Cuban Pork Rub Food

AUTHENTIC CUBAN PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Combine all of the ingredients (except the pork) in a food processor or blender and blend until completely liquified.
• Line a roasting pan with foil and place the roasting rack in the pan. Place the pork, skin side down on the roasting rack. Add 2 cups of water to the bottom of the roasting pan.
• Using a meat injector, inject all of the marinade into the pork.Try not to puncture the skin underneath. I like to go in from the side to make sure I'm not puncturing the skin. Just try to inject as many spots as you can to really get the marinade throughout the entire pork. (If you feel like you've maxed out on the inside of the pork, just take any left over marinade and rub it all over the outside of the pork)
• Cover the pork with foil as tightly as you can to create a seal. Refrigerate overnight or at least for 6 hours. (I prefer overnight but 6 hours will do if you're shorter on time.)
• After marinating, heat your oven to 275. Once heated, add the covered pork and cook for 7 hours.
• After the 7 hours, uncover the pork. It should be falling off the bone easily at this point. You can pull at it with a fork to check.
• Keeping the pork uncovered, set your oven to broil. Broil the top of the pork for about 5 minutes or until it has a nice golden brown color. Using oven mitts and tongs, carefully turn the pork skin side up, and broil the skin side for another 5 minutes or until it's crispy on the top.
• Let the pork rest for 15 minutes before shredding.

CUBAN PORK CHOPS WITH MOJO

Steps:

• In a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag, combine 1 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup lime juice, and vinegar. Add pork and let it sit and marinate for about 1 hour in refrigerator.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine all dried spices. Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel and rub with the dry spice mixture.
• Heat oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Place the pork chops in the pan and sear on 1 side until brown. Flip over and turn the heat down to medium-low. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Then add the garlic and continue to cook until garlic begins to brown. Pour in the remaining 1/4 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup lime juice, and white wine. Simmer until the liquid is slightly reduced and begins to thicken. The chops should be cooked through.
• Remove the chops from pan and put on a warm plate. Continue to reduce juices in pan by half. Pour over the chops and serve immediately.
• Garnish with watercress, tomatoes and avocado.

CUBAN PORK TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Using thin knife, trim silver skin from tenderloin. Mix orange juice, grapefruit juice, cilantro, cumin, oregano, garlic, salt, and hot pepper in gallon-sized zip-top plastic bag. Add pork, close, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. Meanwhile, make Rice and Black Bean Salad.
• Prepare outdoor grill for direct medium-hot grilling. For a gas grill, preheat grill on high. Adjust temperature to 400°F. For a charcoal grill, build fire and let burn until coals are covered with white ash. Spread coals and let burn for 15-20 minutes.
• Lightly oil cooking grate. Remove pork from marinade, drain briefly, but do not scrape off solids. Place on grill and cover grill. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned and instant-read thermometer inserted in center of pork reads 145°F, about 20-27 minutes. Transfer to carving board and let stand 3-5 minutes. Cut on slight diagonal and serve with rice and black bean salad.
• Rice and Black Bean Salad:
• To make salad, bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rice and cook (like pasta) until tender, about 16 minutes. Drain in wire sieve, rinse under cold water, and let cool.
• In medium bowl, whisk orange zest and 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1 tablespoon vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Whisk in oil. Add cooled rice, black beans, scallions and cilantro, and mix. Let stand at room temperature for up to 4 hours. (If refrigerated, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving, or rice will be hard.)

CUBAN MOJO MARINATED PORK

Steps:

• 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.

MOJO MARINATED PORK

Steps:

• Combine 4 cups of the orange juice and 1 cup of the lime juice and zest in a large saucepan over high heat and reduce to 2 cups. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining orange juice and lime juice add a few cloves of garlic and 1/4 cup of the oregano. Let cool to room temperature.
• Using a paring knife, make small slits over the entire surface of the pork and rub the garlic into the slashes. Whisk together the oil and remaining 1/4 cup of the oregano in a large roasting pan, add the pork and turn to coat, cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Remove the pork from the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting. Season the pork with salt and pepper and cook for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and continue roasting, basting with the marinade during the last 30 minutes of roasting until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reaches 150 degrees F. Remove from the oven, baste with any remaining glaze, tent loosely and let rest 15 minutes before slicing.
• Serve the pork with the Mojo Dipping Sauce and the Plantains with Rum and Brown Sugar.
• Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic, serrano, cilantro and a few pinches of salt until it becomes a paste. Add the orange juice, lime juice and oil and stir to combine.
• Heat butter in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the sugar and cook until melted. Add the plantains and cook until soft and heated through. Remove pan from the heat, add the rum, return to the heat and cook until the alcohol has reduced.

