How to Make a Cuban Mojo Marinade
First of all, let me tell you, there is no self-respecting Cuban who doesn’t have a mojo recipe that they swear by… In some cases, the recipes vary dramatically from traditional ingredients. My recipe aligns itself with a more traditional approach. It is simple, made with readily available ingredients, and is bursting with Latin flavor. My favorite uses for mojo are as a key ingredient in Lechon Asado – Cuban Roast Pork, (where I save the leftovers to make Cuban sandwiches), Churrasco Estilo Cubano – Cuban Flank Steak, grilled chicken, and Cuban Burgers (where I marinate pork in mojo prior to grinding and forming into burgers). One of the ingredients that may sound difficult to obtain is Naranja Agria, which is actually readily available in the Latin food department of most grocery stores. Keep in mind that the bottled Naranja Agria you buy from the grocery store is processed, and is not authentic Naranja Aria, which is the juice from Naranja Agria, (also known as the Seville orange, or sour orange), and is grown in a number of Latin American countries. Having said that, I have had good results using the bottled Naranja Agria purchased in local supermarkets. If you cannot locate any Naranja Agria, or you desire something all natural, there are a number of recipes for creating your own natural substitution that rely on mixing different types of citrus fruits. The best of which is from Three Guys From Miami, which you can easily find on the internet.
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 10 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano (you can substitute Italian variety)
- 1 cup of naranja agria
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon diced jalapeno (optional - not considered a traditional ingredient)
- You will be using a mortar and pestle to mash the first four ingredients into a paste
- After measuring peppercorns, slightly crush or grind them in a nut grinder, and place them into the mortar
- TIP - slightly crushing or grinding the round peppercorns prior to placing them into the mortar makes them easier to mash and less like to fly out of your mortar.
- Place the remaining three dry ingredients in the mortar and use your pestle to work into a paste
- After working the dry ingredients into a paste, add your naranja agria, and olive oil
- If using diced jalapeno, add it at this point (while optional and not traditional, I love a little heat, and there seems to be a good marriage between the citrus and jalapeno)
- Stir thoroughly, mixing paste with liquid ingredients
That’s it… Now just add to your favorite recipe and enjoy.
I hope you enjoyed the post, and as always, please feel free to comment, like, and share as appropriate.
The Grubbing Gluttonous Gourmet
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