Pressure Cooker Lechón Asado {Cuban Pork with Mojo} is cooked in a Sour Orange Garlic Sauce, called Mojo Criollo and tons of onions!
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Pressure Cooker Lechón Asado {Cuban Pork with Mojo}
Pressure Cooker Lechón Asado {Cuban Pork with Mojo}
Good Cuban Food was and is even more abundant now, in Miami.
It’s where I grew up and where I was able to dine at all the best Cuban restaurants, from South Miami and 8th Street, to Downtown Miami.
By the time I had finished College, Cuban Neighborhoods had spread from Hialeah to Downtown, Miami and the Kendall area.
Lechón Asado is hugely popular !!!! The Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker makes it so easy to have Pressure Cooker Lechón Asado anytime you want, with virtually hardly any preparation.
With the Cuban population in Miami growing, restaurants and bakeries were opening daily.
Don’t get me started on the bakeries! I mean, have you ever had a Cuban Cake? OMG!
How about Pasta de Bocaditos? Or a Spanish Tortilla??
In fact, when my Dad got married to a Cuban lady in 1985, I threw the bachelor party and ordered him the most delicious Cuban Cake.
His favorite color was orange. The cake had white frosting with an orange foot in the middle and a boning knife sticking out of it.
Cast of Ingredients for Pressure Cooker Lechón Asado {Cuban Pork with Mojo}
One day, I was sitting at the kitchen desk by the phone, my Dad was making fresh Lemonade.
He was using a 7 inch Boning Knife to cut the lemons.
The knife fell off the counter and landed, standing straight up in his foot. I linked to the Boning Knife, so you can see that the blade is long and thin and is top heavy.
He was lucky that the knife did not tilt over and completely tear up his foot.
We pulled the knife out and I rushed him to the hospital. He was lucky that the knife went clean through and did not hit any bone or ligaments. (Remind me to dig out the photo and post.)
This story has nothing to do with this recipe. Cuban Food – Cuban Cake – Dad’s Bachelor Party – Knife Story – back to food!
Trim and Cut the Pork Shoulder (Butt)
Onions play a huge role in this Pressure Cooker Lechón Asado con Mojo recipe.
I mean, like super, duper huge.
We don’t want them to disintegrate into the nothingness.
In order for that not to happen, the meat needs to cook quickly and efficiently.
Therefore, trim as much of the fat away from the Pork Roast and cut the Pork into chunks; 2-3 inch pieces.
Make your Own Sour Orange Juice
Seville Oranges are very bitter.
If you can’t find any in your area, mixing up Navel Oranges and Limes, will get you the “Bitter/Sour” effect.
I’ve also used True Lime, to get an even more bitter taste, if I didn’t have enough Limes, and/or if I didn’t even have any Limes.
True Lime is crystallized and literally, tastes like you just picked a fresh Lime right off the tree.
Marinate the Pork Overnight in a FoodSaver Vacuum System
The flavor of the Pork will be a zillion times better, if you marinate the Pork in the Mojo Criollo overnight.
If you are short on time, just marinate the Pork as long as you are able. Even better if you have a FoodSaver Vacuum Sealing System. That will help infuse the flavor quicker.
You can still skip the marination and toss everything into your Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker.
The meal will be delish. It will just be more delish if you marinate. 🙂
Think about making up a second batch of Pork and Marinade and freeze it for another day.
Slice the Onions Very Thick
In traditional style, the Onions are simmered in the Mojo Criollo on the stove, until softened.
As mentioned above, Onions cook super fast in the Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker.
So, you will want to cut them very thick so that when the cook time is up, your Onions will still have texture.
Don’t pull apart the layers.
Cover the Pork with Onions
I use at least one LARGE Onion per pound of Pork.
The Onions are the best part, to me. I could eat just the Onions with the Mojo over rice!
Happy Onions – they kept their Integrity!
Onions, glorious Onions
Hot sausage and mustard
While we’re in the mood cold jelly and custard…
Sorry, I was a theatre major. 🙂
Perfect Onions!
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Lechón Asado {Cuban Pork con Mojo}
This is still not enough Onions for me. 🙂
For the best, most delicious Black Beans around, make sure you cook my Pressure Cooker Cuban Black Beans.
Then of course, you will need some Pressure Cooker White Rice to sop up all that juice and house the Black Beans.
If you really want to live a little and complete this Cuban meal, you’ve got to make some Air Fryer Platanos Maduros too!
Serve Pressure Cooker Lechón Asado with fresh Lime right on the plate.
