It is the most important celebration on the Cuban calendar, a celebration of food, family, and faith. Socializing, food, drink, and dancing traditionally begin in the early hours of the night and end with the midnight mass (for those sober enough to be entrusted with candles) or the opening of gifts.
Serious Preparations
The most serious preparations kick off on December 23rd when the pig or suckling pig, a fresh uncured ham or a pork shoulder, depending on the expected number of guests, begins its long soak in a spicy citrus and garlic marinade called mojo.
In earlier times, many Cubans recall digging pits on that day of the year to roast the pig.
Like Thanksgiving, Noche Buena has a roster of essential accompanying dishes, including white rice, black beans, yuca, plantains, a green salad, and a variety of sweets like fried fritters and Spanish turron. Beer is usually served with the meal, but you can kick off the party with a mojito or two.
A Rich Sandwich
Delving further, it is found in various researches, that the Cuban sandwich is made of roast pork with mojo, with a very specific flavor profile. Aha! That's what truly sets it apart from a simple sandwich.
Yet, it is also found that most people making a Cuban-style roast pork with mojo use a commercially available product, something not widely available outside of Cuba.
The tradition of roast pork dates back to the mid-19th century, in which certain Cuban families could enjoy and savor this rich dish, then with the influx of American tourists and the subsequent victory of the Cuban revolution, the tradition remained, although without much impact, due to the successive crises that hit the Cuban economy, being able to recover substantially in the early 2000s.
Many Cubans have their own recipe and try to be as authentic as possible. In many cookbooks and web recipes, they are full of stories, the history of the Cuban people and culture, and magnificent photography, at the top of some recipes quite attractive and interesting, fascinating in their elaboration. In fact, you can find several roasted pig or suckling pig recipes on this website. Don't miss it.
Of course, Cubans strongly recommend that your first meal be the consumption of this amazing roast, along with some black beans and rice, followed by sandwiches with some of the leftovers.
Stewed Pork
Stewed pork is a delicious dish that is cooked in the oven for a short time. The meat is marinated beforehand, browned in Creole sauce, and a touch of Cuba is added.
The marinated marinade and mojo sauce, companions of this Christmas dish, are both simple to make. They contain scandalous amounts of fresh garlic, but don't be tempted to skimp. The sour orange juice can be approximated using fresh lime juice cut with regular orange juice... a delicacy!
