Crispy, juicy Puerto Rican Pernil (Roast Pork) is slow roasted until fall-apart tender. Seasoned with garlic and adobo for maximum flavor, your house will smell as incredible as it tastes! VIDEO included.
Puerto Rican Pernil Recipe
For everyone looking for that special Christmas dinner – here it is!
Forget the ham and turkey, this roasted Puerto Rican pork served on special occasions is where it is!
My husband pronounced this the best pork he ever ate and I have to agree!
Crispy on the outside while juicy and tender inside, it’s slow roasted until it falls apart with the touch of a fork.
Keep scrolling for a how-to video at the end!
Oh and the flavor! With a whole head of garlic, it’s full of bold flavor, a hallmark of Puerto Rican-style cooking.
Traditionally the garlic is mashed with a pilón (mortar and pestle), but I quickly puréed it in a small food processor.
It looks impressive upon the table, but no need to be intimidated since it’s really easy to make.
The hardest part is enduring the tantalizing scent that fills your house while it bakes, but I promise it’s worth the wait!
To get the full Puerto Rican flavor in every bite, you’ll need to season it the night before, so plan ahead for that.
Puerto Rican Pernil is typically made from a picnic cut pork shoulder, but I used a Boston butt (which is still the shoulder) since that’s what was available.
Just make sure to get a shoulder with the fat cap still on it – it keeps the meat tender and flavorful.
Plus, the crispy “cuero” skin is the best part!
I recommend serving this with my Puerto Rican Beans, Puerto Rican Rice, a green salad and fresh bread for a complete meal.
This would make a great alternative Christmas dinner or New Year’s menu! Buen provecho!
Pin this to your Dinner board!
Puerto Rican Pernil (Roast Pork)
Crispy, juicy Puerto Rican Pernil (Roast Pork) is slow roasted until fall-apart tender. Seasoned with garlic and adobo for maximum flavor, your house will smell as incredible as it tastes!
Ingredients
- 8-10 lbs bone-in pork shoulder (picnic cut or boston butt)
- 1 head of garlic, peeled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons adobo
- 2 packets of sazón (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse pork in cold water and pat dry. With a paring knife, stab 1-inch slits all over the pork, top and bottom.
- In a food processor (or by hand if you have a pilón!), blend all the garlic, olive oil, black pepper and oregano until smooth. Fill each slit in the pork with about a teaspoon of the garlic paste. Sprinkle all sides of the roast with the adobo and sazón (if using) and rub pork with the spices. Place in a roasting pan that has sides at least 2 inches deep, cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
- When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350°F. Leave the roast covered with foil and bake for 4-5 hours, approximately 30-45 minutes per pound. Pork should read 180°F on an internal thermometer and shred easily with a fork.
- Uncover roast and bake for 15-20 minutes to crisp up the fat, or broil at 500°F for 10 minutes, watching carefully not to burn.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12Amount Per Serving: Calories: 216
Nutritional information provided is an estimate only. Please consult the labels of ingredients you use for more accurate results.
Carolyn
Thursday 24th of November 2022
I seasoned a fresh ham for this recipe except didn't use black pepper. My MIL can't have black pepper
Rebekah
Thursday 24th of November 2022
Still amazing without pepper. It's going to be so good!
jacquelyn santiago
Sunday 6th of November 2022
Can you season your pernil then freeze it for cooking later
Rebekah
Monday 7th of November 2022
Yes that should be fine. A lot of people refrigerate for a couple days and the longer it marinates the more flavor it will have.
Ashley
Monday 17th of October 2022
I’m planning to use a boneless pork shoulder butt roast, it was the closest option available. Any tips on how to accommodate this? Changes in cooking time and temp?
Rebekah
Sunday 23rd of October 2022
How did it turn out? I don't think any changes are necessary.
Larissa Raineri
Sunday 11th of September 2022
It must be Christmas in my house every three months. We make Pernil often. We use this recipe but we put it in a crockpot all day and then we shred it to make pork tacos. I'm making it today and I can't wait!!!
M.Speaks
Monday 15th of August 2022
I’m making this tonight and I have made this Pernil recipe many times before. I started using it 4 years ago and it has always been a hit with my family and friends. One of my coworkers asked me who Puerto Rican grandmother I have hidden in my closet. Lol he said it was the best he has ever eaten so far and his half Puerto Rican himself. Thank you for sharing I also make the Arroz con gandules recipe from here as well. My sons can’t get enough of it.