Cuban Roast Pork with Mojo Sauce

This recipe was created for a Cuban-inspired dinner. The rest of the menu included Black Beans and Rice; Pineapple Salsa; Cuban-Style Salad; and Chess Pie with Whipped Cream. Start the pork roast the day before you are planning on serving it.

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Cuban Roast Pork 

4 to 5 pounds boneless pork shoulder
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon oregano
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2  tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon sumac
1/4cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
zest from 1 orange
3 oranges, juiced
2 limes, juiced
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup water

 Directions

1. Make your marinade the day before serving. Place garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, sumac, olive oil, and mint leaves in a mini blender and purée.

2. Place orange zest in a two-cup measuring cup. Juice oranges and limes into the measuring cup. Blend the herb and spice purée into juice.

3. For extra flavor, use a meat injector (if you have one) and insert marinade into the meat in numerous places. Tie meat if needed, place in a Ziploc bag, pour remaining marinade over the meat and massage. Place in refrigerator overnight and up to 36 hours in advance. 

4. Seven and a half hours before serving, preheat oven to 275°. Pour marinade into a deep casserole or Dutch oven, add the stock and water, then the pork, fat side up. Cover tightly with tin foil and a lid if the pan has one. Place in oven and slow bake for 7 hours.

5. Remove pork, place on a cutting board, and let rest a few minutes. Use a knife and fork to discard string if used, fat, and any gristle as you pull and cut the pork into serving-size chunks.  

6. Degrease the stock. Taste and adjust seasonings. You could add some finely minced mint or cilantro to freshen the sauce.

7. Plate the meat over or beside the black beans and rice (recipe below) and drizzle with sauce. I served mine family-style on a large platter with the rice mounded in the middle, surrounded by pork, with sauce drizzled over the pork and extra in a gravy bowl.