Cuban Mojo Pork Burger
A Cuban-inspired pork burger with citrus-marinated patties, fried plantains and dill pickles.
- Prep
- 20min
- Cook
- 12min
- Total
- 42min
- Serves
- 4
- Calories
- 940per serving, est.
By Time for Burgers, updated
Mojo is usually a marinade for a whole pork shoulder; here the orange juice, lime, garlic and cumin go straight into the ground pork. Ground meat picks up the citrus and garlic quickly, so 10 minutes is enough. The mix is wet, so shape the patties with damp hands and press them firmly.
Choose plantains with mostly black skins. Ripe ones fry to a sticky, caramelized sweetness in 2 to 3 minutes a side, which plays against sharp dill pickles and a raw-garlic aioli. The pickles are borrowed from the Cuban sandwich, and so is the bread if you can find Cuban rolls.
Cuban Mojo Pork Burger
Prep 20 min, cook 12 min, total 42 min. About 940 calories per serving.
timeforburgers.com/recipes/cuban-mojo-pork-burger
Serves 4.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Mix ¼ cup orange juice, 2 tbsp lime juice, 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 tsp ground cumin, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add 1¼ lb ground pork and mix thoroughly. Form into 4 equal patties and let marinate for 10 minutes.
While patties marinate, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry plantain slices for 2-3 minutes per side until golden and caramelized. Set aside.
Make garlic aioli by whisking together ¼ cup mayonnaise and 2 cloves minced garlic. Season with salt and set aside.
Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pork patties for 5-6 minutes per side until an instant-read thermometer in the center of a patty reads 160°F (71°C) and the patties are nicely browned.
Toast Cuban bread rolls or ciabatta buns until golden.
Assemble burgers: spread garlic aioli on both bun halves, place lettuce on bottom buns, add pork patties, top with fried plantain slices and dill pickle slices, then crown with top buns. Serve with black beans and rice or yuca fries on the side.
Tips
- Rest the shaped patties in the fridge during the 10-minute marinade. Cold, wet pork holds together better when it hits the pan.
- Slice the plantains on a sharp diagonal about 1/2 inch (13 mm) thick. Thinner slices scorch before the centers turn soft.
- The orange juice adds sugar, so the patties brown fast. If the outside darkens before the center reaches 160°F (71°C), lower the heat to medium.
Substitutions
- Sour orange juice (naranja agria), if you can find it, replaces both the orange and lime juice.
- Add a slice of Swiss cheese in the last minute of cooking for a burger closer to a Cuban sandwich.
- Ground chicken instead of pork: leaner, so add 15 ml oil to the mix, and cook it to 165°F (74°C).
Make ahead & storage
Mix the aioli up to 2 days ahead and keep it chilled. Cooked patties keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge; reheat in a skillet to 165°F (74°C). Fry the plantains just before serving, since they turn soft and chewy as they cool.
