Pork Mojo Recipes

CUBAN MOJO MARINATED PORK

Steps:

• If you have a food processor: Add the orange juice, cilantro leaves, mint leaves, and smashed (not minced) garlic cloves, and pulse until everything is finely chopped. Add this mixture to a ziplock bag, along with the rest of the oil, zest, lime juice, oregano, and cumin.
• If you don't have a food processor: In a large ziplock bag, combine olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, lime juice, chopped cilantro, chopped mint, minced garlic, oregano, and cumin. Shake it around a bit to mix it up, then add the pork shoulder.
• Place the zipped up bag in a baking dish, and put it in the fridge overnight, or several hours at least.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place a wire rack (I used a cooling rack) over a rimmed baking sheet.
• Place the pork on the rack and discard the marinade. Salt and pepper the pork well.
• Roast the pork for 30 minutes. It should be lightly browned.
• Turn the oven down to 375 degrees F. Roast for another 1 hour and 20-30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 160.
• Transfer to a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil and let rest at least 20 minutes.
• Carve against the grain and serve.

JUICY CUBAN MOJO PORK ROAST (CHEF MOVIE RECIPE)

Steps:

• Combine Marinade ingredients in a food processor and blend until the herbs and garlic are finely chopped. Alternatively, you can finely chop/mince the garlic and herbs then mix all ingredients in a bowl.
• Place in a large ziplock bag with the pork. Place in the fridge overnight (in a bowl, just to be safe).
• Remove the pork from the Marinade and leave on counter for 1 hour (bring to room temp). Reserve the Marinade.
• Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan).
• Roast, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Base with pan juices.
• Reduce heat to 190°C/375°F (170°C). Roast for another 1 1/2 - 2 hours, basting every half hour, until the internal temperature reaches 70°/160°F. At this temperature, the pork is cooked, still juicy, and carvable, as it is intended to be (Note 1)
• Fall-apart tender alternative (not slicable, meat falls apart): Roast at 160°C/320°F (all oven types) for 3 1/2 hours, or until the meat can be easily shredded using 2 forks (check on side).
• Remove from the oven and place on a plate, loosely covered with foil. Rest for 20 minutes before serving with the Mojo Sauce on the side. I decorated mine with pan fried slices of oranges and extra cilantro/coriander leaves.

MOJO PORK

Steps:

• Combine pork, chicken broth, orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, onion, jalapeno, garlic, salt, oregano, black pepper, cumin, paprika, and bay leaves in a slow cooker. Stir to combine.
• Cover and cook on Low until pork shreds easily with a fork, 8 to 10 hours.

INSTANT POT CUBAN MOJO PORK

Steps:

• For the mojo: Combine the orange juice, lime juice, onion, garlic, olive oil, oregano, cumin, 3 teaspoons kosher salt and a few grinds pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth and the mojo is emulsified. Set aside.
• For the pork: Pierce some small slashes in the pork with a sharp paring knife to allow the mojo marinade to penetrate. Place the pork in a large bowl. Add the mojo, cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 8 hours.
• When ready to cook, remove the pork from the bowl and dab off the excess marinade. Reserve the marinade in the bowl for cooking.
• Set a 6- to 8-quart Instant Pot® to saute and add the canola oil (see Cook's Note). Cook each piece of pork until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Depending on the size of your pork and Instant Pot, you may need to do this in batches. Combine all the pork with the reserved marinade in the pot. Follow the manufacturer's guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on high for 1 hour. (It will take 8 to 10 minutes to come up to pressure.)
• After the pressure-cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer's guide for natural release. After 20 minutes, being careful to release any remaining steam, unlock and remove the lid.
• Remove the pork to a medium bowl. Strain the liquid from the Instant Pot through a fine-mesh sieve, then remove and discard the grease and solids. Return the liquid to the pot, set to saute and simmer until the sauce is reduced by half, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, shred the pork with 2 forks. Once the sauce is reduced, toss with the shredded pork and serve.

