LechóN Asado With Mojo Criollo & Cuban Black Beans

• 2 gallons water
• 24 fluidounces lager beer any variety
• 2 cups salt
• 1 cup sugar granulated
• 1/2 cup garlic cloves about 1 bulb
• 2 tablespoons oregano dry flakes
• 10 sprigs thyme fresh
• 2 bay leaves each
• 2 pork shank deboned, skin on
• 2 fluidounces Seville orange juice available in most Latin markets
• 2 fluidounces extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon cumin seed whole, toasted and ground
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 shallots large, minced
• 1/4 cup orange segments navel
• 1 tablespoon oregano fresh, minced
• 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley fresh, minced
• 1 tablespoon cilantro fresh, minced
• 1 scallions small, green & white parts, bias cut
• salt
• pepper
• 1/2 spanish onion medium, small dice
• 1/2 red bell pepper regular, small dice
• 1/4 green bell pepper regular, small dice
• 2 plum tomatoes small dice
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• salt
• pepper
• 1 pound dried black beans soaked overnight in water
• 3 quarts water
• 1 sofrito recipe
• 1 cup smoked bacon small dice
• 3 tablespoons lard
• salt
• pepper

1. In a large nonreactive container, combine water, beer, salt, granulated sugar, thyme & bay leaves, mix until salt & sugar are completely dissolved.
2. Submerge pork shanks in brine and refrigerate for 24-48 hours. Discard brine after use.
3. Preheat oven to 275u0b0F.
4. In a large roasting pan combine rendered pork lard and pork shanks and cover with vegetable oil.
5. Cover roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil and cook until very tender, about 3 hours.
6. Remove pork shanks from cooking oil & transfer to a sheet tray lined with a cooling rack.
7. Increase oven temperature to 325u0b0F. Return cooked pork shanks to oven, uncovered, & continue to cook until skin is crispy about 25-30 minutes.
8. Remove pork from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
9. Serve sliced pork with mojo criollo and Cuban black beans and season with sea salt.
10. Heat a stainless steel saute pan over medium heat.
11. Add olive oil, garlic and shallots & cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
12. Remove from heat & add Sevilla orange juice, navel orange segments, oregano, parsley, cilantro and scallion.
13. Serve as garnish for cooked pork shanks.
14. Heat olive oil in a stainless steel saute pan over medium heat.
15. Add onion, red and green bell peppers and garlic and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 10 minutes.
16. Add plum tomatoes & cook until juices have evaporated, about 5 minutes.
17. Add dry oregano and apple cider vinegar and cook until reduced by one third.
18. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper.
19. Remove from heat and reserve for later use.
20. In a large soup pot, cook black beans in salted water until just tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
21. Heat lard in a separate soup pot over medium high heat until just smoking.
22. Add smoked bacon & cook until rendered, about 10 minutes.
23. Add sofrito & cook stirring frequently, until all remaining liquid has evaporated.
24. Add cooked black beans with cooking liquid and reduce heat to a simmer.
25. Continue to cook until bean cooking liquid begin to thicken, about 15 minutes.
26. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper.

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Taken from www.yummly.com/recipe/Lechon-Asado-With-Mojo-Criollo-_-Cuban-Black-Beans-2271845 (may not work)