Cuban pork with a sticky citrus glaze
Citrus is an important flavouring in the Caribbean and Latin America. Bitter oranges, known as naranja agria, are commonly grown in Cuba and used in dressings and marinades. This Cuban pork gets its flavour from a mix of orange, grapefruit and lime juice, with a little bittersweet Seville orange marmalade. I like to serve this with black beans and salsa, red onion and lime wedges.
Ingredients
- 600g/1lb 5oz skinless, boneless pork shoulder
- 50ml/2fl oz vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp Seville orange marmalade
- cooked rice or warmed tortilla wraps, to serve
For the marinade
- 2 large oranges: grated zest of 1 orange, juice and squeezed shells of both
- 1 grapefruit, juice only
- 2 limes, juice squeezed, reserving the shells
- 1 tbsp dried or freshly chopped oregano
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- good pinch sea salt
Method
To make the marinade, place all the ingredients (except the orange and lime skins) in a blender and blend briefly.
Put the pork in a bowl, pour in the marinade and add the squeezed shells of the oranges and limes. Turn the pork to ensure it is covered in the marinade. Place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes or overnight.
Bring the pork to room temperature and preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3.
Place the pork on a large piece of kitchen foil in a roasting tin. Spoon half the marinade over the pork, add the orange and lime shells and fold up the foil loosely around the pork, crimping the edges together to seal. Bake for 1 hour.
Turn the oven up to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Open out the foil and baste the pork with the juices. Leave the foil open and cook for a further 20 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time, or until the pork is well browned and very soft. Pull the foil back over the pork and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the remaining marinade into a small saucepan and add the vegetable stock and marmalade. Simmer until the volume of liquid is reduced and the marinade is sticky.
Spoon the sticky marinade over the pork then shred the meat. Serve with rice or tortilla wraps.
Recipe Tips
For a bittersweet burnt citrus flavour, halve the oranges and chargrill, cut sides down, on a preheated hot griddle until blackened. Leave to cool slightly, then squeeze the juice and use for the marinade.