Inspired by the movie, Chef, these Cuban mojo pulled pork tacos are simple to make but loaded with flavor. It doesn’t hurt that fried onions top them!
I’m always on the lookout for taco recipes and recently watched the movie, Chef. The movie features mojo pork that is made for the chef’s Cuban sandwiches. Don’t worry I’ll be making a version of that at some point. Since watching the movie I wanted to make my own mojo pork and remembered Half Baked Harvest’s cookbook features some mojo pulled pork tacos. It was just meant to be! If you haven’t checked out her cookbook or her blog for that matter, you really are missing out on some amazing recipes. Like all recipes that I find from others, I do change it to my liking which usually consists of adding more garlic! Hey I like my garlic.
What caught my eye with her specific recipe was the fried onions. Two things – 1. I have never actually made homemade fried onions and 2. I couldn’t recall a time that I ever had fried onions on a taco which intrigued me. And while the pork was outstanding on its own, the crunch from the fried onions really made the difference.
Lauren and I liked these fried onions so much, we marked it down as something to just have as an appetizer. So while I highly recommend giving theses mojo pulled pork tacos a try, it won’t be perfect without the fried onions. Hope you enjoy!
What Ingredients are in this Mojo Pork Tacos Recipe?
- Olive oil
- Produce – cilantro, garlic, oranges, limes, mint, oregano, jalapeño, white onion
- Spices – cumin, salt, paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper
- Boneless pork shoulder
- Buttermilk
- All-purpose flour
- Vegetable oil
What is Mojo Pork?
Mojo pork is a traditional Cuban roasted pork that consists of fresh citrus, garlic, herbs and spices. It is traditionally served sliced but can be cooked longer to make pulled pork like this recipe.
Other Taco Recipes
- Crispy Pork Carnitas
- Grilled Chicken Tacos
- Homemade Taco Seasoning
- Slow Cooker Crispy Chicken Tacos
- Cider Beer Braised Pork Tacos
Cuban Mojo Pulled Pork Tacos
Ingredients
Pork
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 cup cilantro
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 10 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup mint leaves
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 3-4 lbs boneless pork shoulder or butt
Fried Onions
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 large white onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
Tacos
- 10-12 corn tortillas
- Olive oil
- Sliced avocado
- Fried onions
- Fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
Pork
- In a food processor, combine the olive oil, cilantro, orange zest, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, mint leaves, oregano, cumin and salt and pulse until chopped and combined - about 30 seconds. Put the pork in a ziploc bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and marinate at room temperature for 1-2 hours or overnight in the fridge.
- Place pork in large crockpot with marinade. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. When the pork is fully cooked and tender, carefully transfer it to a baking sheet and bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until browned on top. Shred the pork and return to the slow cooker with the remaining marinade. Add salt if needed. If you want thicker sauce, mix 2 tbsp marinade with 1 tbsp cornstarch and stir in.
Fried Onions
- Pour the buttermilk over the onions in a large bowl. Submerge the onions and make sure everything is coated.
- In another bowl, stir together the flour, salt, paprika, pepper and cayenne pepper.
- Fill large pot with oil to depth of at least 3 inches and heat oil to 375F. Working in batches remove onions from buttermilk and toss in flour until coated. Add to oil and fry for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat as necessary.
Tacos
- Add tortilla to small pan and cook for 30 seconds on each side over medium heat. Remove and set aside. Repeat as necessary.
- To serve tacos, spoon pork on and top with avocado, lime juice, cilantro and fried onions.
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