MOJO PORK TACOS

Steps:

• For the pork: Combine the cilantro, parsley, garlic, grapefruit juice, lime juice, orange juice, oregano and black pepper in a blender and purée. Pour the marinade over the pork butt in a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for 24 hours.
• To cook the pork, place it in a preheated smoker, using an oak and apple wood blend. Smoke until the internal temperature has reached 185 to 190 degrees F, 8 to 12 hours (see Cook's Note). When finished, the pork should be tender enough to yield fully to the touch. Cover and let cool, 1 hour. Using your weight, press down on the pork to break up. Uncover and pull apart/shred any remaining chunks of meat.
• For the apple-jicama slaw: Combine the vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in a small pot and simmer for 45 minutes. Allow to cool. Peel the jicama and slice into thin sheets using a mandoline. Stack the sheets and julienne into thin sticks. Apply the same process to the apples, leaving the skin on. Combine half the marinade with the jicama and apple in a bowl, then finish with the cilantro leaves. Reserve the remaining marinade to use directly on the pork.
• For the pico de gallo: Combine the tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro, jalapeños and lime juice in a bowl, then toss to mix and season to your preference.
• Heat the tortillas in your preferred method (a dry sauté pan over medium heat works well). Pile the mojo pork into a folded tortilla, then top with the juicy apple-jicama slaw and finish with picked cilantro and pico de gallo.

MOJO MARINATED PORK

Steps:

• Combine 4 cups of the orange juice and 1 cup of the lime juice and zest in a large saucepan over high heat and reduce to 2 cups. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining orange juice and lime juice add a few cloves of garlic and 1/4 cup of the oregano. Let cool to room temperature.
• Using a paring knife, make small slits over the entire surface of the pork and rub the garlic into the slashes. Whisk together the oil and remaining 1/4 cup of the oregano in a large roasting pan, add the pork and turn to coat, cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Remove the pork from the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting. Season the pork with salt and pepper and cook for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and continue roasting, basting with the marinade during the last 30 minutes of roasting until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reaches 150 degrees F. Remove from the oven, baste with any remaining glaze, tent loosely and let rest 15 minutes before slicing.
• Serve the pork with the Mojo Dipping Sauce and the Plantains with Rum and Brown Sugar.
• Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic, serrano, cilantro and a few pinches of salt until it becomes a paste. Add the orange juice, lime juice and oil and stir to combine.
• Heat butter in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the sugar and cook until melted. Add the plantains and cook until soft and heated through. Remove pan from the heat, add the rum, return to the heat and cook until the alcohol has reduced.

SLOW COOKER MOJO PORK

Steps:

• Score fat side of the pork in a crosshatch pattern, cutting about 1/8 inch deep. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Combine orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, garlic, orange zest, lime zest, bay leaves, oregano, and cumin in a large resealable bag. Add pork butt and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours. Flip the bag over occasionally and rub over roast to evenly distribute marinade.
• Place roast and marinade in the slow cooker. Cook on Low until meat is fork-tender, 7 to 8 hours.
• Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Transfer pork into a roasting pan, fat-side up. Broil until lightly browned and the skin has crisped, 4 to 5 minutes.

MOJO PORK

Steps:

• Puree the first 9 mojo marinade ingredients in a blender while slowly adding the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer 1/2 cup of the mojo marinade into a container to keep in the fridge for later as a dipping sauce.
• Place the pork tenderloins in a ziplock bag and pour the remaining mojo marinade into the bag with it. Squeeze out the air, seal and place in the fridge overnight.
• Preheat grill to 350°F.
• Remove pork from marinade and remove excess marinade from it, then season with salt and pepper.
• Place the pork on the grill over direct heat and grill for 15-18 minutes, turning every 4 minutes for even gold browning.
• Remove pork from the grill and cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Warm reserved mojo marinade to use as a dipping sauce.