Can I tell you something super exciting? My husband and I leave for South Africa in 2 days! Exciting, right?! I can’t believe it’s almost here! This trip has been on the books for over 8 months so at this point we are BEYOND ready to go. Well, mentally we are ready. To be completely honest, we haven’t started packing yet. I’m not worried, should I be? I plan on posting a few times during our two weeks out of the country but check out my Instagram @pickledandpoached for more travel updates!
So about this pork. With its unique flavor blend of citrus, garlic, and oregano, Mojo Pork is a mainstay of Cuban cuisine. Typically, mojo pork is a pan roasted pork butt with sour orange, whole garlic cloves, and onions. I’ve gone ahead and tweaked the recipe to make this classic my own. For starters, I usually choose a lean pork loin instead of a pork butt to cut back on some of the fat. Additionally, instead of roasting in the oven I prefer to use the crockpot and let the loin simmer for 8 hours while we are away at work. I am telling you, there is nothing better than walking in the door and being greeted by the scent of perfectly seasoned pork.
I will always remember the first time I had mojo pork.  We were living in Fort Lauderdale at the time and I had a friend in town visiting. We were in Maimi spending the afternoon on South Beach and wanted to grab lunch. After some Yelp investigating we stumbled upon a highly-rated mom and pop Cuban place. I’ll never forget that tender, juicy, citrus-packed pork with its unforgettable crispy crust. It was heaven.
To achieve the classic crispness of mojo pork I use the reserved drippings from the crockpot to pan fry the pulled pork. For each serving of pork, add one tablespoon of drippings to a large cast iron skillet. Simply fry on medium heat until crispy, turning the pork at least once.
Traditional Mojo Pork is served with black beans and rice. If you have any leftovers this stuff is also great for quesadillas, tacos, or salads. One of my favorite ways to repurpose the pork and black beans is in a breakfast scramble. Yum!
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 8 hours |
| Servings |
people
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- 4 lb pork loin
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano
- 5 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 onion sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1/2 medium onion diced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 15oz can black beans
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- salt to taste
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp canola oil
Ingredients
Mojo Pork
Cuban Black Beans
Cilantro Lime Rice
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- In a large cast iron skillet on high heat, sear each side of the tenderloin for 3-4 minutes. Once each side of the loin has a dark crust, place pork into a large crockpot. In a medium bowl, combine remaining mojo ingredients then add the juice mixture to the crockpot. Cook the pork on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp olive oil, diced pepper, and onion. Cook on medium until the onions are translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Add the black beans and remaining spices. Cover and cook on a low simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove bay leaf before serving.
- In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add rice, bay leaf, and salt. Stir and return to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cover for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, leave covered for 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf and fluff the rice. Add the oil, cilantro, and juices. Stir to combine.
- Once the pork is pulling apart easily, remove from crockpot and finish shredding. Remove the bay leaves and reserve the drippings. In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, add one Tbsp of drippings for each serving of pork you are serving. Stir in the pulled pork and allow the pork to sear for 2-3 minutes, flipping at least once. Serve with rice and beans.
