Cuban-style mojo pork made fast in the Instant Pot, with Coca-Cola in the mojo for a sticky, caramelized glaze. Pile it on charred corn tortillas with pickled red onions and a tart cilantro-lime crema. It was built to sit next to a creamy Sri Lankan shrimp curry at a dinner party, but it holds its own anywhere you need a crowd-friendly entree.
At a Glance
Yield
6 to 8 servings (about 16 to 24 tacos)
Active time
40 minutes
Total time
About 2 hours
Equipment
6-quart or larger Instant Pot, sheet pan, blender
Make ahead
Pork reheats well in its juices. Crema keeps for days.
Ingredients
Pork
Ingredient
Amount
Boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2 to 3 inch chunks
3 to 4 lb
Kosher salt
1 tbsp
Black pepper
1 tsp
Ground cumin
1 tbsp
Dried oregano
2 tsp
Olive oil, for searing
1 to 2 tbsp
Coca-Cola (regular, not diet)
3/4 cup
Fresh lime juice
1/4 cup
Orange juice
1/4 cup
Garlic cloves, smashed
8 to 10
Olive oil, for the mojo
1/4 cup
Jalapenos, seeded
2
Yellow onion, sliced (optional)
1
Cilantro-Lime Crema
Ingredient
Amount
Sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 cup
Fresh cilantro, packed
1 cup
Lime
1 (juice and zest)
Garlic clove
1
Kosher salt
pinch
To Serve
Ingredient
Amount
Corn tortillas
16 to 24
Shredded cabbage
2 cups
Pickled red onions (store-bought)
to taste
Lime wedges
to taste
Sliced jalapenos or hot sauce
to taste
Cotija or queso fresco (optional)
to taste
Diced pineapple or mango (optional)
to taste
Method
Season and sear the pork. Toss the pork chunks with the salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the pork in batches, without crowding the pan, until browned on a couple of sides. Move each batch to the Instant Pot.
Add the mojo. Whisk the Coca-Cola, lime juice, orange juice, and olive oil together. Add the garlic, seeded jalapenos, and sliced onion (if using) to the pot with the pork, then pour the liquid over everything.
Pressure cook. Seal and cook on high pressure for 50 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then vent the rest.
Shred and reduce. Move the pork to a bowl and shred it with two forks. Switch the pot to sauté and simmer the cooking liquid for 12 to 15 minutes, until it turns thick and glossy. Toss the pork back in.
Broil for crisp edges. Spread the pork on a sheet pan and broil 5 to 8 minutes until the edges brown and crisp. Watch it closely, because the sugar in the Coke makes it go from caramelized to burnt quickly. Finish with a squeeze of lime and taste for salt.
Make the crema. Blend the sour cream or yogurt, cilantro, lime juice and zest, garlic, and salt until smooth. Keep it tart and loose enough to drizzle.
Warm the tortillas. Char them in a dry skillet or over a gas flame until soft and lightly blistered. Wrap in a towel and keep in a low oven so they stay pliable. Double them up if they are thin.
Build. Tortilla, pork, cabbage, pickled onions, crema, and whatever else you like.
Notes
Use regular Coke. Diet will not caramelize or reduce into a glaze.
Balance the sweetness. The Coke version runs sweeter than a plain orange and lime mojo. The pickled onions, extra lime, and tart crema are what keep it in check, and the jalapenos in the pot add some heat to balance it.
Prefer more savory? Use half Coke and half orange juice.
Sear in batches. Crowding the skillet steams the pork instead of browning it, and the browning adds a lot of flavor to the finished sauce.
Do not skip the broiler. Pressure-cooked pork needs the crispy edges for texture.
Pot size. A 6-quart pot tops out around 4 lb of pork. For a bigger crowd, cook in two batches.
Timing for a party. Start about 2 hours before serving. The pork holds on keep warm for an hour in its juices, then broil right before serving.
What to serve with it. Plain white rice, a cucumber or fennel-citrus salad, and lime wedges. It pairs well next to a creamy coconut curry, since the tart crema and pickled onions cut the richness.
Plan on 2 to 3 tacos per person, so 20 to 24 tortillas for 8 people.