Pierna mechada (Mexican roast pork leg) - delicious. magazine

Ingredients

• 2.5kg pork leg, skinless and bone-in
• 12 black peppercorns
• 3 tbsp sea salt
• 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 175ml orange juice
• 175ml white wine
• 25g toasted almonds
• 10 pitted prunes, halved
• 3 streaky bacon rashers, cut into 2cm slices
• Thyme sprigs to decorate (optional)
• For the adobo
• 6 guajillo chillies, deseeded (see Know-how)
• 1 ancho chilli, deseeded
• 4 morita chillies, deseeded
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp sea salt
• Pinch cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp Mexican oregano (sold dried – see Know-how)
• 6 allspice berries
• 2 pinches dried thyme
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
• Specialist kit
• Butcher’s string