Cañón de Cerdo (Colombia-Style Pork Loin Roast)

It’s time for the Eat the World Recipe challenge and this month we went to South America to the country of Colombia!

While I wasn’t familiar with Colombian food before this challenge, I was quite familiar with Colombian music and dance!  Singer Sharika is from Colombia, and well as creator of Zumba, Beto.

So, I was super excited to look into Colombian food, all of which looked totally delicious.  As I was researching, I ended up Arroz con Coca Cola (Rice with Coca Cola) and couldn’t resist trying it along with the pork I ended up making for this challenge.

I ended up making a deliciously marinated pork roast.  It was marinated in a beer and spice mixture that was amazing. 

As it was cooking, the kids told me it smelled like tacos.  Once it came to slicing and eating the roast, I’d have today it was much different than tacos - the marinade and slow cooking creating a much more complex flavor profile.  If you’re looking to shake up the same old pork roast - this is the recipe for you!

Check out all the wonderful Colombian dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us! Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Bollos de Mazorca (Steamed Fresh Corn Rolls) Sneha’s Recipe: Colombian Arroz Atollado Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Cañón de Cerdo (Colombia-Style Pork Loin Roast) Pandemonium Noshery: Bandeja Paisa - Colombian Platter Making Miracles: Arepas Con Carne Asada Dinner By Dennis: Pan De Bono (Colombian Cassava and Masa Cheese Bread) Sugarlovespices: Aguacate Relleno (Stuffed Avocado with Smoked Salmon and Egg) Kitchen Frau: Pan de Yuca (Warm Cheesy Buns) A Day in the LIfe on the Farm: Arroz Atollado

Recipe Note:

This recipe calls for ground achiote, which was not available locally and prohibitively expensive to order, so I replaced it with ingredients available in my kitchen from the recipe from Rachel Ray. If you have achiote, use 1 tablespoon achiote in place of the paprika, vinegar and oregano in the recipe below

 

Cañón de Cerdo (Colombia-Style Pork Loin Roast)

Adapted from My Colombian Recipes

 

Marinade

1 (3 pound) pork loin roast

1 large onion, roughly chopped

6 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground paprika

2 teaspoons vinegar

½ teaspoon ground oregano

2 bay leaves

1 (12 ounce) bottle light or amber beer

 

Basting Liquid

1 (12 ounce) bottle light or amber beer

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

 

Place the pork loin in a large zipper bag.  Place the remaining marinade ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the marinade into the bag with the roast.  Zip to close and place in the refrigerator for 24-28 hours, flipping occasionally to evenly distribute the marinade.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Place the roast in a baking dish - add a bit of the marinade.  Bake for 3 hours.  Add basting liquid a few times during cooking.

Once the pork is done, slice and serve immediately with a side of rice.

 Amy Eats the World in...

Cuba: Ropa Vieja (Slow Cooker Beef)

Ireland: Cheesy Potato Soup with Irish Ale

Thailand: Chicken Satay

Kenya: Crunchy N’Dizi (Peanut Crusted Bananas)
Sweden: Rodbetssallad med Getost (Grated Beet Salad with Goat Cheese)
New Zealand: Kiwi Burger 
France: Fougasse (Provencal Flatbread)
Argentina: Chimichurri Sauce
Mexico (Halloween Special): Pan de Muerto (Day of the Dead Bread)
India: Spiced Golden Milk 
Poland: Chrusciki (Angel Wing Cookies)
Ethiopia: Buticha (Hummus)
England: Wizarding World of Harry Potter Leaky Cauldron-Style Mini Cottage Pie 
Georgia: Lobiani (Bean-Stuffed Bread)
Mexico: Crispy Pork Carnitas
Cambodia: Loc Lac (Shredded Beef with Lime)
Israel: Chicken Albondigas (Chicken Meatballs)
Finland: Sima (Lemonade) 
Puerto Rico: Arroz con Tocino  (Rice with Bacon)
Egypt: Ghorayebah Cookies
Ukraine: Scuffles (Rohalyky) Cinnamon Crescent Rolls

Portugal: Bitoque (Steak & Eggs) 
Germany (Christmas Special): Lebkuchenherzen (German "Gingerbread" Cookies) 
Trinidad & Tobago: Trini Macaroni Pie 
Iraq: T'bit (Slow Cooked Chicken & Brown Rice) 
Fiji: Fijian Creamy Lentil Soup (Dhal) 
Senegal: Cafe Touba (Senegalese Spiced Coffee) 

Colombia: Cañón de Cerdo (Colombia-Style Pork Loin Roast)