China Box / Pig Roast

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by T.G

Carlos,

You're contradicting yourself. First you say you inject mojo with spices, then you go on to say you're not adding spices inside the meat. So which is it?

The main reason the mojo you are using breaks down the meat is the bromelain in the pineapple juice. Without that, it won't tenderize.

Also, I think you misunderstood what I was saying about the skin and why it burned on the larger pig.

Not contradiction, perhaps misunderstood.

I take all the spices and garlic after sifting/straining it and leave nothing but the liquid.
I inject the liquid into the meat.
The liquid will add flavor but mostly tenderizes. Along with the pineapple juice, orange juice combined with vinegar rival naranja agrida (sour oranges), which is also well known to break down and tenderize meat. In fact, a southern recipe for tenderizing ribs is to marinade in orange juice and vinegar.
The main source of the flavor for my pork comes from then rubbing the remaining sifted ingredients along with ample salt, all over.
I never, ever do what some folks do which is to cut slits and stuff garlic and other things in the pig. Don't like the flavor nor what it does to the pig, which often results in drying it out as juices come out of the slits.

I assure you, the flavor is amazing. The meat falls off the bone and you struggle to scrape it out of the pan.

Great thing about this is there are many styles. I have tried all of them. I just landed on this one as a winner. Ironically, as I mentioned, this recipe beat Bobby Flay in the show Throwdown as it is identical to what the folks from La Caja China do. I added the cut slits to the back and additional salt when turning it over.

Cooking a pig in a La Caja China is truly an evolution in attempts.
One thing I strongly believe in and will emphasize, when getting a pig, smaller is so, so much tastier than bigger.
I find considerable difference in a pig less than 40 lbs as compared to a 70+ as an example.