Puerto Rican FoodPuerto Rican Coffee-Oregano Pork Shoulder Roast with Malanga Mash and Pickled Onion
An original Puerto Rican main dish featuring criollo-style marinated pork shoulder with an aromatic coffee, garlic, and oregano crust, served over creamy mashed malanga with butter and topped with pickled onion. Deep, homey, distinctly Puerto Rican flavors.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg / 3.3 lb g boneless pork shoulder (en a sola piece)
- 24 g / 6 dientes g fresh garlic (machacado)
- 4 g g dried oregano
- 6 g g finely ground coffee (without sugar)
- 2 g g ground cumin
- 2 g g black pepper (freshly ground)
- 12 g g salt (divided)
- 30 ml ml olive oil (divided)
- 60 ml ml apple cider vinegar (divided)
- 120 ml ml orange juice (fresh)
- 180 g g red onion (en plumas finas)
- 8 g g brown sugar
- 2 unidades units bay leaves
- 900 g g peeled malanga (en trozos medium)
- 45 g g butter
- 120 ml ml milk (hot)
- 12 g g fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 1.2 l ml water (approx., for cocer the malanga)
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
1. Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. In a mortar or small bowl, mix the crushed garlic, dried oregano, ground coffee, cumin, black pepper, 8 g (1 1/3 tsp) salt, 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil, 30 ml (2 tbsp) apple cider vinegar, and orange juice until a moist paste forms.
- 2
2. Rub the paste all over the pork, making sure every side is well coated. Place the pork in a container, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes and up to 8 hours.
- 3
3. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Place the pork in a roasting pan or baking dish and add about 60 ml (1/4 cup) water to the bottom to keep it from drying out. Roast for 2 hours at 325°F (165°C), basting once or twice with the pan juices.
- 4
4. While the pork roasts, make the pickled onion. In a bowl, combine the red onion, 30 ml (2 tbsp) apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, bay leaves, and 2 g (1/3 tsp) salt. Massage the onion for 1 minute and let it rest for at least 25 minutes, stirring once.
- 5
5. Place the malanga in a pot with the water and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until very tender. Drain the malanga well.
- 6
6. Transfer the hot malanga to a large bowl and add the butter, warm milk, 2 g (1/3 tsp) salt, and 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil. Mash until smooth but still rustic. Fold in the chopped fresh cilantro.
- 7
7. Once the pork has roasted for 2 hours, raise the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C) and roast 15 to 20 minutes more, until a golden, fragrant crust forms. The pork should reach at least 145°F (63°C) internally, though it will be more tender if it gets close to 190°F (88°C) for shredding or thick slicing.
- 8
8. Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves from the pickled onion. Slice or shred the pork as you prefer.
- 9
9. To serve, spoon a portion of mashed malanga onto each plate, top with the pork, and finish with pickled onion and a little of the pan juices.
Chef tips
For a deeper crust, leave the pork uncovered in the refrigerator during the last hour of marinating. If the mash feels too thick, add 1 to 2 extra tablespoons of warm milk.
Substitutions
You can substitute malanga with taro or boiled cassava, though the texture will change. Apple cider vinegar can be replaced with mild white vinegar. If you prefer not to use coffee, add a little extra oregano and black pepper to keep the aromatic profile.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageCosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
Illustrative imageTempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
Illustrative imageVictorinox Fibrox Pro 8" Chef’s Knife
Chopping, slicing and cutting strips
- The knife I use most when cooking
- Chops, slices and cuts into strips
- Keep it sharp and hand-dry it
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