A Taste of the Islands, Cuban Mojo Pork Loin Roast

Here you go, 
if you’re craving a spicy taste 
of the islands…

Most Cuban’s make Cuban pork roast, Lechón Asado con Mojo, by roasting a whole pig that has been slow-coked in a pit or a Caja China over charcoal, with skin that is nice and crispy. 

For most of us, it is much easier to use a smaller cut of pork, such as the traditional pork shoulder or picnic cut and roast it in the oven.  

I went even further and swapped the fatty pork shoulder with a boneless pork loin roast to cut the large amount of fat and roasted it on a roasting pan rack in the oven.  

The flavor here comes from the mojo, the citrusy sauce, marinade…  

This mojo is a great combination of tangy and savory flavors.  It’s a mishmash of several different, similar recipes I saw while surfing the internet ~ basically citrus juices, spices and oil.  

It’s Cuban mojo pork loin roast with unbelievably tender meat and crisp, crackly skin!

Make Cuban sandwiches out of the leftovers!

Yield: 4-6 servingsAuthor: Pam

Cuban Mojo Pork Loin Roast

Try this pork recipe for a taste of the islands.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 pounds boneless, pork loin roast
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground oregano
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon each, salt and pepper
• 3 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3 teaspoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ¼ cup sherry

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place pork roast in a zip top bag.
2. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients, pour mixture over pork.
3. Marinate in refrigerator for a couple of hours, or overnight.
4. When ready to roast, place meat in roasting pan or rack, reserving marinade.
5. Roast until completely cooked (145°), about 1½ hours, basting occasionally.
   Let roast rest for 10 minutes, then slice.
6. Serve

Enjoy!

Not Quite so Dirty Rice

No road trip to 'N’awlins', as Bill calls it, for this tasty little dish ~ you can make it right at home!  

We remember our first taste of dirty rice many years ago ~ and Bubba does too.  It was from Popeye’s, the restaurant chain originating in New Orleans.  And then, our many visits to N'awlins...

However, this time, I made it at home in the Instant Pot now that I have one.  It’s a one pot meal that does the cooking for you quickly. 

The Arcadian classic version of this dish normally comes with chicken livers added for that distinctive flavor and dark color making it “dirty” in appearance.  

It always includes the Cajun holy trinity, you know, celery, onions and bell peppers.  

It's the foundation of so many of the world’s greatest dishes ~ from gumbo to jambalaya to chicken fricassee and étouffée, with every cuisine having its version of it.  

• French cooks call it mirepoix, the combo of onions, carrots and celery. 
• Italians call the same combination of ingredients soffritto.  
• Greek cooks prefer lemon juice, olive oil and oregano.
• In Spain, garlic, onion and tomatoes are combined. 
• Thai:  Kaffir lime, lemongrass and galangal (relative of ginger.)
• Cuban cuisine:  garlic, bell pepper and onion.
• In Spain, it’s garlic, onion and tomato.
• Brazilians season with dende oil, coconut milk and malagueta pepper.

You get the idea ~ every country has its own version of the holy trinity for their cuisine.  

I didn’t add chicken liver to the mix this time, but the basic concept is still there:  ground beef, the holy trinity, spices and rice.  It’s delicious, no matter.  

It’s spicy, but not too spicy, you can always bump up the heat if you prefer.  It’s a loaded dish with the best flavors in it.  

We enjoyed it with grilled catfish, but I could definitely make a meal of just dirty rice.  And, it tastes even better leftover, after the flavors have mingled longer.  

One pot Not-Quite Dirty Rice is a great dish to try in your Instant Pot (providing you can get the lid on.)  It's a perfect dish your family will want second helpings of.  No Instant Pot?  Cook it in a Dutch oven on the stove top.

Next time, same recipe, with the exception of substituting Andouille sausage and chicken liver for the ground beef.

And perhaps a Dirty Martini or two on the side ~ with a little jazz or Zydeco music!  

Woo hoo!  

