Cuban recipe

Cuban Completa with Fried Pork Chunks, Congrí, Cassava with Mojo and Tomato Salad

Name: Cuban Completa with Fried Pork Chunks, Congrí, Cassava with Mojo and Tomato Salad
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 160 min
Ingredients: 1 cup dried red beans (about 200 g), soaked since the night before; 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice, rinsed; 2 ½ cups of the bean cooking broth; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 1 small green pepper, finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 2 tablespoons oil; 1 ½ teaspoons salt; 800 g pork chunks, in pieces of about 4 cm; 6 garlic cloves, crushed; ½ cup sour orange juice; 1 ½ teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; ½ teaspoon ground pepper; 1 cup oil for frying; 1 kg cassava, peeled and cut into pieces; 1 teaspoon salt for boiling the cassava; 6 garlic cloves, crushed; ⅓ cup oil; ⅓ cup sour orange juice; ½ teaspoon salt; 4 ripe tomatoes, sliced or in wedges; ½ onion, in thin half-moons; 1 tablespoon vinegar; 2 tablespoons oil; 1 pinch of salt

Garlic-fried pork chunks with loose-grained congrí, cassava with garlic and sour orange mojo, and tomato salad: the complete plate of the Cuban table.

CiberCubaNovember 11, 2026

AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Preparation40 min
Cooking2 h
Total time2 h 40 min
Servings4 servings
DifficultyMedium

The Cuban Completa is that Sunday plate that brings everything together on one plate: loose-grained congrí rice, well-browned pork chunks, cassava bathed in mojo and a fresh tomato salad. Each component has its own point of doneness, and together they make up one of the most beloved meals of the Creole table.

The fried pork chunks are marinated with garlic, sour orange and salt, left to absorb flavor and fried until crisp on the outside and tender inside. They are the centerpiece of the plate and call for good cassava with mojo and loose congrí on the side.

This version is designed for four people and breaks down the soaking, marinating and cooking times so you can coordinate everything and serve it all hot at once.

Method

Congrí

The night before, rinse the red beans and soak them in plenty of cold water for 8-12 hours in the refrigerator.
Drain and rinse the beans, put them in a pot with fresh water (about 5 cups) and bring to a boil. Keep a vigorous boil for at least 30 minutes and continue at a gentle boil until tender, about 60-90 minutes in total. Add hot water if needed to keep them covered. Set aside the beans and their broth.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
In a wide pot, heat the oil and sauté the onion, pepper and garlic until soft and fragrant. Add the cumin and oregano.
Add the rinsed and drained rice, the drained cooked beans, 2½ cups of the measured cooking broth and the salt. Top up that amount of broth with water if necessary. Raise the heat until it boils.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
When the broth is almost completely absorbed and bubbles appear, lower the heat to the minimum, cover and cook about 20 minutes without stirring. Check that the rice is tender, let it rest 5 minutes off the heat and fluff the grains with a fork.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Pork chunks

Mix the pork chunks with the garlic, sour orange juice, salt, cumin and pepper. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Take the meat out of the marinade, discard the leftover liquid, and drain and pat the surface dry with paper towel. Heat the oil in a deep skillet or caldero over medium heat, without letting it smoke.
Fry the pork chunks in batches, without crowding, for about 15-20 minutes, turning them and adjusting the heat so they do not burn. Check for at least 63 °C in the center of a thick piece with a thermometer; extend the cooking if needed. Drain on paper towel and let rest 3 minutes before serving.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Cassava with mojo

Cover the peeled cassava with water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Boil about 25-30 minutes, or until very tender. Drain it, discard the cooking water and remove the tough central fiber. Keep it warm.
For the mojo, heat the oil in a small saucepan over low heat and cook the garlic about 1 minute, only until fragrant, without burning it. Remove from the heat, let it lose its intense heat and add the sour orange juice little by little and carefully. Add the salt and mix.
Pour the warm mojo over the hot, drained cassava and mix gently.

Salad and serving

Cut the tomatoes into slices or wedges and mix them with the onion, vinegar, oil and salt just before serving.
Serve on each plate the hot congrí, pork chunks and cassava with mojo, alongside the fresh tomato salad.

Tips and variations

Organization and timing: soak the beans for 8 to 12 hours in the refrigerator and marinate the meat for at least 2 hours, also refrigerated; both tasks can be done the day before. The 160 minutes indicated cover the coordinated preparation and cooking on the day, not including those earlier resting times. Start with the beans and then prepare the congrí and the cassava; fry the pork chunks last.

Water and broth: to cook the beans you initially need about 5 cups of fresh water, separate from the soaking water, and more hot water if needed. Measure 2½ cups of the resulting broth for the congrí; if there is not enough, top up with water. For the cassava, use enough water to cover it.

Frying: drain the meat and pat the surface dry before bringing it near the oil. Fry in batches without letting the oil smoke. The time is approximate: check with a thermometer for at least 63 °C in the center of a thick piece and let it rest 3 minutes before serving; the outer browning alone does not confirm it is cooked.

Cassava and mojo: boil the cassava until very tender, discard the water and remove the tough central fiber. Warm the garlic gently without burning it and add the citrus little by little, off the heat and once the oil has lost its intense heat.

Storage: refrigerate the congrí and pork chunks promptly in shallow containers; eat them within 2 days and reheat thoroughly to the center. Prepare the salad at the last moment and serve it fresh, not hot.