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- Instant Pot DUO Plus 60 Pressure Cooker
- J.A. Henckels Classic 7-inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife
- J.A. Henckels Classic 8 inch Chef’s Knife
- Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
- Simply Gourmet (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
- Anchor Hocking Glass (Liquid) Measuring Cups
- Rösle Stainless Steel Flat Whisk– a MUST have, probably my most used utensil
- Cilio Olivewood Spatula
- Rachael Ray Stoneware EVOO Oil Dispensing Bottle
- Alton Brown Salt Box
- Gravity Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder
- 6 oz Porcelain Ramekins
- Kassandrinos Olive Oil
- True Lime
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Here is the handy printable recipe:
Pressure Cooker Lechon Asado {Cuban Pork with Mojo}
Ingredients
- 4-5 pounds Pork Shoulder cut into chunks
- 5 large Yellow/Brown Onion sliced 1/2 inch thick
Mojo
- 1.25 cups Seville Orange Juice freshly squeezed
- or
- 1/2 cup Orange Juice + 3/4 cup Lime Juice freshly squeezed
- 2-3 Bulbs/(1/2cup) Fresh Garlic peeled and minced
- 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
- 1.5 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Whisk together Mojo Ingredients. Cut Pork into Chunks and trim away fat.
- Add Pork Chunks and Mojo into a container or heavy duty freezer bag and refrigerated for two hours or up to overnight.
- When ready to cook, add Pork and Marinade to Pressure Cooker cooking pot.
- Slice Onions into 1/2 inch slices; don't pull apart the slices. Place Onions on top of Pork.
- Lock on Lid and close Pressure Valve. Cook at High Pressure for 4 minutes. When Beep sounds, wait 15 minutes and then release the rest of the pressure.
Notes
Pin this Pressure Cooker Lechón Asado {Cuban Pork con Mojo}
Instant Pot Lechón Asado
We almost always use the pressure cooker for our pork in these kinds of recipes because it gives a much better flavor than instant pot or let’s say an air fryer, if you’d wanna try that. But either way, this tastes great!
Instant Pot is just the brand name of a pressure cooker. This will cook the same in any pressure cooker.
There’s only 2 of us so I’d be using a smaller roast (2#). Would it be the same time? Can this be frozen?
Made this recipe on the weekend. I must admit that I was not convinced that 4 minutes would give good results with pork shoulder meat. I marinated the meat overnight with orange and lime juice as suggested and it was sooo good and sooo tender! I added some Robin Hood Easy Blend Flour to the sauce before serving to thicken the sauce. Definitely one of my best Instant Pot pork recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much, Pedro. Once you start making more recipes, you will trust my cook time. I have 15 years experience, so my recipes will never be over cooked. Jill
All of your recipes are wonderful and spot on. I, too, lived in the Miami area for 27 years and love Cuban food. Miss that where I am now. Can’t wait to try this.
Enjoy. Jill
I moved to Miami in 1958 so grew up there. Prior to the Cuban influx in the sixties I had never had food from that country ,but as our Cuban population grew and I made more friends from there, I was lucky to be exposed to the cusine. I love the pork and chicken dishes along with black beans and plantains. finished with cafe con leche and flan! I now live in Tucson, AZ and although Mexican food is OKay I still long for Cuban food. I plan to try your recipe using the pork roast in the freezer very soon.
This is very tasty. We spice it up as we enjoy very spicy foods. A little Chipotle in Adobo sauce found at the market is easy to blend in a food processor, and add a tablespoon or two. Wow!
I hope you post a lot of instantpot receipts, I love the way you explain lots of things, looking forward to your site
Thank you, Bonnie. Jill
Is the cooking time 4 (four) minutes ???? Pork usually takes longer ?? Just making sure… thanks.
Yes, the cook time is really 4 minutes, just as the recipe indicates. Jill
Made this, and it was absolutely delicious!! Served with the Cuban Black Bean Soup, and rice, as was suggested-PERFECTION! I love Black Bean Soup, and TOG’s is the best I have found.
I want to make this for friends, but one person doesn’t eat pork. Could I easily substitute boneless skinless chicken breast, or turkey breast? Are there any adjustments, and would it still turn out this good?k
Hi there, so there is no real “bark” bc we are using the pressure cooker. Right? Could I pan fry it first ie brown it or would it even matter after coming out if the pressure cooker. And I do understand why it would be 4 mins cause they are in chunks. I really hope it tastes just like in the restaurants in Miami that I’m used to. Thanks for your response in advance
Hi. I am concerned about the 4 minutes. Like the other reviewer said, most recipes for buttroast call for 40-60 minutes. Does the pork really reach safe temperature in such a short time? I REALLY want to try this- hope to hear from you soon!
As a truly experienced pressure cooker user, my recipes are solid. Make sure you follow websites where people know how to use pressure cookers. Jill
Great!! Thank you so much for your reply! So excited to try this on Christmas Eve! I will let you know how I did :-). Thanks again! Merry Christmas.
This looks wonderful! Is the cooking time really 4 minutes? Most pork shoulder recipes in Instant Pot are 40 to 45 minutes.
Thank you for all of the research and work you do to provide yummy instant pot recipes! Your sourdough bread recipe is also terrific!
Hi! So glad i found your page! Just a wuick quedtion? For the pressure cooker lechon assdo. How long in pressure cooker before its done? Thanks much!
Belinda Guerra
Cook at High Pressure for 4 minutes. Allow a full Natural Pressure Release.