Oven-Roasted Mojo Pork Recipe

If you're looking for a stellar meat dish that stands out from the rest — without spending hours in the kitchen — this oven-roasted mojo pork recipe is a winner. While the overall cook time may appear long, the hands-on prep time is minimal, with the rest of it simply requiring patience as the meat marinates, rests, and cooks. Thanks to a low and slow cooking method, the oven does most of the work with optimal results.

Mashed recipe developer Feta Topalu shares this impressive recipe, describing, "This tender, fall-apart mojo pork has succulent flavors of herbs, garlic, and citrus." The combination of ingredients makes it a great match for a wide range of dishes. Topalu agrees and comments, "I love this pork for a number of reasons. First, the beautiful caramelized crust, and second, how versatile pulled pork is." Whether you serve this Cuban dish with a side of plain white rice or scoop it into corn tortillas, it's bound to be the talk of the table. 

For the mojo marinade you'll need olive oil, orange juice and zest, lime juice and zest, a minced yellow onion, minced garlic cloves, finely chopped cilantro, finely chopped oregano leaves, cumin, kosher salt, and fresh cracked black pepper. For the meat you can use either a bone-in pork shoulder or pork butt. You'll need some canola oil to brown the meat and lime wedges to serve.

Grab a large bowl and add in the olive oil, orange juice, orange zest, lime juice, lime zest, minced onion, minced garlic, chopped cilantro, chopped oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Whisk the ingredients together to combine them into a uniform consistency. If you want to get ahead in the meal prep, Topalu notes, "The marinade can be made a day in advance."

Rinse the piece of pork then use paper towels to pat it dry. Place it in the large bowl with the mojo and turn it to properly coat it in the marinade. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or tin foil. Then, transfer the pork to continue marinating in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 to 6 hours or overnight. 

An hour before you plan to start cooking, remove the bowl from the refrigerator to let it warm up slightly.

Preheat the oven to 275 F. Pour canola oil into a Dutch oven and place it on the burner on medium-high heat. Place the pork in the pot, turning it to brown all the sides. Pour the rest of the marinade from the bowl over the pork. 

Place the lid on the Dutch oven and transfer the dish to the oven. Roast the pork covered for 3 hours. Then, take the lid off and raise the temperature to 325 F. Roast the pork for another 2 ½ hours, then remove the dish from the oven and let the pork rest for 15 minutes.

Once the meat is cool enough to handle, shred the pork with two forks or just use your hands. Transfer the shredded meat to a serving plate and drizzle around ½ a cup of the drippings from the Dutch oven over top. 

"This mojo pork can be served with a bed of rice, black beans, or tucked into a brioche bun with pickles and onions," Topalu recommends. A few lime wedges to squeeze over top add a pleasant tang. Once you've enjoyed your fill of this juicy flavorful pork, she says to "Store any leftover mojo pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days."