Slow-braised pork shoulder seasoned with garlic, cumin and oregano until it falls apart, inspired by the bold flavors of Colombian lechona.
Lechona tolimense — a whole pig stuffed with rice, peas and its own seasoned meat, then roasted for hours — is one of Colombia's great celebration dishes, especially in the Tolima region where it's practically a symbol of festival food. This recipe borrows its signature garlic-cumin-oregano seasoning and applies it to a much more manageable cut: a braised pork shoulder. The technique that carries the dish is the long, slow braise. Searing the pork first locks in a deep crust, and then hours in the oven at a gentle temperature break down the shoulder's connective tissue until it shreds with almost no effort. The braising liquid, built from stock, onion and lime, becomes a light sauce to spoon back over the meat. This isn't a whole roasted pig for a village festival — it's a home cook's way of capturing that same bold, garlicky flavor in a pot that fits in a normal oven.
Serves 8
Rub the pork shoulder all over with garlic, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the pork on all sides until deeply browned, about 10 minutes total.
Add the onion, stock, bay leaves and lime juice around the pork. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop.
Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise 3 to 3.5 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and pulls apart easily.
Let the pork rest 15 minutes in the braising liquid, then shred with two forks and spoon some of the juices back over before serving.
Skim excess fat off the braising liquid before spooning it back over the shredded pork.
Season and refrigerate the pork the night before — the garlic and cumin need real time to penetrate the meat.
Sear the pork hard before braising; that crust adds flavor that the braising liquid alone can't provide.
Check for tenderness with two forks around the 3-hour mark — it should shred with almost no resistance.
Serve shredded over rice with fried plantains, as it's typically plated at Colombian celebrations.
Use a slow cooker on low for 8 hours instead of the oven if you prefer a hands-off method.
Add a pinch of achiote to the rub for a deeper golden color.
Refrigerate shredded pork with its juices in an airtight container up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently with a splash of stock to keep it moist.
This dish takes its garlic-and-cumin flavor profile from lechona tolimense, a whole roasted stuffed pig that is a centerpiece of celebrations in Colombia's Tolima region; this home version simplifies the technique to a braised shoulder for a manageable weeknight-to-weekend dish.
Yes, it will braise slightly faster, so start checking for tenderness around the 2.5-hour mark.
Any heavy, oven-safe pot with a tight lid works, or sear in a skillet and transfer everything to a covered baking dish.
It likely needs more time — collagen-rich cuts like shoulder can take anywhere from 3 to 4 hours depending on the size of the piece; keep braising until it shreds easily.
Per serving (280g / 9.9 oz) · 8 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes
Have feedback or need help?
We read every email and reply within 1–2 business days.
© 2026 MyCookingCalendar. All rights reserved.
