Habanero Mojo Criollo

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This Caribbean citrus sauce works wonders as a marinade for meat, fish, poultry, and vegetables. Try to use fresh-squeezed juice as it makes a ton of difference in the taste.

Habanero Mojo Criollo

6 cloves garlic
Juice of 3 oranges (about 3/4 cup)
Juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup)
1 Habanero pepper, seeded and deveined (wear latex gloves for this)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Put the salt and garlic in a food processor and pulse until the garlic is minced. Add the remaining ingredients and give them a whirl until they are well-combined.

Pour into a screw-top container (I use a pint canning jar) and refrigerate for at least an hour to give all the flavors time to meld. Shake well before using.

Mojo Chicken

1 3-5 pound roasting chicken
1 cup Habanero Mojo Criollo

Clean and rinse the chicken, then pat it dry. Place the bird in front of you, breast side down. Cut up through the backbone with either a pair of kitchen shears or a sharp chef’s knife. Open the chicken like a book and flip it over so it’s breast side up. Half the chicken by cutting through the breast bone.

Put the chicken halves in a Ziploc bag and coat with the mojo. Squeeze the air out of the bag and seal. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, overnight is best.

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Set your grill up for a indirect cook over medium-high (400°F) heat. Put the halved on the grill skin side up. Close the lid and cook for 15 minutes. Flip and cook skin side down for another 15 minutes. Flip skin side up and cook until the internal temperature has reached 160°F in the breast and 180°F in the thigh, about another 30 minutes.

When the chicken is done, remove it to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes. Quarter the bird for serving.

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3 thoughts on “Habanero Mojo Criollo”

  1. Love the meat-centric blog you have here. My blog similarly meaty, but mostly reviews instead of recipes. I’m gonna add you to my blogroll though, so feel free to do the same for me, unvegan.com.

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