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Cuban Roast Pork

DIRECTIONS

Flavor Step - Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl. Put the meat in a large zipper-lock bag or bowl and pour the marinade over. (If you use a whole leg, you'll need a very large bowl.) Shake the bag or turn the meat until the pork is well coated. Refrigerate overnight, covered if in a bowl, turning occasionally.
The next day, remove the meat from the refrigerator 1 to 2 hours before roasting. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
If you're cooking a smaller roast, place it in a shallow roasting pan and pour the marinade over it. Roast for 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 hours, basting the meat occasionally. If the liquid evaporates from the pan during cooking, add a cup or so of water or stock. Test for doneness with an instant-read thermometer; the internal temperature should read 145° to 150°F for all cuts except Boston butt, which should read 150° to 155°F. When the roast reaches the desired doneness, remove it and let it rest, covered loosely with foil, for 15 to 20 minutes so the juices can be redistributed and the carryover heat will finish the cooking, resulting in a final temperature of 50° to 10°F higher.
Carve the meat into 1/2-inch-thick slices and arrange it on a platter. Skim any fat from the pan and pour the meat juices and any browned bits over the meat.
If you're cooking a whole leg, roast it for 2-1/2 to 3 hours, basting from time to time. Add a cup or so of stock or water to the pan if the liquid evaporates. Check the internal temperatures: it should read 145° to 150°F when the meat is ready. Remove the pork from the oven and let the leg rest, loosely covered with foil, for 30 to 45 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute and the carryover heat to finish cooking the roast to an internal temperature of 150° to 160°F.
While the leg is roasting, you can make the cracklings. Cut the skin into strips about 2 inches wide. Lightly salt and pepper them. Place them, fat side down, in a shallow roasting pan or on a baking sheet and bake alongside the roast for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, until the strips are crisp and curled up.
Once the leg is cooked, turn off the oven and keep the cracklings warm in the oven while the meat rests. Slice the meat and arrange it on a platter. Skim the fat from the juices in the roasting pan and pour the juices and any browned bits over the meat. Garnish the platter with the cracklings.