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Smoked Mojo Pork Shoulder Recipe
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Smoked Mojo Pork Shoulder Recipe

Fall off the bone tender, this Cuban mojo smoked pork shoulder recipe is a crowd favorite.
Course Grilling
Cuisine Cuban / American
Keyword Smoked Mojo Pork Shoulder Recipe
Prep Time 12 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 12 hours
Servings 12
Calories 233kcal
Author Bon Appeteach

Ingredients

  • 1 10 lb. Pork Shoulder or pork butt
  • 8 tbsp. Butter sliced and set aside

Marinade

  • 4 cups Orange Juice fresh if possible (about 8-12)
  • 1 1/2 cups Lime Juice fresh if possible (about 8-12)
  • 2 cups Olive Oil
  • 12 Cloves Garlic
  • 4 Bay Leaves
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. Cumin
  • 4 sprigs Fresh Oregano
  • 4 sprigs Fresh Thyme
  • 2 tbsp. Kosher Salt
  • 1 tbsp. Black Pepper

Instructions

Preparation:

  • Remove the pork shoulder from the packaging and pat it dry with paper towels.
  • Trim any silver skin off the sides and bottom. Use a carving knife and create a cross hatch pattern into the fat cap over the top. Place the meat in a dish that will hold the pork and the marinade.
  • To make the marinade, combine the olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic cloves into a blender. Blend until combined. Reserve 1-2 cups of this mixture and keep it seperate to use when smoking.
  • Pour the juice mixture over the pork. Add in the bay leaves and fresh oregano and thyme.
  • Place the pork shoulder into the fridge to rest overnight or for up to 2-3 days.

Smoking:

  • Preheat the smoker to 225 F. and set it for indirect heat.
  • Place the pork shoulder onto the smoker and let it smoke for 3 hours. Use the reserved marinade and spray the meat to build the bark every hour until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 F.
  • Once the pork shoulder hits the stall, remove it from the smoker and place it into a foil pan. Add any additional marinade to the bottom of the pan and add the sliced tablespoons of butter over the top of the meat. Cover it tightly in foil and place it back onto the smoker.
  • Let the mojo pork reach an internal temperature to about 203 F. Check for tenderness by using the probe of a thermometer and inserting it into the meat to see if it feels like softened butter.
  • When it's tender, remove it from the smoker but keep it covered. Let the meat rest in a cooler for 1-2 hours before pulling.
  • Pull and shred the pork and serve with white rice, fried plantains, and black beans!

Notes

Use fresh juices when possible, but storebought juice works if needed. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 1029mg | Potassium: 697mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 669IU | Vitamin C: 148mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 2mg