LA CAJA CHINA WHOLE PIG ROAST WITHOUT USING A MEAT THERMOMETER
A La Caja China pig roast is perfect for any special occasion. This traditional Cuban dish will impress your guests whether you're hosting a backyard barbecue or an intimate dinner party.
If you've never cooked a whole pig before, don't worry - it's pretty easy. All you need is a La Caja China roaster (a large box made of Chinese-style mahogany), charcoal, and a few simple ingredients.
30
min
prep
4
hours
cook
INGREDIENTS
Serving Size
2 servings per lb
Per 8 lbs. of pig:
1 cup sour orange juice **
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon bay leaves
1 garlic bulb1 teaspoon cumin
3 teaspoon salt
4 oz. of water
4 oz. Pineapple juice (optional) secret ingredient in our Mojo Criollo
** You can replace the sour orange juice with the following mix;
6 oz. orange juice
2 oz. lemon juice
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon bay leaves
1 garlic bulb1 teaspoon cumin
3 teaspoon salt
4 oz. of water
4 oz. Pineapple juice (optional) secret ingredient in our Mojo Criollo
** You can replace the sour orange juice with the following mix;
6 oz. orange juice
2 oz. lemon juice
STEPS
- Inject the meat with La Caja China Cuban Style Mojo Marinating Sauce and apply La Caja China Cuban Style Adobo Criollo dry rub over the meat and rub it in. Marinate for a minimum of 12 hours.
- Place pig between the racks and tie using the 4 S-Hooks.
- Place the Drip Pan inside the box.
- Place the Double Racks with the Pig on top of the Drip Pan.
- Cover the box with the ash pan and place the charcoal grid on top.
-
Add charcoal to the roasting box
10 lbs. of charcoal for the Weekender
16 lbs. of charcoal for Model#1 Box
18 lbs. of charcoal for Model#2 Box. - Once lit (20-25 minutes), spread the charcoal evenly over the charcoal grid.
- Cooking time starts right now.
-
Add more charcoal after the Hour. You will add 3 more batches of charcoal in the following manner; 1 Hour, 1 Hour, 30 minutes
Additional charcoal to add per designated box:
5 lbs. of charcoal for the Weekender
8 lbs. of charcoal for Model#1 Box
9 lbs. of charcoal for Model#2 Box. - After the 3rd Hour, remove the ashes by lifting and shaking the charcoal grid and placing it on the long handles (old Style) or wire rack (new style aluminum legs).
- Now flip the Pig over to crispy the skin of the Pig. This is easily done using our Patented Rack System; just grab the end of the rack to lift and slide as you pull upward to flip over.
- Now, score the skin using a knife; this helps remove some of the fat and crispy the skin.
- Cover the China Box again with the ash pan and charcoal grid, do not add any more charcoal.
- After 20 minutes (Weekender and Model#1 Box) or 30 minutes (Model#2 Box), take a peek by lifting the charcoal pan by one end only. You will continue doing this every 10 minutes until the skin is to your liking.