Enjoy!

Yield: 6 servingsAuthor: Pam

Not Quite so Dirty Rice in an Instant Pot

No road trip to 'N’awlins' for this tasty little dish ~ you can make it right at home!

prep time: 10 MINScook time: 35 MINStotal time: 45 mins

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 cups white rice
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oil in Instant Pot on sauté setting, or in Crock Pot.
2. Add garlic and onion, cooking until onion starts to soften and brown a little.
3. Add celery and bell pepper, sauté for a minute or two.
4. Remove from pot and set aside.
5. Add beef, brown and crumble, drain fat.
6. Return veggies to pot, add remaining ingredients to meat in IP.
7. Mix all ingredients well, scraping the bottom of the cooker.
8. Place lid on, set the vent to Sealing and press Slow Cooker, low setting for 30 minutes.
9. Do a Quick Pressure release and fluff rice mixture with a fork.
10. If needed, adjust seasonings.
11. Serve immediately, or set IP to warm setting for amount of time you prefer until ready to serve.

Created using The Recipes Generator

My Homemade Ketchup

I love mustard but, ketchup is an American icon for hamburgers and French fries!

Years ago, Dad not only had the garden at home but after his retirement, he started the first community garden in Louisville and had a garden plot there as well.  The amount of tomatoes he raised was amazing.  

Mom canned a lot of tomatoes, made tomato juice and then she made ketchup.  Bubba reminded me of how much he likes homemade ketchup and that I haven’t made it in a long while.  So, yesterday I made ketchup.  The aroma of it cooking is unbelievable, very spicy and good. 

This is sweet, tangy and spicy and it takes time for it to cook down.  It’s easy but, it’s definitely not for an impatient cook because it takes time!  I ended up with close to 3 pints of ketchup from this recipe.  

I let it cook down until it was very thick, mainly because Bill likes it thick, not “runny” like Mom made it.    If you don’t want it so thick, cook a shorter period of time and you will have a higher yield.  Another good thing is that you know exactly what is in it, no preservatives!

If you like ketchup, you should really try the homemade kind!  Add more sugar if you like it sweeter, more vinegar for a bite and then start in with the spices until it suits your taste.  Add more red pepper flakes if you like some heat with it.  Experiment!

Waiting to be skinned and chopped

Cooking with the spice bundle

Strained and cooking down ~ dark, rich color from the spices

Ummm, mmmm!!!

My Homemade Ketchup

Ingredients:

½ bushel canning tomatoes, about 30 pounds

3 large onions, cut into large chunks

2 cups white vinegar

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

2 teaspoons ground cloves

2 teaspoons allspice

2 tablespoons onion powder

3 teaspoons cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

2 teaspoons ground coriander

10 garlic cloves

6 cinnamon sticks

5 tablespoons peppercorns

3 tablespoons mustard seeds

2 tablespoons celery seeds

Method:

Wash, peel and chop tomatoes.

Add to a very large heavy pot and bring to a boil.

Add onions, vinegar and sugars.

Lower heat to a simmer.

Stir in next 9 ingredients.  Mix well.

Cut a square of cheesecloth.

Place on the cheesecloth the garlic cloves, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, mustard seeds and celery seeds.

Tie into a bundle, drop into tomato mixture.

Stir it all well.

Cook for about 1-2 hours until it is about half of what you started with, stirring frequently.

Remove cheesecloth bundle, set aside.

Carefully put tomato mixture through a sieve into a large bowl.

Return strained mixture and cheesecloth bundle to pot.

Continue to simmer, stirring very frequently so as not to burn.

This could take another 30 minutes to an hour, depending on heat level and how thick you like it.

Cook until it reaches the desired consistency.

Pour into sterilized jars.

Cool.

Cover with a tight fitting lid and refrigerate.

It’s lick-your-lips delicious!

Visit my friend, Linda’s blog, My Kind of Cooking, for the prize winning recipe at the fair and for a chance to win her great cookbook!