CUBAN-STYLE PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Puree garlic, oregano, olive oil, limes, and salt in a blender or food processor.
• Place meat in a roasting pan, and score the fat on top of the pork. Rub garlic mixture all over pork. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours. Flip roast occasionally and redistribute the rub.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Remove meat from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Place pan in the oven, fat side up, and add 1 cup of water to pan. Roast, uncovered, occasionally basting meat with juices and rub and turning pan to promote even cooking. Cook for 6 to 8 hours, until meat easily shreds. Let rest for 15 minutes, then shred and serve.

GRILLED CUBAN PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat. Remove excess fat from pork. In small bowl, mix all Cuban Rub ingredients; rub evenly on both sides of pork.
• Cover and grill pork 4 to 6 inches from medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, turning frequently, until pork is no longer pink and meat thermometer inserted in center reads 160°F. Garnish with mango slices.

CUBAN-STYLE ROAST PORK

Steps:

• Grind garlic, salt, black pepper, cumin, oregano, and coriander into a paste using a mortar and pestle.
• Transfer half of the garlic and spice paste to a bowl; add lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, and vinegar. Beat the mixture with a whisk until smooth.
• Cut several inch-long, deep slits into the fatty side of the pork roast. Rub the reserved garlic paste into the slits.
• Put rubbed roast into a gallon-size resealable plastic bag. Pour the liquid mixture over the roast, squeeze as much air from the bag as possible and seal; refrigerate, turning occasionally, 8 hours to overnight.
• Remove pork roast from refrigerator, put into a roasting pan, and let warm at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Roast pork in preheated oven for 30 minutes, reduce heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and continue cooking until pork is no longer pink in the center, about 2 hours more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 170 degrees F (75 degrees C).

EVERYTHING PORK DRY RUB

Steps:

• Mix paprika, brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder, ground chipotle chile pepper, cumin, and mustard powder together in a bowl.

SMOKED CUBAN (CUBANO) PORK

Steps:

• 1. Gather your ingredients
• 2. Add all the marinade ingredients to a large bowl and stir until completely dissolved.
• 3. Use a sharp knife to cut a crosshatch pattern into the fat cap, and the bottom of the pork.
• 4. Chef's Note: This will help the marinade to penetrate into the pork.
• 5. Add the pork and the marinade to a large Ziploc bag, or non-reactive bowl.
• 6. Chef's Note: Because of the size of these pork butts, I'm using turkey-basting bags that I got from Williams-Sonoma.
• 7. Place in the fridge for 12, and up to 24 hours.
• 8. Chef's Note: If you're like me, and you like to peek into the fridge every now and then... Well, while you're in there, give the bag a big old squeeze or two.
• 9. Chef's Tip: Ziploc bags have been known to spring a leak. To keep this from becoming a problem, place the bag in a bowl, or on a large plate.
• 10. After 24 hours remove the pork from the marinade, and save about two cups.
• 11. Place the marinade into a small saucepan, and allow it to simmer for about 20 minutes, then remove and reserve.
• 12. Preheat your smoker to 225f (107c).
• 13. Thoroughly coat the pork with the dry rub... Rub it in good.
• 14. Chef's Note: My dry rub consists of equal amounts of black pepper, cumin, paprika, onion powder, salt, and then a pinch or two of cayenne pepper.
• 15. Add the pork butt to the smoker, along with two bricks.
• 16. Chef's Note: The bricks are optional, but I'll explain that later.
• 17. Allow the pork butt to smoke until reaching an internal temperature of 200f (94c).
• 18. Chef's Note: Once an hour, for the first 6 hours, open the smoker, and mop the pork butt with the reserved marinade.
• 19. Chef's Note: Depending on your cut of meat, it could take 12 hours to reach the magic number. But don't hasten the process by raising the heat... have patience.
• 20. Optional Step: Remove the pork butt from the smoker, wrap in foil, then place into a beverage cooler, and place some tea towels around it, plus the two hot bricks. Let it sit for two hours. What this does is finish up the melting of the collagen, and makes this pork melt in your mouth.
• 21. Chef's Tip: I made my own box out of Styrofoam, but a typical Coleman cooler will work just fine.
• 22. Remove from the cooler, and shred. If the meat is a bit dry, add a small amount of the reserved marinade.
• 23. Chef's Note: I tried several ways to cut the meat for a Cubano sandwich; however, shredded is the way to go.
• 24. There you go... the perfect Cuban smoked pork. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

CUBAN SPICED PORK TENDERLOIN AND SOFFRITO RICE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Heat medium pot with tight fitting lid over medium high heat. Add oil and bacon and brown bacon. Add onions and peppers and saute 5 minutes. Bring broth to a boil. Add rice. Cover the pot and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 15 to 18 minutes, until rice is tender.
• For pork, cut 4 slits into each loin and nest garlic and bay into meat. Place meat on nonstick baking sheet. Combine the spices. Coat meat with oil. Rub spices over the pork tenderloins and place in oven. Roast meat 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Let juices redistribute, then slice and serve with soffrito rice and garnishes of chopped tropical fruit or chopped cilantro and scallions.
• Suggested drink: mojitos!

