Pernil Puerto Rican Roast Pork- Herb and spice marinated pork shoulder slowly roasted in the oven until tender and fall of the bone delicious -with an Amazing Crisp and Crackling Skin.
What can I say? I couldn’t pass up on a good pork sale; in my neck of the wood they are going for 79 cents a pound. So I got a 10 pound pork and split it in half . Cooking it up Puerto Rican Style. Above is one half- with super crispy skin , roasted on top of a rack ,
and below is the other half cooked in a cast iron 12 inch pan.
And it’s all about the super pork skin for me- they are Crispy , Crackling and Sensational. All these descriptives and more.
Pernil is a really tasty and super easy way of cooking up pork shoulder or butt with tons of flavor.
The spice blend does all the heavy lifting work for you. Once you rub the spices onto the pork, you don’t even need to sear the pork.
You are still going to be rewarded with a nice crispy skin and juicy tender meat
Traditionally , Pernil is made with sour orange, however, it’s hard to find sour orange outside of the Islands, especially here, in the U.S. So most people sub lime -juice and orange to equate the sour orange taste. Or most modern recipes just use lime or vinegar.
I purposely leave out the sour taste . It goes way beyond that the garlic, cumin and salt alone is good enough to get this going. To please everyone , I do serve lime on the side .
Don’t forget to crank up the heat towards the end of roasting to achieve ultra crispness .
Since it’s a festive dish plan on adding it to the menu this easter season. Do serve it with this Puerto Rican Beans here 
You will be glad you did.
Enjoy!
- 5-6 pounds pork shoulder bone-in
- 2 teaspoons salt or more
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves or 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 Tablespoon parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 Tablespoon-smoked paprika
- 5-7 medium garlic cloves whole
- 1- teaspoon cumin spice
- ½ teaspoon chili pepper or more adjust to taste
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 packet Sazon Goya optional
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium orange optional
- Lime for serving.
- Olive oil as needed.
-
Pulse, 1/4 cup onion, garlic, oregano and parsley together in a food processor, adding oil in a drizzle and scraping down sides as necessary, until mixture is pasty or use a mortar /pilon and pestle grind the spices.
-
Mix in cumin, chili, sazon and paprika Set aside.
-
Remove pork from packaging and gently rinse pork under cold water.
-
Dry with a paper napkin or towel. Salt and Pepper according to preference – about ½- 3/4 teaspoon per pound.
-
Then do your best to rub oregano and garlic mixture into the scorings.
-
When ready to roast, remove pork from the fridge and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
-
Then do your best to rub oregano and garlic mixture into the scorings.
-
Refrigerate the pork shoulder, for about 4 hours or up to 3 days before roasting.
-
When ready to roast, remove pork from the fridge and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
-
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Cover a roasting pan with foil, then layer sliced onions at the bottom on the pan add about ½ cup orange juice and about 1/2 cup stock or water.
-
Add any remaining marinade. You might have to add some more as it cooks if you want some reserve to serve with the marinade.
-
Place pork skin side up in the pan. remove any seasoning on top of pork skin.
-
Roast the pork for about 3 hours or more, uncovered.
Remove from the oven and let oven preheat to 500 degrees.
-
Place back in the oven; let it roast for up to 15- 20 minutes until skin is crisp and puffy, rotating pan every 5 minutes, for even crispness.
-
Let meat rest for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting it up; meat should be tender. Serve with lime and sauce from marinate
-
If you want super crispy skin Just like you see in picture one. Do the following ;place pork on top of roast pan or place on a rack in a pan, instead before roasting
Would you please be my next door neighbor? That looks so good!
Anytime Lisa!!
This looks so good! I love slow roasted pork and that crackling skin is the best part.
You and me both. Crackling skin in the best part.
That looks like one delicious pot roast! You have my mouth watering!
It sure is Jillian.
I need this in my life….yesterday! Wow! The flavors on the pork are super intense and I can imagine how amazing they are when the pork gets crispy!!! Thanks for sharing 🙂 Pinning for later!
Thanks for Pinning Nicole
Oh my god that looks incredible!! The crispy, crackly skin looks amazing and super juicy all at the same time. Also can I just say, gorgeous photos!
Thanks Laura.
I’ll be the first to admit I know nothing about Puerto Rican food but there is nothing on that ingredients list that doesn’t get my juices flowing. Might try this out on the in-laws next time they are round for a roast
Mm, tasty!
Now this is how to cook pork.
I’m going to make this beautiful pork dish for our Sunday lunch. Can’t wait. Looking to use whole peppercorns, plantains, and cilantro cream too – let you know how it turns out.
I have it in the oven now…smells mouthwatering!!!
It’s going to taste even better! Bonne Appetite!!!
Want to cook the pork shoulder Puerto Rican style but my my pork shoulder is 10 lb
Double the ingredients or split in half .
I’m sorry, but I am very confused. The pictures look to show two different dishes, one where the roast is scored, one where it is not. Is this two different dishes or two different methods of preparing the same dish? Your instructions describe two different methods, but that also is very confusing. Method 1 seems to end after putting the roast in the pan. Are the different methods just a choice between putting the pork on top of onions and onions or of putting it in a roasting rack? In that case, Method 1 could be numbered step 10a and Method 2 could be numbered step 10b. Then step 2 and after under Method 2 would actually apply to both methods and could be better numbered steps 11-14.
Also, you never actually say when to score the meat. Is it just for one method? If so, which method?
As I re-read this again, it seems to me that the second part of step 8 (after preheating) and maybe all of step 9 are actually a part of Method 1 only. Is that right?
Finally, step 9 is confusing. Are you saying to mix the marinade with the orange juice and stock before cooking, then add more stock as it cooks if we want to be able to serve this as a pan sauce?
Sorry to seem so critical but your dish looks delicious and if I’m going to try it, which I would like to do, I want to be sure to do it right.
Hi Mitch! Not critical all . I have gone back and rewritten the recipe to make it clearer. Do let me know how it works out for you. thanks!
Love pernil but after many years as a New Yorker and numerous friends/relatives of Latino decent, all types .. always have I heard low temp for 8-10 hours after marinated for a day or two. Last 15 minutes ..cold water splashed on the fat and back in hot oven to get the chicharrones.
Thanks for the tip Laura!
Are we supposed to eat the skin?
Yes you are !