Mojo Pork Tenderloin
This Mojo Pork Tenderloin is healthy and infused with citrus juices. Grilled onions on the side put this recipe over the top. If pork loin is your thing, you’ll love this tenderloin recipe marinated in orange and lemon juice.
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MOJO PORK TENDERLOIN
(originally posted 2012)
This Mojo Pork Tenderloin recipe has a hint of citrusy, garlic flavor with a slightly crusty outside and super moist flavor infused middle.
This recipe comes from Brecken Watterson, who grew up with my husband in Colorado. Thanks, we loved it!
Don’t even think about skipping the grilled onions. They are the perfect compliment to this pork and my husband and I were fighting over them.
This is a healthy dish as long as you don’t go crazy with the sauce that’s poured over it.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN PORK IS DONE?
Pork is done when it has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. It’s helpful to have a meat thermometer so that it’s easy to measure the temperature.
OTHE PORK RECIPES:
- Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
- Grilled Pork Medallions
- Balsamic Roasted Pork Loin
- Root Beer Pork Sandwiches
- Crispy Pork Carnitas
- Cafe Rio’s Sweet Barbacoa Pork
Mojo Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2-3 pound pork tenderloin
- 2-3 large sweet onions
Marinade:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 8 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- For the marinade: In a small pot heat the oil, garlic, and cumin. Let the mixure simmer for 2-3 minutes then stir in all of the remaining ingredients except the cilantro and bring to a boil. Remove marinade from the heat and stir in the cilantro after it cools. Pour marinade over pork either in a covered container or in a large Ziploc bag and marinate in the fridge for at least 24 hours.
- For the pork: After at least 24 hours, remove the pork from marinade, reserving marinade for later use. Preheat the grill to medium heat. Sear the tenderloin on all sides and continue to grill over medium heat for about 20-30 minutes rotating meat when needed until cooked thoroughly until internal temperature has reached 145 degrees F. The cooking time will vary depending how thick your tenderloin is. You want it to be slightly firm not gushy when you touch it with the grilling tongs. You want it to be cooked but not dry. Let pork rest for a couple of minutes before slicing so that the juices can settle back in. Slice pork into 1/2 inch medallions.
- For the onions: Slice the onions into thick slices and brush with a little bit of oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Grill onions when the pork is almost done so that they finish at the same time. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side or until soft.
- For the sauce: Take remaining marinade and bring once again to a boil in a small pot. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- To serve: Pour sauce over sliced pork with grilled onions on the side. For a pretty presentation slice limes and oranges and place them on the plate next to the tenderloin and onions.
Notes
Did I miss something? You said to use a two to three pound pork tenderloin. Pork tenderloins are only about a pound each. Did you mean pork loin?
Sorry I misunderstood your question. The recipe calls for 2-3 lbs of pork tenderloin which is usually two pieces in one container of tenderloin.
Made it yesterday. Seared it in a cast iron skillet and finished it in the oven, covered for 25min on 350f. The meat was tender but not much marinade flavor inside the meat. The marinade got bitter after I simmered it for few minutes. Not sure what I did wrong.
Can I sear it in a cast iron skillet and finish it in the oven instead of grilling? And what temperature do you recommend in the oven? Thanks!
This is the kind of pork I use to make Cuban sandwiches. On a baguette, use good mustard, on one side, butter on the other, a few slices of Virginia ham, Gruyere cheese ( you can use Swiss, but why?), shredded pork tenderloin , and dill pickles. Use a panini maker to press the sandwich until the cheese melt. Deliciousness!
Please reserve severalTablespoons of the marinade BEFORE adding the pork tenderloin. Once the meat is tenderized, the marinade has uncooked meat juices which could be very hazardous to your health.
I just “re-found” this in my list of favorites as we’re looking for something to grill tomorrow. I’ve made this a couple of times now and its delicious!
Thanks for sharing this woderful reciepe. let me try it
I’m confused. Your recipe says “tenderloin”, your picture shows 2 tenderloins, but no way is one tenderloin 2-3 pounds. In the comments, you said you meant pork loin. But then you didn’t edit the recipe to reflect that. Which is it?
Sorry that posted to the wrong place!
Sorry I misunderstood your question. The recipe calls for 2-3 lbs of pork tenderloin which is usually two pieces in one container of tenderloin. Each one would be 1 to 2 pounds
I don’t do grilling – Love Pork recipes, got any suggestions for in the house baking???
@Joyce,
You’re right! All of my pork recipes are for grilling. I’ll keep my eye open for some…
You can use this recipe and cook it in the crockpot or oven. Just look up any recipe to get the times or temps
Classic mojo does not have cumin or cilantro in it. Of course three are variants on everything, but your classic Cuban or Caribbean mojo is olive oil, sour orange juice, oregano, salt and pepper. If you don’t have access to sour orange juice (and that is from a particular variety of orange, not orange juice that’s been left out to turn sour) then you use the lime/OJ combo.
So right about the onions. They are soooo tasty and go beautifully with the pork.
Our family loves this and it was a staple this summer! We grilled it for parties and I even made it for our girls’ camp this year. Huge hit! Thanks for sharing:)
Made this today! OMG TO Die for! Even though I forgot to re-read the instructions and I didn’t cook the marinade before hand. It turned out absolutely delish. I did boil the marinade after to go on the pork and mixed it in also with some jasmine rice.
Thanks so much for your recipes. This one went straight to my pin board!!!
Loved this recipe! Thank you!
That first photo is so dreamy! And I agree, how can you pass up on the grilled onions!
I like to love every thing you used! thank you…
This sounds fab, have pinned for another day, thanks.
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I absolutely love your blog! I have never been a big pork person, but this recipe makes me want to be! 🙂
I can’t wait to see what else you come up with 🙂
My husband & I moved from Mesa, AZ to Florida for a year when our kids were very young. One of our favorite things there was the mojo sauce! We could pick it up at all the grocery stores & we used it to marinate everything – especially pork! But we have never been able to find it back home and I’ve been missing it for years. I’ll definitely be trying this recipe soon – I have a port tenderloin in the freezer. Thank you!
this looks SO good! mmm!
This will make the perfect freezer recipe. Can’t wait to share it with my co-op cooking group. Love that you boil the marinade. I don’t like wasting all that flavor! And I won’t be skipping the onions, thank you very much 😉
I have only quite recently gotten into pork, so I love to see new recipes to try. This one looks great!