Puerto Rican FoodCoffee and Sour Orange Pork Shoulder Steaks with Yautía Mofongo and Pickled Red Onion
An original Puerto Rican main dish featuring pork shoulder steaks marinated with Puerto Rican coffee, garlic, and sour orange, seared and glazed in a skillet, served over yautía mofongo with pork cracklings and broth, and topped with quick-pickled red onion. It is deeply savory, citrusy, and distinctly island-style.
Ingredients
- 800 g pork shoulder steaks (en 4 pieces)
- 120 ml strong brewed black coffee (cold or tibio)
- 80 ml sour orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- 18 g fresh garlic, mashed (approx. 5 cloves)
- 2 g dried oregano
- 1 g ground cumin
- 8 g salt (divided)
- 2 g black pepper (divided)
- 30 ml olive oil (divided)
- 15 ml honey
- 120 g red onion, thinly sliced
- 60 ml apple cider vinegar
- 60 ml water (for the encurtido)
- 8 g sugar
- 900 g yautía, peeled and cut in chunks
- 70 g crispy pork cracklings (lightly crushed)
- 180 ml chicken broth (hot)
- 28 g butter
- 8 g culantro, chopped
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
1. In a bowl, mix the black coffee, sour orange juice, mashed garlic, oregano, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and the honey. Add the pork shoulder steaks and coat well. Marinate for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
- 2
2. Meanwhile, make the pickled onion. In a bowl, combine the red onion, apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix well and let stand for 20 minutes, stirring once.
- 3
3. Place the yautía in a pot with enough water to cover it and add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until very tender. Drain and reserve 120 ml (1/2 cup) of the cooking liquid.
- 4
4. In a large mortar and pestle or a sturdy bowl, mash the pork cracklings with the butter and culantro until aromatic. Add the hot yautía gradually and mash until you get a rustic mofongo. Stir in enough hot chicken broth and a little of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten it without making it loose. Adjust with the remaining salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.
- 5
5. Remove the pork from the marinade and reserve the marinade. Pat the steaks lightly dry with paper towels. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
- 6
6. Sear the pork for 3 to 4 minutes per side until nicely browned. Reduce the heat to medium, add the reserved marinade, and cook 6 to 8 minutes more, basting the meat with the sauce, until the pork is fully cooked and reaches a minimum internal temperature of 145°F / 63°C.
- 7
7. For a shinier finish, cook the sauce 1 to 2 additional minutes until it thickens slightly and glazes the pork. Remove from the heat and let the pork rest for 5 minutes.
- 8
8. To serve, divide the yautía mofongo among 4 plates, shaping a mound on each one. Place a pork steak on top or alongside, spoon over some of the coffee and sour orange sauce from the skillet, and finish with the drained pickled red onion.
- 9
9. Serve immediately while hot, with a little extra chopped culantro if desired.
Chef tips
Mashing the yautía while it is still very hot helps the mofongo turn out softer and more cohesive. If the pork steaks are very thick, cover the pan for 2 to 3 minutes at the end so they finish cooking without drying out.
Substitutions
You can substitute the yautía with malanga or a mix of cassava and green plantain, though the flavor will change. If sour orange is unavailable, use half orange juice and half lime juice. Culantro can be replaced with cilantro, though the flavor will be less traditional.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageTempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
Illustrative imageT-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
Illustrative imageVictorinox Fibrox Pro 8" Chef’s Knife
Chopping, slicing and cutting strips
- The knife I use most when cooking
- Chops, slices and cuts into strips
- Keep it sharp and hand-dry it
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