Cuban Mojo Marinade Recipes

CUBAN MOJO CRIOLLO (MOJO MARINADE RECIPE)

Steps:

• In a mortar and pestle, add the garlic cloves and salt. Mash both until you get a smooth paste.
• In a large mason jar, add the garlic paste, minced onion, black pepper, oregano, cumin, sour orange juice, and olive oil. Close the jar tightly with the lid and shake it until well combined. Be sure to shake well before every use.
• Feel free to taste and adjust seasoning. If you're not a fan of garlic, you can add less (maybe 5 or 6 cloves). This marinade should taste garlicky, fresh, tangy, citrusy, bright, and slightly sour. Never sweet nor spicy.
• This recipe makes approximately 2 cups of mojo marinade which will last approximately up to 3 weeks in an airtight container/mason jar. You can also freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Enjoy!

TRADITIONAL CUBAN RECIPE: CUBAN MOJO (CUBAN MARINADE)

Steps:

• Mash garlic, salt and peppercorns, using a mortar and pestle or use food processor.
• Stir in juice.
• Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes or longer at room temperature.
• *If making it without the oil - stop at this point and this makes a perfect marinade for seasoning, chicken, fish, pork &/or beef.
• Continue with preparing the mojo with oil - after you have stirred in juice add onion & oregano.
• Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes or longer at room temperature.
• In a saucepan heat olive oil to medium hot & then remove from heat.
• Whisk oil in garlic-juice mixture, until well blended.
• Stores for at least a week in the refrigerator.

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.

MOJO GRILLING MARINADE

Steps:

• Pulse the garlic and onion in a blender until very finely chopped. Pour in orange juice, lime juice; season with cumin, oregano, lemon-pepper, black pepper, salt, cilantro, and hot pepper sauce. Blend until thoroughly incorporated. Pour in the olive oil, and blend until smooth.

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 cooking 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.

CUBAN-STYLE MOJO SHRIMP

Steps:

• Pour lime, orange, grapefruit, and lemon juices into a blender or food processor. Add vinegar, oil, garlic, Mexican oregano, red pepper flakes, and cumin. Pulse several times, then blend until the garlic pieces disappear, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and pulse one more time.
• Pour marinade into a 1-gallon resealable bag and add shrimp. Squeeze most of the air out of the bag and seal. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, with the shrimp inside the bag in a single layer. Drain and reserve marinade.
• Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook shrimp in a single layer, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. Shrimp are done when they are opaque, pink and white, and curled into a "C" shape. Remove shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
• Pour reserved marinade into the same skillet and bring to a boil. Boil until marinade is reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 6 minutes. Pour into a small serving pitcher or sauce boat.
• Serve shrimp with sauce on the side as a dipping sauce, or toss shrimp in the sauce. Garnish with fresh cilantro.