Pernil is what I cook for my family every year on Christmas Eve! A delicious well seasoned roasted pork shoulder with very crispy skin.
This pernil is a Holiday favorite along with congri and coquito.
Pernil is a bone-in slow-roasted marinated pork traditionally served during the holidays. Extremely popular in Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.
It’s great for large parties because it is a big piece of meat that can serve a lot of people.
Undoubtedly the most delicious meal you can serve your guests. The absolute best part about this recipe is the leftovers. You can make great Cuban sandwiches with leftover pernil.
Why I Love This Pernil Recipe
- The meat is tender, juicy, and succulent.
- You can slice or shred the meat and then place it back in the baking dish with the juices it releases while baking.
- It’s an inexpensive cut of meat.
- Over 40 grams of protein.
- Low Carb and Keto-friendly recipe.
- No need to marinate it overnight or baste it while it bakes.
- It’s made with a delicious homemade sour orange marinade aka mojo.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Bone-in Pork Shoulder – the shoulder picnic cut of the pig.
- Oranges and limes, juiced – make sure to use fresh.
- Garlic, minced – fresh
- Sazon Goya – this can be found in the Hispanic section of your local grocery store.
Top Tips And Flavor Variations
- Pull the skin back from the pork shoulder and pierce slits into the flesh. That’s going to help the marinade penetrate the pernil.
- Let the meat sit for 10-15 minutes before shredding.
- If shredding the meat, make sure you place it back into the pan along with juices.
- Make sure you use a bone-in pork shoulder or pork butt. Although, it’s part of the shoulder meat it is also known as pork butt.
- Let the pork sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking. Cold pork will take longer to roast and can cook unevenly.
- Make sure the garlic chunks get into the slits.
What Can I Serve This With?
I love serving this with white rice and Cuban black beans but a lot of folks enjoy this with arroz con gandules.
What Cut Of Meat Is Pernil?
Pernil is a marinated pork leg or pork shoulder.
Do You Cook Pernil Covered Or Uncovered?
A mixture of both, I like to cook the pernil covered until it’s fully cooked through and then I uncover it for the final hour to get that skin nice and crackling.
What’s The Difference Between Lechon And Pernil?
Lechon is a Spanish word referring to a roasted baby pig. A lot of people know it as “lechon asado” which simply means roasted pig. Pernil just means a pork shoulder or pork leg roasted while lechon is an entire pig.
Storage and Reheating
Any leftovers should be placed in an air-tight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply microwave or bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes.
More Delicious Pork Recipes:
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Pernil
Ingredients
- 8 lb Pork Shoulder
- 1 orange juiced
- 3 limes juiced
- 7 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon Sazon Goya
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt plus more for seasoning pork skin
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- To make the marinade, combine the orange juice, lime juice, minced garlic, oregano, Sazon goya, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Remove the pork skin 3/4s of the way and make several 1-inch cuts into the pork.
- Pour the marinade all over the pork except for the skin. The pork skin should remain completely dry. Make sure those garlic chunks get inside the slits.
- Place the skin back in place, pat dry the skin with a paper towel, you want it to be extra dry. Season it with salt and pepper, cover it with aluminum foil, and bake for 4 hours. Once the four hours are up, uncover and bake for 1 hour. After the 1 hour, increase the temperature to 450 degrees F. and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the skin is nice and crispy.
- Once the skin is crispy, remove it from the oven and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Slice off the skin and set it aside. Shred the meat and place it in the pan with the juices. Make sure not to get the juices on the pork skin otherwise, it will soften. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Pull the skin back from the pork shoulder and pierce slits into the flesh. That’s going to help the marinade penetrate the pernil.
- Let the meat sit for 10-15 minutes before shredding.
- If shredding the meat, make sure you place it back into the pan along with juices.
- Make sure you use a bone-in pork shoulder or pork butt. Although, it’s part of the shoulder meat it is also known as pork butt.
- Let the pork sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking. Cold pork will take longer to roast and can cook unevenly.
- Make sure the garlic chunks get into the slits.
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