A traditional roasted Cuban Mojo Marinated pork recipe that is very simple, yet packed with tons of flavor! There is nothing to this pork except an amazing marinade, but it is honestly some of the best meat I’ve ever put in my mouth. Just look at that crust! Originally published April 9, 2015.
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Today I was craving a snack, so naturally I grabbed a banana and the jar of Biscoff sitting in our cupboard. The banana-Biscoff dip is a habit I’ve been nursing for a while now, and I don’t think it’s heading out anytime soon.
Then I opened the jar and IT WAS EMPTY. Not even last-tiny-bit-scrape-able. This was no crap job, that jar was CLEAN. I’m the only one in the house with a Biscoff habit, so there is no question about culpability here. Past-Karen scraped that jar clean, and then she put it back in my cupboard. It’s like she’s trying to torture me. Oh, hi Future-Karen, you wanted a snack? TOO BAD.
Have you guys seen the movie Chef? It’s about a guy who opens a food truck and drives across the country selling Cuban sandwiches and it helps him win at life. Whatever, all I know is that by the end of the movie I NEEDED a Cubano, more than anything ever.
But first things first: the pork. This pork, you guys. I would climb mountains and cross rivers for this pork. The crust alone is enough to make a man weep.
Mojo Pork Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a quick list of the ingredients so you can see whether or not you’ll need to go shopping for them. See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and instructions!
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Orange zest
- Orange juice
- Lime juice
- Cilantro
- Mint leaves
- Minced oregano (fresh or dried)
- Ground cumin
- Kosher salt and pepper
- Pork shoulder (boneless or bone-in will work)
How to make Cuban Mojo Pork
Here’s a quick overview of how to make this Cuban Mojo Pork (just a summary – full instructions in the recipe card below!).
- Marinate the pork in olive oil, orange zest, orange and lime juice, chopped cilantro and mint, minced garlic, oregano, and cumin. Allow it to marinate for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.
- Season pork with salt and pepper. Roast it at 425ºF until browned, then turn the temperature down and cook at 375ºF for another 90 minutes or so.
- Remove pork from the oven, cover with foil, and let the pork rest for 20 minutes.
Check out the meat before and after cooking. It’s so beautiful!
In Cuba they have sour oranges. I’d never heard of them or tried one, but using sour oranges is how to make a true Mojo sauce. The best substitute is a combination of orange and lime, which is what I’ve done here. I’m not complaining. The result is incredible.
Tips for Mojo Pork
Here are a few of my best tips and tricks for the best Roasted Cuban Mojo Pork!
- Bone-in or boneless: Feel free to use either! The recipe calls for boneless, but I’ve grabbed bone-in before and it has turned out great (really, even juicier).
- Make time for the marinade. Marinating the pork for enough time is the key to a tender texture and great flavor. Don’t ruin the party! Give those amazing flavors at least a few hours to get acquainted, but ideally let them marinate overnight.
- Cook at high heat, then low heat. Starting the pork at 425ºF gets the exterior nice and crispy. Finishing the roast at a lower temperature gives the pork time to cook all the way through without drying out. Check the temp. Use a meat thermometer to verify that the internal temperature of your pork is 160ºF before you take it out of the oven.
- Let it rest. Give the pork 20 minutes to rest before you slice into it. Cut into it too soon, and all the moisture and flavor will seep out. Nooooooo
- Slice against the grain. Cutting it against the grain makes for tender meat in every bite.
How to serve roasted Mojo Pork
I used this pork to fill Cuban sandwiches, coming to the blog next week. (UPDATED: Cubanos in the house.) The recipe for the pork and the sandwiches are both from the chef they hired for the movie. Cool right?
Storing Cuban Pork
Leftover Mojo pork will last in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 3-4 months. Keep it whole as slices tend to dry out more.
To reheat, thaw the pork overnight in the fridge if frozen. Wrap your pork (whole or sliced) in foil and warm for 10-20 minutes in a 375 degree oven. If you’re in a hurry, you can microwave slices on a plate, covered by a paper towel, in 30-second intervals until it’s warm.
Cuban Pork Recipe FAQs
Mojo pork has a unique fresh, citrusy, garlicky flavor. It’s made using a combination of fresh herbs, seasonings, orange juice and zest, and lime juice. It’s so tender, incredibly juicy, and SO GOOD!
Mojo pork is a type of pork roast that originated in Cuba, inspired by mojo sauces of the Canary Islands. It’s tender and juicy thanks to a flavorful marinade and roasting to perfection.
Mojo sauce is made with citrus juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, mint, and cumin. Everyone’s recipe is a little different, but those are the essential components. It’s simple but packs a serious flavor punch!
More great meat recipes to try!
- Asian Pork Tenderloin with Ginger Glaze (Slow Cooker):
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Peanut-Lime Sauce:
- Brown Sugar Balsamic Pork Tenderloin:
- Cuban Shredded Beef from The Girl Who Ate Everything
- Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja from Cooking in Stilettos
- Slow Cooker Puerto Rican Pork from The Noshery
- Crispy Roast Pork from Nutmeg Nanny
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Cuban Mojo Pork
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup lightly packed mint leaves, finely chopped
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced oregano, 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 3 & 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, in one piece*
Instructions
- 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.
