No it’s not Mojo, like Austin Powers, it’s pronounces Moho – The J is silent :-). Talk about a recipe that requires love and time, this Mojo Pork Tacos Recipe with Mexican Rice is super easy to make, but does require some patience. I started to recognize I could make these after all of the leftover random stuff I had lying around my house from grocery shopping and other recipes I was doing with clients. The only thing that I actually had to buy from the store was a pork butt, other than that I literally had everything: Oranges, orange juice, garlic, onions, oregano, cumin, crushed canned tomatoes, rice, black beans, peppers and some leftover cotija cheese, so this recipe certainly helped me in Eating Through the Kitchen Cabinets!
The parts that take so long about this recipe are the Mojo sitting overnight so flavors can infuse, and the cooking of the pork. It literally braises for 10 hours plus, just to get that juicy tender pulled consistency I’m looking for. It is very similar to a carnitas, but obviously I’m using mojo. Once the pork is rubbed down and seared, it’s as simple as pouring the mojo into the pot along with the pork and braising it for hours on end. If you aren’t comfortable with braising, then simply place the seared pork butt into a slow cooker with the mojo and cook on low heat for 12 hours. In addition, you will see that there are a lot of different parts to this completed recipe, so feel free to use things at your own discretion. For instance maybe you only want to use the rice and pork, or perhaps just the beans and peppers, feel free to pick and choose what you want to make the recipe that best suits you. Enjoy!
Garnished with a little fresh cilantro 🙂 Big picture below for pinning!
- 4 fresh squeezed oranges
- 1 cup of orange juice
- 1 small sweet onion roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1½ teaspoons of dry oregano
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- 3 pound pork butt optional spice blend
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
- 1 cup of long grain brown rice
- ½ small diced yellow onion
- 1 finely minced garlic clove
- 1 cup of chicken stock
- 16 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon of cumin
- 1 teaspoon of canola oil
- 16 ounce can of cooked refried black beans
- 1 sliced green bell pepper
- 1 sliced yellow onion
- ½ teaspoon of olive oil
- crumbled cotija cheese
- fresh cilantro leaves
- soft corn tortillas
- Mojo: Combine the juice from the fresh oranges, orange juice, onion, garlic, cumin and oregano and a blender and pureed until smooth. Set over night.
- Pork: Season the pork on all sides with salt and pepper or the optional spice blend.
- Heat a large pot on high heat with olive oil and sear the pork butt on sided until golden brown. Next, add in the mojo, and put a lid on the pot and braise in the oven on 225° - 250° for 10 hours or place the pork and mojo into a slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours.
- Once it is done cooking, drain the liquid and shred with forks. You will know it's done when it easily pulls apart.
- Rice: In a pot add the chicken stock, tomatoes, cumin and oregano and bring to a boil.
- In a separate saute pan on high heat with canola oil add in the onions, garlic, and caramelize. Once brown add in the rice and toast for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Next, add the tomato-chicken stock mixture and and put a lid on the rice and cook for 30 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cook. Season the rice with salt and pepper and fork it. Keep warm.
- Next in a large saute pan on high heat with olive oil, saute and caramelize the bell pepper and onion.
- To Plate: Place a little bit of Mexican rice, cooked refried black beans, roasted peppers and onions, shredded mojo pork inside of a soft corn tortilla and garnish with cotija cheese and cilantro leaves