Pernil (Puerto Rican Roast Pork)

Content… What Is It? Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead Instructions Serving and Storage Instructions FAQs What to Serve More Delectable Caribbean Recipes to Try Conclusion Watch How to Make It

What Is Pernil?

Pernil is a marinated pork (typically leg or shoulder) roasted slowly until tender and juicy. Latin Americans, especially in Puerto Rico and Cuba, traditionally serve it at Christmas with arroz con gandules and tostones.

Sour orange is the key ingredient in the marinade. However, it’s hard to find sour oranges outside of the Islands. But you can use a mix of lime and orange for a similar effect. A dash of vinegar with orange juice would also do the trick.

Recipe Ingredients

You may wonder why the list is short, but that’s it! As I said, this is easy to make with simple and not too pricy ingredients.

1. Bone-in Pork Shoulder – This cut is high in fat and ideal for slow cooking. While you could get a boneless roast, the bones contribute a richer flavor and juicier meat.
2. Aromatics – From the word itself, these herbs give additional aroma and flavor. Parsley, oregano, onion, and garlic let you inhale the everlasting fragrance of pernil!
3. Spices – Chili, cumin spice, Sazon Goya, and paprika provide the perfect flavor explosion, and slow cooking allows their flavor to sink all the way to the bone.
4. Lime and Orange – Lime and orange juice do an incredible balancing act and improve the pork’s taste.

How to Make Pernil

Marinate It

• Combine – Pulse ¼ cup onion, garlic, oregano, and parsley in a food processor, drizzling in the oil and scraping down sides as necessary, until the mixture is pasty. A mortar and pestle also work.
• Add the Spices – Mix in cumin, chili, sazon, and paprika. Set aside. (Photo 1)
• Prep the Pork – Remove pork from the packaging and gently rinse pork under cold water. (Photo 2)
• Season – Dry with a paper napkin or towel. Salt and pepper according to your preference – about ½-¾ teaspoon per pound.
• Rub – Then rub your marinade thoroughly over the pork roast, getting it into every nook and cranny you can. (Photos 3-5)
• Marinate – Refrigerate the pork shoulder for about 4 hours (up to 2 days) before roasting.

Roast the Pork

• Room Temperature – When ready to roast, take the pork out of the fridge and set it on the countertop for about 30 minutes.
• Prep the Pan – Preheat oven to 275℉/135℃. Line a roasting pan with foil, then layer the sliced onions and sliced orange at the bottom of the pan. Pour about ½ cup of orange juice and ½ cup of stock or water over it.
• Add Marinade – Add any remaining marinade. You may want to reserve some marinade to add as it cooks so it doesn’t dry out.
• Add the Pork – Place the pork roast skin-side-up in the pan. Remove any seasoning stuck to the top of the pork skin. (Photo 6)
• Roast for 3 hours or more, uncovered.
• Adjust Heat – Remove it from the oven and increase the oven’s heat to 500℉/260℃.
• Roast Again – Place back in the oven. Let it roast for 15-20 minutes until the skin is crisp and puffy, rotating the pan every 5 minutes for even crispness.
• Serve – Let the meat rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting it so the meat’s juice reabsorbs into the roast. Serve with lime and sauce from the marinade.

Recipe Variations

1. Flavor – White wine, butter, and Creole seasoning only make it better.
2. Asian-Style – For extra crunchy skin, do it the Asian way. Oh yes! Simply boil the pork in spices, pat it dry and let it cool. Once cooled, rub rock salt on the pork skin and deep-fry in heated oil until the skin gets an excellent crackle and golden brown finish. Just a warning, though, be careful of the splashing oil. 😉
3. Turn up the Heat – Give your tongue the satisfaction of the right amount of spiciness with a dash of cayenne, ground chipotle for smokey goodness, or chili flakes. 

Tips and Tricks

1. The internal temperature should be 180-185℉/80-85℃ on an instant-read thermometer. But no worries if you don’t have one because this beauty is fork-tender when it’s done.
2. Turning the oven temperature to 400℉/205℃ during the last 15-20 minutes will crisp the skin perfectly, the best part of pernil for Puerto Ricans.
3. You can also make parallel or diamond-shaped slits through the skin of the pork and halfway through the fat. But try not to cut not deep enough to reach the meat to allow the flavor to seep in deeper without damaging the meat.
4. If you want super crispy skin, place the pork roast on top of a rack in the roasting pan.

Make-Ahead Instructions

If you want to marinate the meat but won’t be serving it immediately, you can roast it first until the pork becomes tender and evenly cooked. Then allow the roasted pork shoulder to cool before storing it in the fridge.

When you are ready to serve, roast it again in a preheated 500℉/260℃ oven. To ensure even cooking, you can rotate it four times for 20 minutes (every 5 minutes) until the skin becomes crisp.

Serving and Storage Instructions

Allow the roast to rest for about 10 minutes so the exquisite juices can reabsorb into the meat. Then slice or shred it and spoon the pan juices over it.

If you have leftover pernil, you can store it in the fridge for 3-5 days or freezer for three months.

Thaw frozen leftovers in the fridge overnight. You can reheat leftovers in the microwave, but reheating them in the oven is even better for crispy skin. Pernil leftovers are fantastic on sandwiches, tacos, casseroles, or burritos.

FAQs

What to Serve with Pernil

Aside from arroz con gandules, this sumptuous pernil also pairs well with these simple and easy side dishes below.

1. Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
2. Bacon Broccoli Salad
3. Tostones
4. Southern Corn Salad
5. Coleslaw

More Delectable Caribbean Dishes to Try

1. One-Pot Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice
2. Jibarito Plantain and Steak Sandwich
3. Picadillo
4. Pastelon
5. Jamaican Patties

Conclusion

Pernil is really a family-friendly dish great for holidays. So are you ready to taste that irresistible crispy looking skin? Try it now, and let me know how it turned out in the comments. 😉

Watch How to Make It

This blog post was originally published in March 2016 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.