Cuban Mojo Marinade

This mojo marinade is packed with endless flavour, it’s citrusy, garlicky with a sour zest. A marinade that is multi purpose and can be used for poultry,white/red meat and seafood. It takes less than 15 minutes to prepare a batch of mojo for all your culinary delights.

If you haven’t been to Cuba then be prepared to be transported via this amazing marinade. The good news is most of the ingredients you need are fairly accessible.

Like most Caribbean islands, each island has their own marinade/sauce which you immediately identify with that island. A example of that is Green Seasoning which the Trinidadians have a monopoly on.

On the other hand, you have Epis which is exclusive to our Haitian neighbours. No different from how Jerk belongs to Jamaicans.

What is mojo marinade?

Mojo (pronounced MO-HO) is a marinade that consists of citrus typically sour oranges, garlic, onion, herbs, spices and olive oil.

The sour oranges are an absolute staple, they tend to grow in tropical climates so if you’re like me and reside in the UK you’re going to struggle to find them. 

The good news is that you can yield that tangy citrus flavour by mixing orange with lime/lemon.

If you have ever dined at a Cuban restaurant or perhaps visited the island, then you will have most likely been exposed to some mojo at some point (maybe you didn’t even know it). A good example of some mojo exposure is with this Yuca Con Mojo (cassava in a citrus/garlic sauce).

It’s a household staple for Cubans, but like most recipes, it varies. i.e some people will add olive oil to their mojo marinade while others will omit it, some are more heavy with the herbs/spices and others not so much. 

There is that room for you to toy around with the taste and make it your own. I’m going to show you have I make my mojo but you can adjust according to taste.

The taste of the marinade

The taste is pretty much a strong citrus flavour, the sour orange immediately comes through. Paired with the element of garlic and herbs. It’s not a hot sauce at all unless you choose to add heat, it’s pungent but certainly not overwhelming in terms of the use of herbs/spices.

Some people like to include cilantro (coriander) but there’s a huge divide with half of the nation loving it and the other half hating it so add it if you want to. I’m indifferent to the taste but I left it out because I didn’t have any to hand.

Ingredients you will need

• Sour Orange: These sours oranges are what make mojo, what it is! Citrus is primarily used to tenderize meat. In this case we will be using a combination of lime with regular oranges to re-create that sour taste.
• Garlic: Like most islands, garlic is essential, you need about a head of garlic cloves.
• Onion: I don’t go too heavy on the onion, use a very small onion or half of an onion.
• Herbs and spices: black pepper, cumin, oregano, and pink these are your base flavours and ingredients that are typically associated in latino recipes.
• Olive oil: The olive oil helps to keep everything moist and crisp during cooking.

The uses for the marinade

Cubans are big meat eaters, so I think you will know by default that the mojo is used for

• White meat i.e pork
• Red meat i.e steak
• Poultry i.e chicken leg, thighs, wings, breasts
• Seafood i.e shrimp, fish fillets

How to make mojo marinade

• Grab a mortar and pestle and proceed to mash the onion and garlic until they are soft and mushy
• Transfer the onion/garlic mixture to your jar.
• Place the orange, lime, lemon, olive oil, black pepper, cumin, pink salt and oregano in a container/mason jar.
• Give it a good shake, do a taste test and adjust the flavours if needed and refrigerate.

I don’t have a mortar and pestle, what can I use instead?

If you don’t have to use a mortar and pestle to mash the garlic/onion. You can use a food processor, a grinder i.e coffee grinder or a garlic extractor to mince the onion and garlic.

How long should I marinate the meat for?

When using any recipe that calls for large volume of citrus. I usually will only marinate for anything between 4 – 6 hours if I’m pushing it.

While the enzymes in the fruit help to breakdown the proteins, it can potentially diminish the texture of the meat.

As a general rule of thumb I tend to marinate any meat for up to 6 hours (maximum). It’s up to you if you choose to forgo this information and marinate overnight. 

Storing your marinade

You can store the marinade in the freezer or refrigerator. It’s really a matter of what works for you. If you don’t plan on using it straight away then you may want to freeze it down instead.

Freezing method

 Simply add your mojo to a freezer friendly container. Portion it in batches depending on how you intend to use it. You can also make into mini ice cubes if you wish.

If you want to, you can add the raw meat of your choice to a zip lock bag along with some of the marinade and just cook when you’re ready! Just make sure to completely thaw the meat out first before cooking.

You can freeze the marinade quite easily for up to 3 months.

Refrigerator method

Be sure to add your marinade to an airtight container or mason jar and store in the fridge because the mojo is made with citrus it yields a good source of preservation.

It should last in your refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. If might even be longer but I usually use mine mojo in less than a month, just keep a watchful on it or freeze it down (as mentioned)

Notes and tips

• If you can’t get hold of of sour oranges, use lemon and lime or one or the other.
• Feel free to jazz things up by adding some jalapenos or cilantro instead.
• Play around with the herbs and spices. If you don’t like cumin use another spice like caraway or paprika instead
• Use this marinate red/white meat, poultry or seafood
• Store your marinate in the freezer or fridge according to how/when you intend to use it.
• If freezing the meat and marinade I would advise allowing the meat to infused in the mojo first then freeze it down.
• If you don’t have a mortar and pestle use a grinder, food processor or garlic crusher.
• If you want your onion and garlic coarse then simply chop them up instead and don’t crush them.
• It’s normal for the olive oil to be suspended at the top, just mix it up before using it each and every time or blitz the it in the food processor/blender for 3 seconds.
• This recipe should fill a mason jar to the very top.

Other condiments you may like

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Cuban Mojo Marinade

Learn how to make this Cuban staple called mojo marinade. A perfect blend of citrus, garlic with herbs and spices.

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Extra

Cuisine: Cuban

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 1 jar

Calories: 226kcal

Author: Charla

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1/2 a small onion
• a head of garlic approximately 10 cloves
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp cumin see notes for substitute if you don't like cumin or use less
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• pink salt to taste

Instructions

• Grab a mortar and pestle (or just a food processor or grinder) and proceed to mash the onion and garlic until they are soft and mushy
• Transfer the onion/garlic mixture to your jar/container
• Place the orange, lime, lemon, olive oil, black pepper, cumin, pink salt and oregano in a container/mason jar.
• .Give it a good shake, do a taste test and adjust the flavours if needed and refrigerate.

Notes

• If you can't get hold of of sour oranges, use lemon and lime or one or the other.
• Feel free to jazz things up by adding some jalapenos or cilantro instead.
• Play around with the herbs and spices. If you don't like cumin use another spice like caraway or paprika instead
• Use this marinate red/white meat, poultry or seafood
• Store your marinate in the freezer or fridge according to how/when you intend to use it.
• If freezing the meat and marinade I would advise allowing the meat to infused in the mojo first then freeze it down.
• If you don't have a mortar and pestle use a grinder, food processor or garlic crusher.
• If you want your onion and garlic coarse then simply chop them up instead and don't crush them.
• It's normal for the olive oil to be suspended at the top, just mix it up before using it each and every time or blitz the it in the food processor/blender for 3 seconds.
• This recipe should fill a mason jar to the very top.

Nutrition

Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 1025mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 873IU | Vitamin C: 222mg | Calcium: 158mg | Iron: 4mg

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