Puerto Rican pork roast is a delicious main dish which is perfect for sharing. Keep in mind that the larger the pork, the longer it will take to cook it. For boneless pieces of meat, you can score them instead of cutting slits. Here we used yucca, which is a kind of sweet potato, feel free to put other vegetables if desired. It is a good idea to roast them in the pan along with the meat to increase flavor and to add moisture.

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic, peeled

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

2 tablespoons olive oil

2.5 lb. pork picnic roast

3/4 yucca (cassava) roots, peeled and sliced

 

Preheat the oven at 425F and lightly grease a baking tray with oil.

Combine the garlic, salt, pepper, oregano and olive oil in a food processor or blender. Process it for one minute or until it becomes smooth. You may also use a mortar and pestle if desired.

With a sharp knife, make several small cuts on the pork roast. Place some garlic paste mixture in each slit using a small spoon. Put the pork roast on the greased pan and cover it.

Bake the pork roast for an hour and a half. Check its internal heat using a meat thermometer every fifteen minutes until the temperature reaches 175F.

While roasting the pork, place the yucca in a large pot of salted boiling water. Cook it for ten to fifteen minutes or until they are soft. Drain well.

Place the cooked pork roast and the boiled yucca in a serving platter. Serve immediately.

 

Image from Ms. President