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Sliced grilled pork tenderloin topped with a chunky green sauce and garnished with chopped herbs, served on a beige plate atop a wooden surface.

Pork Chop with Mojo de Ajo

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A juicy, bone-in pork chop marinated in a citrusy garlic mojo, then pan-seared and roasted for that perfect crust. Finished with a silky, garlicky reduction that begs to be spooned over everything.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 2
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Meat
Cuisine: Californian, Latin
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Mojo de Ajo
  • ½ cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
  • 30 cloves Garlic peeled
  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoon Lime Juice
  • ½ cup Orange Juice
  • 1 teaspoon Oregano dried
  • ½ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • Kosher Salt to taste
For the Pork Chops
  • 2 Pork Chops bone-in
  • ¾ tablespoon Black Pepper freshly ground
  • 2 tablespoon Kosher Salt
  • 1½ teaspoon Cumin ground
  • 1½ tablespoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 tablespoon Onion Powder
  • 1 tablespoon Oregano dried
  • 3 tablespoon Avocado Oil
  • ¼ cup Onion chopped
  • 2 cloves Garlic finely chopped
  • ¼ cup White Wine
  • 1 tablespoon Parsley finely chopped

Equipment

  • Cast iron skillet
  • Meat Thermometer
  • Blender or fork (for mojo)
  • Oven

Method
 

Make the Mojo de Ajo
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In an oven-safe skillet, add olive oil and garlic, making sure garlic is submerged. Roast for 45 minutes until soft and golden.
  3. Stir in lime juice and orange juice, return to oven for 15 minutes until slightly thickened.
  4. Let cool slightly, then smash garlic into a rough paste. Stir in oregano and red pepper flakes. Season with salt.
Marinate the Pork
  1. Add ¾ cup of the mojo to a sealable bag with pork chops. Marinate in the fridge for 1 to 24 hours.
Cook the Pork
  1. Mix black pepper, kosher salt, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano in a bowl.
  2. Remove pork chops from marinade, pat dry, and season generously with spice mix.
  3. Heat avocado oil in a cast iron over high heat. Sear pork chops until browned on both sides. You'll know it's ready to flip once it releases from the pan. It sticks because the crust is still forming, so don't nudge it around if it's not releasing. The protein will almost always tell you when it's ready.
  4. Transfer pan to oven and roast until internal temp reaches 145°F. Let rest on a rack.
Make the Sauce
  1. In the same pan, sauté onion for 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until golden.
  2. Pour in remaining mojo and white wine. Simmer until reduced by half and slightly thickened. If you're reducing for a sauce, you're looking for nappe. It coats the back of a spoon, and when you draw your finger through it, it leaves a distinct line. Raw wine throws a sharp scent that pushes your face back. Step away a few seconds, then come in from the side. You'll know it's ready when that scent is gone and you smell the wine's own fruit instead.
Finish
  1. Plate pork chops, spoon sauce over the top, and finish with chopped parsley.

Notes

For seasoning, I always use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you use Morton, use half.
Storage: the mojo sauce keeps in the fridge for up to a week in a sealed jar, it's worth making extra for other dishes. Leftover pork chop is best reheated low and slow, a 300°F oven for a few minutes, so it doesn't dry out. Spoon a little fresh sauce over when serving again.

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