Authentic Cuban Mojo Marinade (Mojo Criollo)

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Garlic. An authentic Cuban mojo starts with a head of garlic. Yes, we’re talking about 8-10 garlic cloves, depending on their size. I know it sounds like a lot but this is the star of the show. Garlic SHINES in this recipe. If you’re not a fan (why?), you can add less garlic (maybe 5 or 6 cloves). Just know it will not taste as authentic.

• Citrus. Another star ingredient in Cuban mojo is sour orange. Naranja agria (or bitter orange or sour orange) is a citrus fruit used a lot in Caribbean cooking that has a tart, tangy, sour flavor. More on that in a minute.

• Oregano. While some recipes may include fresh oregano leaves and cilantro, authentic Cuban mojo marinade typically omits cumin and cilantro. For a more traditional flavor, I recommend using dry oregano, as it complements the other ingredients without overpowering them.

• Oil. This is the base of the marinade and it plays an integral part in keeping the protein you use for this marinade from drying out.

Let’s Talk Sour Oranges

Sour oranges have an orange bumpy-like skin and are pale orange inside. You need approximately 4-6 sour oranges for 1 1/2 cups of fresh sour orange juice, depending on their size and juiciness.

I know sour oranges can be hard to find so if you can’t find them, you can buy storebought sour orange juice (this is the brand I recommend) or make your own with navel oranges. While navel oranges lack that intense tart flavor, they still provide a bright and citrusy flavor that works well in a traditional bitter orange marinade, like mojo criollo.

To make fresh sour orange juice, stir the following juiced citrus together until well combined:

• 1 cup fresh navel orange juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Instructions

Make a garlic paste. In a mortar and pestle, add the garlic cloves with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Mash the garlic cloves until you get a smooth paste. The salt helps break down the garlic.

Make sour orange juice. If you have sour orange juice, skip this step. Use two parts orange to one part lemon and one part lime. Start by juicing the navel oranges, lemons, and limes. You need 1 cup fresh navel orange juice, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, and 1/4 cup fresh lime juice. Stir the juices together until well combined.

Make the marinade. In a large jar with a lid, add the garlic paste, onions, sour orange juice, oregano, oil, and salt & pepper. Start with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Close the jar tightly and shake it until well combined.

Taste and adjust salt as needed. This marinade should taste garlicky, citrusy, bright, tangy, and slightly sour. Be sure to shake well before every use.

Marinating Times

How long to marinate with mojo will vary depending on the type of protein and the recipe. Marinating proteins for too long with citrus can actually backfire. Tenderizing meat for too long can break down the proteins too much, leaving your meat kinda mushy.

Pork

If you’re making Cuban roast pork, you should marinate it for about 4 hours up to overnight. This allows for the marinade to break down the meat so it’s more tender and flavorful. Pork shoulder or Pork butt is tougher so the longer you can marinate, the better.

Pork chops and pork tenderloin need less time for marinating, about 2 hours but no more than 4 hours, because they are relatively lean and tender.

Chicken

If you’re marinating chicken thighs or drumsticks, aim for 2-6 hours because they are juicier and can handle longer marinating time.

Chicken breasts and chicken wings, on the other hand, are leaner cuts so they don’t need as much marinating time. Aim for 1-3 hours max.

Beef

Depending on the cut of meat, I’d recommend at least 1 hour but no more than 4 hours.

• Tender cuts, such as ribeye or tenderloin, should marinade for 1-2 hours.
• Denser cuts, like sirloin or strip steak, should marinate for 2-3 hours.
• Tougher cuts, like flank steak or skirt, require longer marinating times to break down the connective tissue. For example, churrasco, which is skirt steak, should marinate for no more than 4 hours or the texture will change.

Seafood

When it comes to marinating seafood, the marinating times are relatively short.

• Shrimp, for example, is more delicate so it shouldn’t marinate for more than 30 minutes or it will get mushy. Unless you’re making a shrimp ceviche which is marinated with citrus alone.
• The same goes for salmon, scallops, and fish fillets — they absorb flavors quickly so they don’t need long marinating times. Aim for 15-30 minutes depending on the thickness of the seafood.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

Make-Ahead Tips. Whip up a batch of this mojo marinade in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. This way you have mojo ready to go whenever you need it!

Scale the recipe! For every pound of meat, you need about 1/2 cup of marinade. If you’re marinating more than 3 lbs of meat, double this recipe easily to make 3 cups (and save the rest).

Storage Tips. This fresh marinade lasts about 1 week in the fridge when stored properly in an airtight container. You can also freeze leftover, unused marinade for up to 3 months.