CUBAN STYLE SLOW ROASTED MARINATED PORK

Steps:

• Begin by washing the pork under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Transfer the pork to a glass dish and set aside.
• Next, whisk together the garlic, olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, salt, oregano, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, sugar, and black pepper.
• Rub this half of the mixture over the surface of the roast. Flip the roast over and rub the remaining mixture into the pork.
• Wrap the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate the pork to marinate for a minimum of 12 hours. Do not let the pork marinate for more than 18 hours.
• An hour or two before you're ready to start the roasting process, remove the pork from the fridge and let the pork come back to room temperature.
• In the meantime, cut up the onions and place them under the pork. Nestle the pork roast on top of the bed of sliced onions. Pour one cup of water into the pan.
• With the oven preheated to 425 degrees, bake the pork, uncovered, for 1 hour.
• Lower the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees and bake the pork, covered with aluminum foil, for 3 hours. Check the pork every 30 minutes. Add half cup of water if the pan is starting to dry out. You want to keep the moisture in the pan.
• After 3 hours has passed, remove the aluminum foil and increase the heat to 425 degrees. Bake for 30 more minutes.
• Next, turn off the heat and leave the pork in the oven for 30 more minutes.
• Before slicing, allow the pork to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

CUBAN-STYLE PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the garlic, salt, oregano, cumin, black pepper, chili pepper, crumbled bay leaves and orange zest.
• Stir in the vinegar, orange and lime juices to make a coarse paste.
• Add the pork pieces and toss until the pieces are evenly coated with the spice paste.
• Set aside to marinate while you finish the other preparations.
• Trim and cut the onions lengthwise into 1/4 -inch-thick slices.
• Arrange the slices in an even layer on the bottom of the slow cooker insert.
• Pour the broth over the onions.
• Arrange the pork in an even layer over the onions, pouring over any reserved marinade.
• Cover the insert and place it in the slow cooker.
• Set the cooker to high heat and cook 4 to 4 1/2 hours until the pork is fork-tender. (8 hours on low).
• Remove from heat and crack the lid to allow the mixture to cool slightly.
• Gently stir the pork with the onions and serve.

TRADITIONAL CUBAN RECIPE: CUBAN MOJO (CUBAN MARINADE)

Steps:

• Mash garlic, salt and peppercorns, using a mortar and pestle or use food processor.
• Stir in juice.
• Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes or longer at room temperature.
• *If making it without the oil - stop at this point and this makes a perfect marinade for seasoning, chicken, fish, pork &/or beef.
• Continue with preparing the mojo with oil - after you have stirred in juice add onion & oregano.
• Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes or longer at room temperature.
• In a saucepan heat olive oil to medium hot & then remove from heat.
• Whisk oil in garlic-juice mixture, until well blended.
• Stores for at least a week in the refrigerator.

CUBAN DRY RUB FOR BOSTON BUTT OR ROAST

Steps:

• Rinse, dry, and remove as much fat as is reasonable from boston butt, roast, or whatever meat of choice.
• *optional* Cover meat with your base of choice. If using olive oil you'll need about 3 tablespoons and if using mustard or barbecue sauce you'll need around a half a cup.
• Generously coat meat with rub. Don't be stingy! In this case more is more :).
• Using your hands, mix the rub and base together and make sure you get all that flavor into every crevice.
• Cook using your favorite method. An oven preheated to 325º for several hours (depends on lbs) or a crock pot on low overnight are my favorites.

CUBAN-STYLE ROAST PORK SHOULDER WITH MOJO RECIPE

Steps:

• For the Mojo: Combine garlic, cumin, pepper, oregano, orange juice, lime juice, and olive oil in a large bowl and whisk. Season to taste generously with salt. Transfer half of mojo to a sealed container and reserve in refrigerator. Add pork to remaining mojo and turn to coat. If desired, transfer pork and marinade to a gallon-sized zipper-lock bag and refrigerate 2 hours or up to overnight before continuing.
• For the Pork and to Finish: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 275°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place pork and juices on top and fold up foil, crimping to seal loosely but making sure that there is room for air to circulate inside. Place in oven and roast for 3 hours. Fold back foil, increase oven temperature to 325°F, and continue roasting, basting pork with pan juices occasionally, until pork shows almost no resistance when a metal skewer or knife is inserted into it and the surface is crackly and brown, 2 to 3 hours longer. Remove pork from oven and let rest 10 to 15 minutes.
• Pour accumulated pork juices into a bowl and discard all except 1 cup. Add reserved mojo to pork drippings, along with fresh chopped mint and oregano. Whisk together and season to taste with salt.
• Serve shredded pork, passing mint mojo and lime wedges on the side. Serve rice, beans, and plantains on the side. Reserve any leftovers for sandwiches.

CUBAN PORK RUB

Steps:

• Apply to a pork shoulder and refrigerate for 8 hours to overnight. Cook as you would for pulled pork.