Lechón Asado (Roast Pork)

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-01 · Updated 2026-04-01

A juicy, spiced roast pork with a caramelized crust, ideal for gatherings. This puerto rican-inspired mediterranean ready in about 150 minutes pairs pork shoulder, onion, garlic for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 500 calories and feeds 8, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs, bone-in pork shoulder
• 1 large, sliced onion
• 4 cloves, minced garlic
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp brown sugar

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a bowl, mix 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, and 1 tbsp orange zest.
2. Step 2: Rub the marinade over 3 lbs pork shoulder, ensuring even coverage. Place in a roasting pan and roast for 1 hour, then increase oven temperature to 425°F (220°C) and roast for another 20-25 minutes.
3. Step 3: While roasting, in a separate pan, sauté 1 sliced onion and 4 minced garlic cloves in 1 tbsp oil for 5 minutes until softened.
4. Step 4: Transfer the pork to a serving platter, spoon the onion mixture over it, and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with the juices.