Slow-Roasted Cuban Mojo Pork

tender roasted pork in an oval baking dish with side dishes of rice, beans and mojo sauce

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4.74 from 15 votes

Tender and juicy, slow-roasted pork shoulder marinated in fresh lime juice, orange juice, cumin, and garlic.

Prep Time2

Cook Time5

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Cuban

Servings:

Calories: 492kcal

Author: Leigh Anderson

Ingredients

3-4 lb boneless pork shoulder
1/2 c orange juice plus 1 tbsp orange zest
1/2 c lime juice plus 1 tbsp lime zest
1/2 c olive oil
8 cloves garlic grated
1 tbsp cumin
1 c fresh oregano + mint leaves
salt and pepper

Instructions

Marinate:

Place the pork in a large roasting pan. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
Whisk together the orange and lime juice and zest, cumin, garlic, and olive oil. Divide the mixture in half, reserve one half to make the mojo sauce later in the recipe, pour the other over pork. Use clean hands to massage the marinade evenly across the whole surface of the pork. Cover with foil and leave in the refrigerator to marinate for at least two hours or up to twelve.

Roast:

Preheat the oven to 275. Place the foil-covered pork in the oven. Roast for 3 hours. After 3 hours turn the oven temperature up to 325 and remove the foil. Use a large spoon or ladle to baste the pork with the pan drippings. Continue roasting and occasionally basting, for 2-3 more hours. The pork is done when it is fork-tender (when the meat can be easily pierced with a fork without resistance and easily falls apart with a little pressure). Remove the pork from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes.

Serve:

To make the mojo sauce; roughly chop the fresh oregano and mint leaves then place them in a large bowl. Whisk in the reserved marinade and 1/4c of the pan drippings from the pork. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the pork by slicing or shredding then place it onto a large platter with the mojo sauce on the side. Serve rice, beans, and plantains.

Notes

Roasting Time: You will know the pork is ready when it's fork-tender. Meaning, you should be able to stick a fork into the center and encounter very little or no resistance Depending on the size and shape of your pork shoulder you're using the cooking time can vary a bit. Check the pork periodically in the last two hours of cooking. You can't really overcook it but you can undercook it.

What sides go with Cuban Mojo Pork?

Rice, beans, fried plantains all go great alongside this recipe!

Can I use pork loin or tenderloin for this recipe?

No, for this recipe, pork loin/tenderloin would come out way too dry.

Do I have to marinate the pork?

I'm all for short cuts but I wouldn't skip this step. It makes a big difference in flavor. If you need to save time you can marinate the pork the night before.

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