MeatMedium

Slow-Roasted Pork Leg

Name: Slow-Roasted Pork Leg
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 270 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 kg Pork leg con hueso; 5 Dried ancho chilli; 5 Dried guajillo chilli; 3 Orange (Juice); 8 Garlic cloves; 1 tsp Cumin; 1 tbsp Dried oregano; 1 tsp Black pepper; 60 ml Apple cider vinegar; 2 tbsp Salt; 30 ml Vegetable oil

270 min (30 prep + 240 cook) Medium 12 servings Nacional

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 20 Mar 2026 · Updated: 29 Mar 2026

Pork leg marinated in a chilli and spice paste, slowly roasted until tender and juicy. The centrepiece of Mexican Christmas dinner.

About this recipe

Slow-roasted pork leg is the centrepiece of many Mexican Christmas dinners. Marinated with a paste of chillies, garlic, spices and orange juice, slowly roasted for hours.

History & Origin

Slow-roasted pork leg is one of the most important dishes of Mexican Christmas dinner. Its origin combines the Spanish tradition of roasting large joints with Mexican adobo techniques incorporating dried chillies, spices and citrus. Pork arrived in Mexico with the Spanish conquistadors and quickly integrated into local cuisine. The roasted leg combines European slow roasting with the marinade of ancho and guajillo chillies, garlic, cumin, oregano and orange juice. The traditional preparation begins the day before: deep incisions are made throughout the leg and filled with the adobo paste, massaging it well so it penetrates all the meat. The roasting process is long, between 3 and 4 hours, basting the leg periodically. The result is incredibly tender meat with a thick, complex sauce. The leg is served as the centrepiece of the Christmas table.

Estimated cost

£15.20

Total cost

£1.27

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

420

Calories

38g

Protein

12g

Carbohydrates

24g

Fat

Fibre

580mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Rehydrate the chillies ancho and guajillo in hot water 15 minutes. Remove tallos and seeds.
2
Blend the chillies with the garlic, the orange juice, the vinegar, the cumin, the oregano, the pepper and the salt until you get a adobo thick.
💡 El adobo should be como a pasta untable, not liquid.
3
Haz incisiones profundas in all the pierna with a knife. Spread the adobo for all the pierna, making sure of that between in the cortes. Marinate in the fridge minimum 12 hours.
4
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Place the pierna in a baking tray for oven with 250 ml of water. Cover with aluminium foil.
5
Bake cubierta for 3 hours, drizzling with its jugos each 45 minutes.
6
Remove the aluminio, sube the temperatura a 200°C and bake 30-40 minutes more for dorar the surface.
7
Leave to rest 20 minutes before of cortar. Serve with the sauce of the fondo of the baking tray, colada and hot.