Ingredients
Juice
- 12sour oranges, naranja agria
- or 8 oranges and 6 limes, as a substitute
To season
- 2 tablespoonssalt
- 6garlic cloves, crushed, optional
- 1 teaspoondried oregano, optional
- 1hot pepper, optional
Equipment
- a citrus press
- a fine sieve
- clean bottles
Directions
- Use roughly two parts orange to one part lime. Roll each orange firmly on the counter first. Cut them in half across the middle. Press them out on a citrus press. Do not press so hard that you crush the pith.
- Pour the juice through a fine sieve. Leave some fine pulp in for body. Strain it twice for a cleaner juice. Add the salt to the strained juice.
- Stir until it has completely dissolved. Do not reduce it significantly. Taste it and check that it is clearly salty. Others add oregano or a whole hot pepper.
- Make a plain batch and season smaller portions. Pour the juice into clean dry bottles. Fill them nearly up to the top.
- Seal them tightly with the caps. Storing it is easy enough to do. Keep it in the refrigerator always. It lasts about a month refrigerated.
- Use that version within two weeks. Frozen cubes keep for six months. Rub it into chicken or pork before cooking.
- Let the meat sit in it for an hour. Sprinkle it over fried fish at the table. Add it to sofrito as it cooks. Use it in place of lime in a marinade.
Technique
- Sour orange is used as the standard acid across much of the Spanish Caribbean, including Cuba and Puerto Rico.
- The Dominican habit of salting and bottling it keeps it usable through the year rather than only in season.
Substitutions
- Bottled sour orange juice is sold in Latin American shops and works directly.
- Two parts orange juice to one part lime juice is the usual home substitute.
Variations
- A version with garlic and oregano is used specifically for meat.
- Some households add a whole hot pepper to the bottle.
- Cuban mojo uses the same juice with garlic and oil as a dressing.
History
Sour orange arrived with the Spanish and became the Dominican souring agent for meat, fish and seasoning bases.
Frequently asked questions
What is Agrio de naranja?
Agrio de naranja is a sauce & condiment from Dominican Republic: salted sour orange juice used to season and to sprinkle at the table. Sour orange arrived with the Spanish and became the Dominican souring agent for meat, fish and seasoning bases.
How long does Agrio de naranja take to make?
Agrio de naranja takes 20 minutes of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes about 750 ml. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Agrio de naranja?
Yes, within limits. Bottled sour orange juice is sold in Latin American shops and works directly. Two parts orange juice to one part lime juice is the usual home substitute.
What is the most important thing to get right in Agrio de naranja?
Use roughly two parts orange to one part lime. Roll each orange firmly on the counter first. Cut them in half across the middle. Press them out on a citrus press. Do not press so hard that you crush the pith.
