Mojo Pork Empanadas

Step 1

Rinse the pork in cool water.

Step 2

Pat dry with a paper towel.

Step 3

Transfer to a Tuperware container of zip-top bag.

Step 4

Make small, shallow slices into the pork tenderloin, just along the surface.

Step 5

Combine orange juice, lime juice, garlic, onion, cumin, salt and pepper in a food processor to make the mojo sauce

Step 6

Pour the mojo sauce over your pork in a Tupperware or zip-top bag to marinate overnight.

Step 7

Cook pork with mojo sauce in a slow cooker (crock pot) on low for 6 hours (or an Instapot for about 20 minutes)

Step 8

Shred pork after it is finished slow cooking

Step 9

Strain pork juices into a sauce pan

Step 10

Heat juices on medium high, allowing juices to reduce by about half.

Step 11

Set juices aside until assembling your empanadas

Step 12

Combine all ingredients in a food processor.

Step 13

Pulse a few times for a rough chop until pepper and cilantro is chopped up, but not a paste.

Step 14

Add sofrito to shredded pork, mixing in a ½ cup of the reduced mojo sauce juices too.

Step 15

Allow pork to sit and soak up all the new flavors for at least 30 minutes.

Step 16

Preheat your oven to 400F degrees

Step 17

Break dough into even sized balls (about 3 tbsps in size)

Step 18

On a flour surface, roll your dough balls into circles (about 5 inches in diameter) using a rolling pin. Rounds will be uneven, which is OK.

Step 19

Separate each flat empanada with parchment paper if you want to make all discs at once.

Step 20

Add the pork on one half of each empanada (leaving a bit of lip on the edge)

Step 21

Whisk an egg white to use as “glue” on the lip of each empanada (basically, grab a pastry brush or use your finger to dip into the egg white and run along the inide edge of the empanada wrapper.)

Step 22

Fold empanada wrapper in half, pressing the two sides together.

Step 23

Curl the edge to seal (or you can use a fork to pinch it shut)

Step 24

Whisk an egg yolk with 2 tsp of water to create an egg wash

Step 25

Brush top of empanada with egg wash

Step 26

Bake for 20 minutes or until tops are golden brown

Step 27

Serve warm with mojito sauce (or chimichurri!)