What cut of pork would you recommend if the pork shoulder isn’t an option? I goggled that and was told I could use pork butt roast…will it alter the outcome? I’m marinating now to cook tomorrow.
Hi Georgie! Pork butt is a good substitute for pork shoulder. They’re both from the shoulder and are good for slow cooking. Enjoy!
I made it yesterday…marinated the night before..it was delicious! I saved the marinade and boiled it to be used as a sauce for the top…will def make again!
Oh and to go along with my feedback from earlier, easily a 5-star recipe!
Ok, hands down probably some of the best pork I ever had—my single and only complaint is the part about discarding the marinade—nooooo!!! So much flavor, time and effort wasted. I used it to boil rice and heated the other part of it over a skillet adding a little cornstarch to thicken slightly into a chimichurri type sauce. Ate the pork, rice, and sauce on tacos with a little mozzarella and candied jalepeños. Will absolutely be making again!!!!!
The recipe is amazing! The seasoning is on point and the pork melts in your mouth!
This was a hit! I let it marinade for 2 days (not on purpose) life got busy. It was so tender and juicy. I will be making this again soon. We are thinking of try it with lamb and smoke it in a china box. Mahalo :)
Can I use smoker instead of oven?
Hi Pam! We haven’t tried this one in the smoker yet, but if you give it a try, come back and let us know how it turns out!
Looking forward to trying this! What are you recommending to best serve / pair it with?
Hi Leanne! The most amazing way to serve this pork is in Cuban sandwiches, called Cubanos. If you just want to serve the meat without putting it in a sandwich, there are so many good options: Spanish or Mexican rice, black beans, corn on the cob, or even tostones (fried green plantains). I hope you enjoy it – come back and let us know what you served it with!
Hi! Your recipe looks amazing! Could I use a large pork loin instead of shoulder?
Hi Suzanne! I don’t recommend substituting pork loin as it’s a much leaner cut. It doesn’t have the fatty marbling that pork shoulder does and shouldn’t be prepared in the same way. If you’re making pork loin, I recommend trying some recipes specific to that cut, like this Brown Sugar Balsamic Pork Tenderloin or this Asian Pork Tenderloin.
Hey! I can only find Pork Picnic Shoulder with the big bone in the middle. I tried this recipe and the marinade was delicious and we got some nice crackling, but when I went to temp the meet 20 minutes early it already read 190/200, so I took it out. There were some good pieces, but some were really dry and some weren’t cooked enough (near the bone).
To be fair it was my first time making a roast in general so I’m sure I messed up somewhere! Should I have left it in for the full time even though the temp was way over 160? Is my oven possibly too hot, and I should cook on a lower heat next time? Any help would be appreciated!
Hi Ace! Let me just say, congratulations on making your first roast ever – that’s awesome and your next one is going to be even better. I’ve made this with a bone-in roast before, and that’s no problem (in fact I like it better than boneless, so much flavor!). The temperature is super important, not the cooking time. Testing it long before it’s actually supposed to be “done” is important, because overcooked meat is always dry and disappointing. It is definitely possible that your oven is too hot! Many ovens vary by as much as 75 degrees in either direction, no matter what the display says. You can try cooking it on a lower temperature, or just check the temperature much earlier. Once it hits 160, you are DONE. Hope your next roast turns out perfectly!
Thanks for answering! I already bought another one, because the crackling was so good I’m determined to do it right! I will definitely cook it on a bit of lower temperature next time and check the temp WAY before! Thanks again!
Sounds delicious. Could I use pork chops with this recipe?
hi Ash! I haven’t tried that. You would definitely want to use a much lower cooking time, but I’m not sure what it would be. Use a meat thermometer!
Great easy recipe. I made several different dishes with, delicious.
Thank you so much
I wasn’t paying attention to sizes when I did my grocery order and ended up with a 9 pound 😳 bone in shoulder. How long should I cook one that size using this recipe? Wanting to make sure I plan plenty of time to have it done by dinner
Hi Morgan! I would follow the oven-roasting instructions on this Pulled Pork recipe! Cut the pork shoulder before you marinate it. do the 30 minutes at high heat, then lower and it should take a few hours. Use a meat thermometer! Enjoy!
This sounds delicious! I’m going to try it with loin roast!
(Forgot to leave my five star rating in the original comment) Just tried this recipe tonight. Oh. My. Gosh. It turned out perfectly, tastes exquisite. So juicy and so much flavor. Followed all the steps to a t. Perfection.
So glad to hear you loved it Renee!! Thanks for taking the time to come and tell us how it turned out (and leave a 5 star rating) :-)
Could you use bottled Mojo for this recipe?
Hi Johnnie! You can use a bottle of Mojo sauce for the recipe, cooking the pork shoulder with the same method described here, but the flavors won’t be as fresh and intense. At least once, you’ve got to make it from scratch!
My pork was not tender at all following this recipe. I marinated it over night. I did give up and added it to a slow cooker afterwards to get it to be closer to edible. By doing so it was not as flavorful as I had hoped based on the ingredients. I will not be trying this again.
So sorry to hear this didn’t turn out for you Jamie! If the pork isn’t cooked long enough, it will remain tough, even if it’s been marinated overnight. It’s always frustrating when your meat doesn’t cook as quickly as you’d hoped, I’ve definitely been there. I hope your next pork shoulder turns out perfectly!