Cuban Roast Pork With Mojo Criollo
"An excellent dish to serve for New Year's, when you're tired of traditional American food after all that turkey. This is my most requested recipe. It's easy to prepare, but you need to allow for a long roasting period for the meat to fall apart. The Mojo Criollo (onion/garlic) sauce is served on the side and is a nice accompaniment. Don't skip the marinating procedure for the Mojo sauce - it's just not right without it. I like to add the juice of two blood oranges to perk up the color - it's optional as it does not really change the flavor. Use any cut of pork roast -- I've used tenderloin, extra thick cut chops, picnic cut roast and everything in between, basically whatever is on sale. Just don't use the cuts that are packaged in a salt solution. You can substitute store bought crushed garlic from the jar for the garlic used in the marinade, but for the Mojo sauce, only fresh garlic will do. Black beans and white rice, and a green salad with avocado and vinaigrette complete the meal."
photo by Ashley Cuoco
- Ready In:
- 4hrs 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 12
- Serves:
-
10
ingredients
- 1 (5 lb) pork roast, trimmed of fat
- 1 head of grated fresh garlic
- 2 tablespoons crushed dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated pepper
- 8 oranges, juice of, Valencia
- 6 limes, juice of
- 1⁄2 cup blood orange juice (juice of 2 oranges) (optional)
- 1⁄4 cup red wine
- 2 tablespoons light tasting olive oil, plus
- 1⁄4 cup light tasting olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced and separated into 1/4 inch thick rings
directions
- Combine 1/2 of the grated garlic, all of the dried oregano, 2 teaspoons salt and the pepper into a paste.
- Score the trimmed roast with a knife point and rub the paste into the roast, then place roast in a gallon freezer bag or other dish/container that will fit in the refrigerator.
- Pour juice of 3 oranges, juice of 3 limes, the red wine, and 2 teaspoons of the lite olive oil over the roast, seal bag and turn the bag several times to combine the ingredients.
- Place in refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or the day before you plan to serve.
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Place roast and marinade in a roasting pan, cover with foil, and roast until the meat falls apart when pulled with a fork, 3 to 4 hours, up to 6 depending on the cut- it must become fork tender.
- Remove roast from oven and let it rest for 20 minutes, then pull roast into shreds with a fork, leaving the meat in the pan juices- it's ready to serve.
- Prepare Mojo Criollo: put onion slices in a bowl deep enough for the onions to be covered with the juice (I use a 2-cup glass measuring cup).
- Put the rest of the fresh grated garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, juice of 3 limes and juice of 5 oranges and the optional juice of 2 blood oranges over the onions, press down to make sure onions are submerged in the juice.
- Allow the onions to marinate in this mixture for at least 20 minutes (important step).
- Heat 1/4 cup of the lite olive oil in a skillet.
- Quickly and carefully, pour the onions and all the juices into the hot oil and"stir fry" for about 2 to 3 minutes, just to soften the onions.
- Pour the Mojo into a serving dish and serve with the roast on the side.
Questions & Replies
-
Why do I see roasted oranges and lime in the plate but is not mentioned in the directions at all -
Can you use a pork loin for this recipe?
Reviews
-
Made this about a month ago...making it again today. We used to live in Tampa and would get roast pork from La Teresita on Columbus. Best roast pork period. This recipe was better. Excellent cuban pork recipe. We too skipped the blood oranges and you can decide to make the mojo with the onions or not. If you don't feel like making the onion part, don't despair, the pork stands on its own just fine. We used a boston butt last time and it worked so well we're going with it again today. Thanks for this recipe Julie. I'd been looking for a good cuban pork recipe for some time. -
This was delicious! My family and friends loved it and it is our Christmas Eve tradition now. Better than any Cuban restaurant pork I have had, and that is saying a lot coming from the Tampa Fl area.
-
I made your recipe for our Cuban sandwiches and my kitchen smelled amazing. I let it marinade overnight and it was so moist and juicy and terrific flavor. As I was making the sandwiches, I was helping myself to the roast.....lol. I didn't make the onions to go with it, but plan on making it again with the onions. Thanks for sharing this flavorful recipe for pork. Its delicious. -
Was really good - I used the Mojo Marinade on Country style ribs (cut up pork shoulder) for Cuban style Sandwichs. It was really tasty. However, I used the zest of one of the oranges and would use more of it next time. I also think country style ribs (cut up pork shoulder) is an excellent way to go here as there's more surface area to absorb the Marinate. I then pulled and chopped the pork to put into the Sandwich (which was excellent btw). I used the largest softest french bread I could find, made a cavity in the bread and then filled with deli ham, swiss cheese, mustard and Pickles, brushed with melted butter (to brown) put under my Square Pizza stone and two cast iron skillets to press...bake in the oven @350 for about 20 minutes. then cut into small portions for a superbowl party.... It was an excellent way to make lots happy for very little $$ -
This was amazing! Better than any cuban resturant in Tampa for sure. I made this tonight for my family in-laws. Everyone enjoyed. My mother and mother in law both want this recipe! MMMMMM!
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Loves2Teach
clarksville, tn
I am a teacher, and have been married to my high school sweetheart for almost 9 years. I have a niece who is 7, and a nephew who is 1. Also, I have 2 sweet kitties. Sinatra is a bit on the plump side, and Audrey is a petite dainty thing. They both are almost mirror images of each other.
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