Goya Food Products

[woodburner]

Mojo Criollo mixed with some olive oil is a great marinade for many cuts of meat and fowl. I've just started using it with beef, and it's killer.

Guava paste.... very good, as are the Manzanilla Olives.

List your favorites

woodburner

[Jason Perlow]

Goya brand sodas are excellent, as are their nectars. Their Coco Goya is a must for making Pina Coladas.

They also make great frozen food products as well, I particularly like their empanadas and meat-stuffed potato croquette-like things.

The Mojo Crillolo is a big hit around this house too.

Can't forget Adobo seasoning either.

[woodburner]

I've been using the Mojo for chicken for about 3 years now, and it never ceases to amaze me. I hosted a party for about 50, on Labor Day and decided to try my hand at large scale imitation. I marinated about 40 chicken thighs and 20 breasts in a 5 Gallon beverage cooler for about six hours.

The crowd went crazy.

A few of the women commented that it was some of the best tasting chicken they had ever eaten.

woodburner

[Lexica]

Since reading all the praise for Goya products on eGullet, I've been wanting to try them myself. No luck finding them so far at the supermarket. I think I'm looking in the wrong place, though - forget the supermarket, we need to be shopping at the supermercado! Luckily, we live near the Fruitvale/International District in Oakland. Finding a market where the first language isn't English is pretty easy.

The shopping list so far includes the Mojo Criollo, the adobo seasoning, the guava paste... and I'm poised to copy down further recommendations from this thread.

[KatieLoeb]

I like the Goya olive oil - it has a particular fruity taste that I really like.

The juices are excellent and make for great frozen cocktails.

The recaito and sofrito also come in handy in a pinch.

[NulloModo]

I recently discvered the Recaito and Sorfrito, and they are definately tasty. I'm not positive how to use them authentically, but I just toss them into all sorts of stuff and they add nice flavor.

A word of caution however, the Goya Guacomole found in the frozen foods section is one of the most foul and distasteful things I have ever put between my lips, blech.

[fifi]

I had a recent adventure with the Mojo Criollo here.

The Malta Goya is a great addition to this bean and ham soup I make from the end of the spiral sliced ham I get at Christmas. I use dark beer in it but the Malta Goya gives it an extra malty kick.

The canned beans are the basis for many salsas. Goya seems to get canned beans right.

[woodburner]

I recently discvered the Recaito and Sorfrito, and they are definately tasty.  I'm not positive how to use them authentically, but I just toss them into all sorts of stuff and they add nice flavor.

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Whenever I pass by the Recaito in the market, it beckons me.

I often reflect the notion of me buying ribbed condom's in the 70's and wonder do they really work?

Not a great reflection, but alas, I do wonder.

So.. does Recaito really work, and if so how?

woodburner

[Suzanne F]

When there are no decent tomatoes to be had for homemade salsa, their Pico de gallo is decent. And I like their salsitas -- just bought their ancho version, which is rather different from what I'm used to seeing.

[Daniel]

guava paste.. eaten with cream cheese on saltines.

[Oceangroveguy]

The adobo (all flavors), pico de gallo, and the canned hominy. When I am especially lazy or under the weather, the flavored rices can be the basis of an easy meal

[Mabelline]

sazon flavors. When you have not got 10 hours to stew something, this will give the look and the flavor. Best hominy in a can.

[Daniel]

I can also tell you my least favorite goya product.. I had this about 6 or 7 years ago and i cant imagine they still make it.. Its a Paella where the fish comes in a can and the rice comes in a container.. Really scary stuff.

[Papaya]

guava paste.. eaten with cream cheese on saltines. 

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I love the guava paste with sharp cheddar cheese - I guess it's the same kind of sweet/salty/tangy/creamy combo. Yum!

[NVNVGirl]

Since reading all the praise for Goya products on eGullet, I've been wanting to try them myself. No luck finding them so far at the supermarket. I think I'm looking in the wrong place, though - forget the supermarket, we need to be shopping at the supermercado! Luckily, we live near the Fruitvale/International District in Oakland. Finding a market where the first language isn't English is pretty easy

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Lexica, if you live in Oakland, then check out Safeway....the Mexican food section....I used to live in Napa and they always have Goya brand products. I can't imagine that they don't have them at Safeway in Oakland.

I have a question~ is the Mojo Criollo in a jar or how is is packaged? It sounds interesting. I've used their nectars for years for different drink recipes and found them to be as good as Kern's nectars and less than half the price. Will have to look for the Coco Goya as I've been buying Coco Lopez. The black beans are great for anything you use black beans for. I'm glad to hear so many favorable reviews of their other products that I haven't tried yet!

[Moopheus]

I use a lot of Goya canned chickpeas.

[johnnyd]

Just to add an echo: Sazon flavoring does work magic and the sodas are truly awesome. I can't wait to try the malta on the spiral ham w/bean soup idea and this Mojo that you speak of... best chicken ever? OK, it's on the list.

I've always avoided the Sofrito, thinking I could make it from scratch and it would be better, then I think about how long I've promised myself I'd actually do it, and that little jar is looking awful tempting...

OK, it's on the list.

[bleachboy]

Wow. I have not seen most of these products, and Nashville has a HUGE Hispanic community. The product I buy most often is the Goya black beans, which are the best among the canned variety, IMHO.

[Squeat Mungry]

I have a question~ is the Mojo Criollo in a jar or how is is packaged? It sounds interesting.

It's in a bottle, and I agree: it's great!

Squeat

[Toasted]

I am a big fan of the Goya products, especially their canned cooked beans. They seem less mushy then all the other brands of cooked beans. I also agree that they're seasoning mixes are good and a great value as well.

[pingarina]

Goya beans/hominy are the best. Love the fruit nectars. A bit caloric if you mainline them. Had the family in from New Jersey to our Spanish Harlem apartment last Thanksgiving. I was nervous that they'd freak about parking, the fourth floor walkup, etc. Greeted them with "Barrio Bellinis" made with Prosecco and Goya peach nectar. Ice was broken.

[foolcontrol]

Taro root (Yucca), guanabana puree, empañada wrappers, canned huitlacoche, mango puree.

[Lexica]

I've always avoided the Sofrito, thinking I could make it from scratch and it would be better, then I think about how long I've promised myself I'd actually do it, and that little jar is looking awful tempting...

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Heh. I used to subscribe to The Craft Report, and one of the recurring topics they dealt with was how to deal with people coming into one's booth at a show and saying "I could make this myself for a tenth of the price!"

One artisan responded by posting a sign in their booth: "Of course you could make one at home... but will you?"

[Mabelline]

Dang! I forgot the fidellini/fideo! My oldest daughter swears by it for her Salvadoran cous-in-laws! The huitlacoche is very good for being canned.

[...tm...]

All Goya products I've tried have been at least decent. Of course, I'm not likely to try something like paella in a box, unless I'm looking for something terrible. I think that the canned beans are better than your average canned beans, and use them whenever I really want nachos or burritos immediately. Their "black bean soup" is even better as a nicely flavored black bean topping for the quick nacho fix.