Pork deeply seasoned with ají panca and vinegar, slow-roasted until the skin turns golden and crackly while the meat stays tender. An Ancash classic with real punch: bold spices, concentrated juices, and that crunch you can hear. Serve it with boiled potatoes and fresh salsa criolla to cut the richness.
Good cuchicanca needs dry skin and well-seasoned meat. Pat the pork belly dry with paper, score the skin with shallow cuts, and prick only the skin without cutting down into the meat.
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Mix the ají panca paste, ají mirasol paste, red vinegar, chicha de jora, oil, garlic, cumin, oregano, part of the salt, and the pepper. Rub the marinade over the meat side of the pork and avoid soaking the skin.
Rest the marinated pork for 20 minutes. Before roasting, rub the remaining salt over the skin. It should be seasoned and dry, not covered in sauce.
Move the pork to a roasting tray and bake at 170 °C for 65 minutes, skin-side up. Then raise the heat to 230 °C for 15 to 20 minutes, until the skin is golden, puffed, and crackly.
While the pork finishes, boil the Huayro potatoes in the water for 20 minutes, until tender but still whole. Drain and keep them warm.
Slice the red onion thinly and mix it with key lime, ají limo, and cilantro. Rest the pork for 10 minutes, cut it into thick pieces, and serve with potatoes and fresh salsa criolla.
