Pernil is what my family enjoys every year for Christmas Eve! A delicious well seasoned roasted pork shoulder with very crispy skin. You may marinate it up to two days in advance. 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 best and 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, crispy, and succulent.
- You can slice or shred the meat and then place it back in the baking dish with the juices it released while baking.
- It’s an inexpensive cut of meat.
- Over 40 grams of protein.
- Low Carb and Keto-friendly recipe.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
- 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.
How to Make – Step by Step
- To make the mojo (pernil marinade) simply mix the orange juice, lime juice, minced garlic, oregano, Sazon goya, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Remove the pork skin 3/4s of the way and make several 1-inch cuts into the pork.
- Season the pork generously with salt and pepper all over and then pour the mojo marinade over the pork. Refrigerate for a minimum of 10 hours.
- Place the skin back in place, cover with aluminum foil, and bake until the internal temperature reaches 185-200 degrees F. The juices should run clear with no blood. Uncover the final 40 minutes and bake until the skin is nice and crispy.
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.
- Although you should always season to taste, I like to use 1 tsp of salt for each pound of meat.
- Let the meat sit for 10-15 minutes before slicing or shredding.
- If shredding the meat, make sure you place it back into the pan along with juices.
- Baste the pork every 40 minutes and add water to the bottom of the pan if necessary.
- Marinate for a minimum of 10 hours up to 3 days.
- During the final 40 minutes, uncover and increase the oven temperature so the skin gets extra crispy.
- 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.
- Don’t want to make homemade mojo? Use some store-bought mojo.
- 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.
- If you have homemade sofrito, add 1/4 cup or as much you like. It will add so much flavor.
Can You Make This Ahead Of Time?
Marinating this pork shoulder overnight is a must. However, I highly recommend baking this pork shoulder the day you plan on serving it.
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 40 minutes 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
- 7-9 lb Pork Shoulder
- 2 oranges
- 4 limes
- 7 garlic cloves
- 1 envelope Sazon Goya
- 1/2 tbsp oregano
- 1/2 tbsp onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- To make the marinade, squeeze the juice of the oranges and lime and stir in the minced garlic, oregano, granulated onion, Sazon, salt, and pepper.
- Remove the skin 3/4s of the way and then make several 1 inch deep cuts using a sharp knife into the pork shoulder.
- Season the pork all over with salt and pepper generously and then pour over the marinade.
- Place the skin back in place, cover with aluminum foil and place it in the fridge for a minimum of 10hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Let the pork shoulder come to room temperature and then place it in the oven, baste every 40 minutes, and cook until a thermometer registers 195 degrees F.
- Slice the pork into slices or shred it and enjoy!
Video
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.
- Although you should always season to taste, I like to use 1 tsp of salt for each pound of meat.
- Let the meat sit for 10-15 minutes before slicing or shredding.
- If shredding the meat, make sure you place it back into the pan along with juices.
- Baste the pork every 40 minutes and add water to the bottom of the pan if necessary.
- Marinate for a minimum of 10 hours up to 3 days.
- During the final 40 minutes, uncover and increase the oven temperature so the skin gets extra crispy.
- 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.
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