Best 8 Mojo Cubano Brine 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!

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.

CUBAN MELT

Steps:

• For the pork brine: Whisk together orange juice, vinegar, whisky, salt, sugar, garlic, peppercorns, thyme, rosemary, oregano, sage, bay leaves and 3 1/2 cups water. Add pork to brine and add water to cover if necessary. Refrigerate for 12 hours.
• For the chile honey pork glaze: Cook down honey, lime juice and chile in a saucepot until mixture is thick.
• For the mojo pork: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine pork, cilantro, mint, orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, pepper, coriander, cumin, clove, salt, oregano, rosemary, thyme, garlic and bay leaves together in a large roasting pan with the pork skin-side up. Cover tightly with foil and roast 3 1/2 hours. Remove foil and cook until skin starts to crisp up, another 30 minutes.
• Turn oven to 450 degrees F.
• Remove pork carefully from braising liquid. Strain braising liquid and set aside for mojo mustard. Pull pork off the bone into large chunks, discarding excess fat. Place pork on a sheet pan and toss in chile honey glaze. Add a little more glaze on top and roast until it starts to caramelize, about 5 minutes.
• For the mojo mustard: Whisk together the yellow mustard, herbs, garlic salt, honey and garlic oil in a bowl.
• Whisk together 2 ounces of this mixture with 2 ounces mojo braising liquid (save the rest for another use).
• For the Cubano melt: Place 2 1/2 ounces mojo pork in a foil pouch and place on a hot griddle weighed down with a hot cast-iron press on top to reheat. Remove from foil.
• Butter bread. Layer 2 pieces Swiss cheese one side of the bread, followed by ham and the heated mojo pork. Add a heavy squeeze mojo mustard, 2 Pickles, 2 more pieces Swiss cheese and top piece of buttered bread.
• Griddle on a flat top or griddle on medium-high heat with a heated cast-iron press on top until cheese is melted ooey gooey, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes on each side. Slice on a bias. Enjoy!
• Heat 1 gallon vinegar in a pot with the toasted spices, garlic, salt, sugar and peppercorns. Whisk until dissolved. Combine add the remaining 3 gallons vinegar and the dill. Layer the cucumbers with the brine so herbs, garlic and spices evenly get distributed. Brine, refrigerated, for 2 days.

CUBAN PORK CHOPS WITH MOJO

Steps:

• In a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag, combine 1 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup lime juice, and vinegar. Add pork and let it sit and marinate for about 1 hour in refrigerator.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine all dried spices. Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel and rub with the dry spice mixture.
• Heat oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Place the pork chops in the pan and sear on 1 side until brown. Flip over and turn the heat down to medium-low. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Then add the garlic and continue to cook until garlic begins to brown. Pour in the remaining 1/4 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup lime juice, and white wine. Simmer until the liquid is slightly reduced and begins to thicken. The chops should be cooked through.
• Remove the chops from pan and put on a warm plate. Continue to reduce juices in pan by half. Pour over the chops and serve immediately.
• Garnish with watercress, tomatoes and avocado.

MOJO CUBAN SANDWICH

Steps:

• For the mojo marinade: Trim the pork shoulder, removing any excess fat, and tie. Make the mojo marinade by combining the citrus juices and zest, oregano, cilantro, 1 1/2 tablespoons of the garlic and the cumin in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. Place the tied roast into a resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow to marinate for 30 to 40 minutes at room temperature. Once marinated, remove from the bag and wipe away any excess liquid. Reserve the marinade.
• For the pork roast: Preheat a 6-quart pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add the canola oil to the pressure cooker pot and turn to high heat. Sear the roast on all sides. Then add the chicken stock, bay leaves, onions and the reserved marinade. Replace the lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the roast is tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Remove the roast, transfer to a cutting board and rest for 5 to 7 minutes. Slice thinly.
• For the Cuban sandwiches: Using a serrated knife, halve the Cuban loaves. Begin building the sandwiches. First, spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard onto the bread. Add 5 pickle slices, about 3 ounces of ham and a few slices of roasted pork. Top with 2 slices of the cheese. Finish with the top half of the Cuban loaf. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.
• To serve: Heat a flat-top griddle pan to medium heat with the olive oil. Place the sandwiches on to the griddle pan and place a weighted cast-iron pan on top to press. Press the sandwiches until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and cut in half. Secure with bamboo skewers and serve immediately.

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.

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.