Cuban Mojo Marinade Recipes

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.

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.

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.

Steps:

• In a medium or large saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat.
• Add garlic and cook until JUST light brown.
• Turn off heat and let stand 5 minutes.
• Stir in the sour orange juice, water, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper.
• Heat mixture on high until a full, rolling boil is reached.
• Boil for 2 minutes stirring a few times.
• Remove from heat and allow mixture to come to room temperature.
• Stir in cilantro.
• Pour into a jar or shaker bottle with a tight fitting lid.
• Shake well before using.
• If sour oranges are not available use 1/2 cup fresh lime juice plus 3 tablespoons fresh navel orange juice, or other tart orange.

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until salt is dissolved.
• Reserve 2/3 cup marinade for sauce. Put pork or seafood in a glass, stainless-steel, or ceramic dish. Toss with remaining marinade. Cover; chill for 3-8 hours.
• Remove pork or seafood from marinade, pat dry, and grill.
• The Finish:
• Spoon reserved sauce over meat or fish just before serving.

Steps:

• Make sure you use freshly minced garlic for this recipe! Blend all ingredients with wire whisk. Place in a covered container (preferably glass) refrigerator for one hour so that the flavors may blend and intensify prior to use. Keeps for 2-3 days in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Blend the garlic, zest, juice, cumin and salt in a blender until the garlic is finely chopped.
• With the machine running, slowly add the oil in a thin stream until emulsified.
• Transfer to a small bowl and season to taste with pepper.
• Stir in the cilantro.
• The mojo can be made up to four days ahead, covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Steps:

• Cut skirt steaks into about 3 or 4 smaller pieces so it's easier to fit them into marinade dish.
• Whisk orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, cumin, pepper, oregano, and cayenne pepper together in a large bowl. Place skirt steak pieces, 1 at a time, into the marinade to thoroughly coat them. Add sliced onions and toss with the meat.
• Transfer mixture and marinade to a resealable plastic bag. Squeeze out air, seal bag, and place on a dish. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.
• Transfer pieces of meat onto paper towel-lined rimmed sheet pan to drain for a couple of minutes.
• Cook over hot coals. Grill first side 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and grill second side until internal temperature is about 125 degrees F (53 degrees C). Look for a shiny glossy surface indicating the meat juice is coming to the surface; this indicates the meat is just about done. Transfer to a plate and allow meat to rest a few minutes.
• Slice into 1/2-inch slices and arrange on a serving plate. Spoon accumulated juices over the meat. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Steps:

• Trim and discard excess fat from meat. Use sharp knife to cut 2-inch-deep slits, 2 inches apart, into top and bottom of meat.
• Mix all remaining ingredients except rice and cilantro until blended. Reserve 1/4 cup dressing mixture for later use. Pour remaining dressing mixture over meat in large resealable plastic bag; seal bag.
• Refrigerate 3 hours to marinate.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Heat large heavy skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium heat. Remove meat from marinade; place meat in hot skillet. Reserve marinade in bag for later use. Cook meat 3 to 4 min. on each side or until evenly browned on all sides.
• Transfer meat to 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; pour reserved marinade from bag over meat. Cover.
• Bake 50 min.
• Cook rice as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, pour reserved dressing mixture over meat; bake an additional 15 min. or until done (145°F). Remove meat from oven. Let stand 10 min. Remove any fat that has risen to the top of meat juices with a spoon.
• Combine rice and cilantro. Slice meat. Serve meat over rice mixture drizzled with juices from baking dish.