almonds
- 6 large garlic cloves
- 1 ½ cup of pineapple juice
- ½ of a large white onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons of lard or butter
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ¼ teaspoon of black pepper
- 1 Turkey size oven bag
- 3 rings of canned pineapple drained for decoration
- 3 canned cherries drained
- 2 Tablespoons of light brown sugar
Instructions
- In your blender place the garlic, chopped onion, salt and pepper with 1 cup of the wine or cider. Blend until it forms a paste and set aside. Using a sharp paring knife make incisions on the meat. Introduce almonds and prunes inside the incisions you made to the meat.
- With the help of a kitchen, syringe injects the meat (in 4 or 5 points) with ¼ cup of the wine. Spread the 2 tablespoons of lard on the meat.
- Place the pork leg inside the oven bag and then in a large baking pan. Mix the pineapple juice with the paste you prepare in the blender and cover the meat.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 3 hours. After this time open the bag being careful when opening to avoid a steam burn. Place the pineapple rings and cherries, sprinkle the brown sugar over the meat. Return to the oven and keep cooking for ½ hour more basting the meat with its own juices until it is golden brown.
- With the juices left in the pan, you can prepare a gravy to go along with your mash potatoes.
Israel Garcia
My mom used to make it like you, as well as other variations. Thank you for sharing the recipe, I made it a couple of times your way. One was preparing the adobo myself and the other was using pineapple and prunes. Pure success both times.
The other variation my mom used to cook using the pork leg is (can't remember well) filling the leg or the crevices with chorizo, the fat, and the juice provides an interesting flavor to the meat.
Respect and appreciation to you,
Israel Garcia
Gina
En la receta mencionas temperatura de el horno a 350 mi pregunta es si es centígrados?
Mely Martínez
Hola Gina,
SOn grados Fahrenheit. En horno que marca centígrados seria algo asi como 180 grados centígrados.
DANIELLE MARION
Que otro corte puedes usar en ingles para la pierna?
Mely Martínez
Hola Danielle,
Puedes pedir lo que le llaman Ham, que viene siendo la pierna trasera del cerdo, o el Picnic Shoulder, que es la pierna de enfrente.
EL picnic shoulder va a tener más sabor, la carne pero su hueso es más grande.
MrsMac
Hello ~
What kinda pepper do you recommend for this recipe?
Thank you ~ 😊
Mely Martínez
Hello MrsMac,
This recipe doesn't use peppers, if you want a recipe with peppers, I recommend you use this one:https://www.mexicoinmykitchen.com/roasted-pork-leg-in-adobo-sauce/
CC
Are the cherries really necessary?
Mely Martínez
Hello CC,
You do not need to use them if you do not want to.
Paula
Loved the sound of the recipe didn't have a bag big enough but covered with foil turned out sooooo tender and yummy also cooked it at 375 and still cooked for the 3 hours and than removed foil and turned oven up to 400 and cook until pineapples and meat were good and brown can't thank you enough have a Merry Christmas
Ms. Whittier Gal
I am a novice in the kitchen and I would love to try this - 3 questions: 1) What can I use instead of lard; 2) after opening the bag to place pineapple rings, etc., is the leg removed from the bag for basting; and 3) can this be done in a slow cooker? Thank you - wish me luck!
Mely
Hello Ms. Whittier Gal,
You can use butter instead of lard, you do not have to remove the leg from the bag, just leave the bag open. I had never tried in the crock pot but it could be done. I don't see why not.
Good luck!
Mexico in my kitchen
Thank you for your comment, come back again to let me know about the final results of your cooking.
Happy 2012!
Mely
???IDontKnow???
Making one now, hope it comes out looking as great as yours. Thanks.
OysterCulture
What an absolutely delicious looking way to treat a pork leg. Perfect for a family gathering, and one I hope to sample in person in the near future. Thanks for sharing.
NORA
Mely esta receta no me llegó al correo y me la estaba perdiendo! Te quedó espectacular! Wow!
Nosotros hicimos las piernas deshuesadas. La próxima la hare con todo y hueso que ha de quedar más rica.