Description
Learn how to make this moist and juicy Pernil, a traditional Puerto Rican roasted bone-in pork shoulder with that signature crisp chicharrón skin on top. The marinade comes together with a blend of adobo, garlic, and lots of fresh oregano. Don’t skimp on the marinating time (12 hours minimum!) —this is the secret to that fall-apart tender texture.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 16 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano, minced
- 3 tbsp adobo seasoning
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp achiote oil (or olive, vegetable, canola, etc.)
- 1/4 cup sofrito
- 2 cups vinegar to clean the pork
- 1 (10-12 lb) pork shoulder
- 1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice or water
Instructions
- Make the marinade: Combine garlic, oregano, adobo and half of the salt in a pilon (mortar & pestle) or food processor and mash until evenly combined. Mix in the oil and sofrito.
- Prep the pork: Wash the pork in a bowl in the sink with cold water and vinegar. Pat dry with paper towels before peeling back the thick piece of fat on top of the pork with a sharp knife. Pull back the fat and insert the knife deep into the meat. Repeat this about 15 times throughout the surface and sides of the pork shoulder.
- Marinate the pork: With the pork in a baking dish, rub the marinade all around, making sure to push it into the deep cuts made earlier, but avoiding the top of the fat cap. Set the fat cap on top of the meat and pat dry with paper towels before sprinkling with the remaining salt.
- Marinate over night: Cover with foil and marinate in the fridge for at least 12 hours, or up to 3 days (the longer the better).
- Roast the pernil: Pull the pork from the fridge to bring to room temperature before preheating your oven to 325°F. Pour the orange juice or water in the basin of the roasting pan (be careful to not get the skin wet). Pat the skin dry with a paper towel once more, removing any excess salt and moisture. Roast covered with aluminum foil, basting every couple of hours for 4-5 hours or until it reaches an internal temperature of 175°F.
- Crisp the skin: Turn the temperature up to 400°F, remove the foil from the baking sheet, and bake on a middle rack for 1 hour or until the fat becomes crispy and bubbly, and the pork inside is fork tender. Check regularly to make sure the skin doesn’t burn.
- Let it rest: Remove the dish from the oven, transfer the pork to a clean cutting board, wrap with foil and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. Shred the pork with forks and cut the crispy fat cap into pieces with kitchen scissors. Buen provecho!
