Puerto Rican Pernil (Roast Pork)
Puerto Rican Pernil is a classic dish featuring slow-roasted, marinated pork shoulder with a crispy skin. It’s packed with flavorful herbs and spices, making it a favorite for festive occasions.
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Servings: 8 people
Calories: 420kcal
Equipment
- Roasting Pan A large roasting pan with a rock to cook the pork evenly and allow the juices to drip
- Aluminum Foil Used to tent the pork during certain stages of cooking to keep it moist
- Sharp Knife For making deep incisions in the por for seasoning and serving
- Blender or Food Processor If you're making a marinade or seasoning paste that requires blending
- Garlc Press Useful for easily incorporating garlic into your marinade
- Cutting Board For prepping the pork and other ingredients
- mixing bowls For preparing the marinade and seasoning the pork
- Measuring Spoons and Cups FOr accurate measurement of spices and other ingredients
- Plastic Wrap To cover and marinate the pork
- Optional: Meat Injector For injecting marinade deep into the pork for extra flavor
- Optional: Kitchen Twine If you want to tie the pork shoulder for neater presentation
- Optional: Meat Thermometer To ensure the pork reaches the desired internal temperature for doneness
Ingredients
- 6-8 pounds 1 bone-in pork shoulder
- 8-10 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 cups orange juice or a mixture of orange and lime juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the minced garlic, dried oregano, ground cumin, paprika, salt, black pepper, sour orange juice, and olive oil. Mix well to create the marinade.
- Using a sharp knife, make deep slits all over the pork shoulder. These slits will allow the marinade to penetrate the meat.
- Rub the marinade all over the pork, making sure to get it into the slits you’ve made. Massage the meat thoroughly to ensure even seasoning.
- Place the sliced onions and bay leaves in the bottom of a large roasting pan.
- Put the marinated pork shoulder on top of the onions and bay leaves in the roasting pan.
- Cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil and refrigerate the pork to marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Remove the aluminum foil from the roasting pan, and cover it with a fresh piece of foil.
- Roast the pork in the preheated oven for about 4-5 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). You can periodically baste the pork with the pan juices for extra flavor.
- After the initial roasting time, increase the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and roast uncovered for an additional 30 minutes to get a crispy skin.
- Once the pork is cooked and the skin is crispy, remove it from the oven and let it rest for about 20 minutes before slicing.
- Carve and serve the Puerto Rican Pernil alongside your favorite side dishes, such as arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas) and tostones (fried green plantains).
Notes
You can find sour orange juice in many Latin or Hispanic grocery stores. If it’s not available, you can use a mixture of regular orange and lime juice as a substitute.
Nutrition
Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 520mg | Potassium: 900mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 15mg
