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Mojo Sauce (Cuba)

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Mojo Sauce
Mojo Sauce

Mojo Sauce (Cuba)

Mojo (pronounced Mo-Hoe) is a popular Cuban sauce combining citrus, garlic, herbs and (sometimes) a little heat. It's awesome as a marinade for Lechon Asado (Cuban roast pork) and as a light sauce that adds a tropical zing to pretty much any meat.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dip, Dressing, Marinade, Sauce
Cuisine Cuban
Servings 1.5 Cups

Equipment

  • Normal Kitchen Utensils

Ingredients
  

  • 1 C Sour Orange (Naranja Agria) Juice
  • Or 2/3C Orange and 1/3C Lime Juice About 3-4 Small Oranges and 4 Small Limes
  • 1/3 C Olive Oil
  • 8 Cloves Garlic Minced
  • 1/2 Small White or Yellow Onion Diced
  • 1 tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1 Jalapeño or Serrano Pepper Diced (Optional)
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste

Instructions
 

  • If using fresh citrus, consider zesting it (wash it first). There is no required amount, and this isn't necessarily authentic, but it will add an extra layer of flavor.
  • Combine all ingredients (including the zest) into a bowl and whisk or stir for a good minute. You can also add everything to a bottle and shake for a minute.
    1 C Sour Orange (Naranja Agria) Juice, Or 2/3C Orange and 1/3C Lime Juice, 1/3 C Olive Oil, 8 Cloves Garlic, 1/2 Small White or Yellow Onion, 1 tsp Ground Cumin, 1 tsp Dried Oregano, 1 Jalapeño or Serrano Pepper, Salt and Pepper to Taste
  • Regarding salt and pepper, start with 1/2 tsp of each. You might increase the salt to 1 tsp if using this as a marinade.
  • Chill for at least an hour, preferably overnight. The more time, the merrier.
  • Give the sauce a good stir before serving.

Notes

I like the chunkiness of the diced vegetables in the sauce but you can just as easily toss everything in a blender. 
There are countless variations of Mojo. I have seen recipes with grapefruit juice, red pepper flakes and cilantro. The movie “Chef” even used mint in their Mojo marinade. 
Sour oranges are a Mojo staple and are pretty accessible around Cuba and South Florida. I don’t have them in my area, but the mix of orange and lime is a solid substitute. 
Keyword Citrus, Cuban, Garlic, Herb, Mojo, Sauce, Tropical

Mojo always reminds me a lot of Chimichurri, which is another zingy, herbaceous sauce that is exceptional on any meat. Besides meat, though, Mojo can be used nearly anywhere that citrus works. Try it as a dressing. Try it as a dip for fried plantains. Try it in Cuban Black Beans!