Cuban Roast Pork, Komodo Style

[bobvoeh]

I didn't have much time to take pictures, but I managed to snap one as I was slicing. All I can say is WOW, it almost squirted me.

Basically I took some orange lime and lemon juices, kosher salt, fresh black pepper, onion and garlic and made a Mojo marinade with it. I injected about 1/2 cup directly into the meat and then poured the rest into a gallon zip lock bag with the roast and let it sit over night. Cooked it on the KK in the rotisserie at around 325 until the thickest part of the meat registered 157 then I pulled it. I let it rest before slicing so it would finish cooking. Man oh man, that was good. I think a roast beef is in my near future.

[Syzygies]

Yum! Look up recipes for "Cuban sandwiches" on the web, I'm quite fond of them from living part-time in NYC. You just made the key ingredient.

[bobvoeh]

Yum! Look up recipes for "Cuban sandwiches" on the web' date=' I'm quite fond of them from living part-time in NYC. You just made the key ingredient.[/quote']

Yea, South Florida is full of Cuban Bakeries. My wife, being cuban, has taught me the finer ways of making them Cuban Bread, yellow mustard (not too much), pickles, swiss cheese, ham and that good ole pork roast. Squish that in a sandwich press or between 2 cast iron skillets until the outside is nice and crunchy. Mmmmmmmmmmgood.

[GregR]

What cut of meat is that? A pork loin? Looks great!

[bobvoeh]

What cut of meat is that? A pork loin? Looks great!

Actually, that is a 3pound boneless pork butt from the supermarket. Just a cut off of what you would make pulled pork with.

[GregR]

I've been thinking about doing a whole pork butt marinated in - and maybe injected with - mojo, cooked low and slow for pulled pork. Has anyone tried this?

[bobvoeh]

I've been thinking about doing a whole pork butt marinated in - and maybe injected with - mojo' date=' cooked low and slow for pulled pork. Has anyone tried this?[/quote']

I have thought about everytime I have done one, however I haven't wanted to experiment with that big a roast, just in case it didn't come out well. One thing for sure, if you inject it a day or two ahead of time, it will sure as hell be tender, the citrus juices really tenderize well. Maybe I'll actually do it next time.

[GregR]

Here's a Bobby Flay recipe for mojo pork shoulder, cooked at 375 to a temp of 150 and sliced, but seems like it could be easily adapted to low and slow pulled pork on the KK.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobb ... index.html

[Saucier]

Flay's recipe

In Flay's recipe, he never actually says to add the marinade to the meat before cooking. If you read it for what it says, it says basically to use the citrus marinade as a glaze in the last 30 minutes.

Do you think that is really the intent? I would think it should be swimming in the citrus overnight ??

Here's a Bobby Flay recipe for mojo pork shoulder, cooked at 375 to a temp of 150 and sliced, but seems like it could be easily adapted to low and slow pulled pork on the KK.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobb ... index.html

[GregR]

There is a "review" link on that page to user reviews and there is a discussion addressing just that point. I copied the relevent entries below (to be read in reverse order). I think I would marinade the pork in the citrus mixture.

Marindae

04/02/2008 at 01:44pm

User: Alicia from Allison Park, PA User Rating:

To the previous reviewer, I would guess that you use the citrux mixture with the olive oil for the marinade. I think that because it later says "Reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and continue roasting, basting with the marinade during the last 30 minutes..." So the basting sauce and marinade is the same thing. I would combine the reduced juices with the olive oil and oregano.

Good Question about the marinade

02/10/2008 at 05:52pm

User: Marcia from Aledo, TX User Rating:

I'd like t know too! Did you marinate the port in the citrus or just glaze the roast with it?

What about the marinade?

01/31/2008 at 02:28am

User: Anonymous User Rating:

This sounds like a delicious recipe, but I am a bit confused. Is the 2 cups of citrus marinade only used to baste the pork for the last 30 min of cooking? Not as the 4 to 24 hr. marinade? I seem to read the recipe as marinating the pork in just olive oil and oregano? Is this correct?

[Saucier]

Well

I couldn't take it.

I ran off to the store and got the stuff to whip this up.

My take on it is to make the marinade, using all the oregano & oil mixed with the citrus reduction etc, put it in a 2 gal ziplok and let it sit overnight.

Will ignore the temps, and do pulled pork as per normal and see what happens.

I might further reduce the leftover marinade and baste at the end, which goes against my normal "shut the friggin lid an d leave it alone" rule.

I also did the black bean recipe. Wouldn't have thought of putting pesto and Reggiano in beans!.

Here is the pork at rest.

[Syzygies]

Sour Oranges

Anyone with access to east coast Hispanic markets should be on the lookout for "sour oranges" (big orange fruit, ugly skin like Kaffir limes). A key ingredient throughout the Caribbean, it is far more sour than typical oranges, and replaces the "orange, lemon, lime" in original recipe. I know it as a classic marinade ingredient; I'd guess that it's the authentic ingredient for this pork, but I'm not Cuban.

In the late '80s, "Key Lime Pie" was at peak hype in NYC restaurants, but various factors made authentic Key Limes virtually unavailable, so everyone cheated and used ordinary limes. Meanwhile, the Francophile food culture overlooked the sour oranges readily available in Hispanic markets throughout the city, which makes a fantastic orange pie by the same recipe.

[bobvoeh]

Re: Sour Oranges

Anyone with access to east coast Hispanic markets should be on the lookout for "sour oranges" (big orange fruit, ugly skin like Kaffir limes). A key ingredient throughout the Caribbean, it is far more sour than typical oranges, and replaces the "orange, lemon, lime" in original recipe. I know it as a classic marinade ingredient; I'd guess that it's the authentic ingredient for this pork, but I'm not Cuban.

In the late '80s, "Key Lime Pie" was at peak hype in NYC restaurants, but various factors made authentic Key Limes virtually unavailable, so everyone cheated and used ordinary limes. Meanwhile, the Francophile food culture overlooked the sour oranges readily available in Hispanic markets throughout the city, which makes a fantastic orange pie by the same recipe.

Everynow and then I can get them at our supermarket. You wouldn't want to eat them, but they are great for this marinade. And its true, you don't need the lemon and lime if you use the sour oranges. Save the limes for a Mojito !!!

[Saucier]

Into the Hazy Kamado it goes....

[bobvoeh]

I can't wait to hear how it comes out, good luck !!!

[Saucier]

Last baste

Here how she looked at last baste, pic was a little blown out.. Sorry!

[Saucier]

Done!

190 inside.. Tasting good!!

[johnnyboy]

That looks wonderful Saucier. Now I want a taste test. Great job.

[Saucier]

MMmmmgoood

It was good indeed. Room for improvement would have been to inject it more, although the crispy bark with the citrus tang was really good!

The beans & rice were awesome too, although next time I would cut back on the olive oil & butter in the beans, and also the cilantro as it ended up with an excess amount of oil in it.

Would have never thought of adding cilantro pesto to black beans. Shear genius! Also wouldn't have guessed Reggiano in it either...

The dipping sauce was super too.. A nice foil.

[bobvoeh]

Looks good, something for me to try. The citrus bark sounds like something my family would like. THey do not like anything spicy, so I'm the one that gets to eat all the bark when I put a rub on it (not that I'm complaining)