Pernil Puerto Rican Pork Shoulder Recipes

PERNIL (PUERTO RICAN STYLE ROAST PORK SHOULDER)

Steps:

• Grab a firm hold on the top layer of the skin and, carefully, run your knife's blade along the line where the fat and skin meet. Use a very sharp boning knife to cut between the fat and the meat, leaving the back and sides of the skin attached- creating a pocket.
• After you create the pocket, pull the skin back a little and pierce slits into the flesh using the tip of your knife, taking care not to puncture the skin in the process. Flip the roast over and make slits in the bottom of it as well.
• Transfer your pernil to a large bowl (or leave it in the sink if you washed it) and pour the white vinegar outside the piece of meat, inside the pocket and on the skin. Rub the vinegar into the meat well.
• In a bowl, combine the mashed garlic, sofrito, adobo, onion powder, sazón, oregano, salt, and pepper to create a thick paste.Use a large spoon to scoop a third of the paste into the cavity you created between the skin and flesh. Massage the rub it into the meat: make sure to press the paste into those slits in the meat under the skin.
• Flip the pork over and rub the bottom side with another third of the spice paste. Flip it back over and rub the remaining spice paste onto the the skin.
• Lay out a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil (or enough sheets to completely wrap the pernil). Over the foil, lay out three sheets of plastic wrap. Put the seasoned pork shoulder in the center of the wrapping film and wrap it tightly in the plastic first, then wrap it tightly in the foil.
• Set the wrapped pork on a sheetpan and and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 2 days, but 3 days is best. You can roast the pernil in as little as 12 hours, but it won't be as flavorful.
• When you're ready to roast, unwrap the pernil and put it on a roasting rack inside of a roasting pan. Pat the pernil skin down with a paper towel to dry it and remove the spice paste. Leave the pork to sit on the countertop for at least 30 minutes to an hour to warm up. A cold pernil takes longer to begin roasting than a semi-warm one does. Position the middle oven rack down one notch so it is in the lower third of the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F,
• Roast the pernil at 350°F for 5 hours.
• When the roasting time is up, remove the roasting pan from the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F.
• Season the outside of the pernil with a light sprinkling of kosher salt (about 1/2 teaspoon). Carefully, transfer the pernil to a clean, disposable roasting pan.Once the oven reaches temperature, put the pernil back in and finish roasting for up to 1 hour. Turn the pan every 15 minutes to vent the steam that builds up and to crisp up the skin evenly. The skin will begin to blister, harden, and sizzle. Once the pernil skin sounds hard when tapped with the back of a knife, remove it from the oven. This may happen before the hour is up.
• The fully cooked pernil should have an internal temperature of between 180-200°F. The juices of the pernil will run clear with no blood, as well. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 30 minutes in order to allow the internal juices to settle down.
• After allowing the pernil to rest a few minutes, remove the chicharrón and shred the meat from the bone. Serve the pernil while hot.

PERNIL

Steps:

• Score the fat on the pork shoulder in a criss-cross hatch fashion. Then, cut deeply once in each direction across the pork, like you are going to cut it into four quarters, but then leave them attached at the bottom. Use a sharp knife to make about 20 slits, about 1 inch deep, all over the meat. Place the meat in a 13 x 9 baking pan, or another shallow baking pan large enough to comfortably hold the meat with some space around it.
• Combine the oil, garlic, fresh and dried oregano, Adobo, paprika, salt and pepper. Rub the mixture all over the meat, working it all over the surface and into the slits. Cover the pork with foil and refrigerate overnight.
• Bring the pork to room temperature, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300F°. Bake the pork, covered for 3 hours, then remove the foil and bake for another 3 to 4 hours at the same temperature, until the pork is fall-apart tender. The internal temperature should be at least 165°, but it may be higher, which is fine - it's most important that the meat is super tender. If you would like a crustier exterior, turn the heat to 375°F and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the outside of the pork has a nice browned crust.
• Let the pernil sit for at least 20 minutes, then use your fingers (if it's not too hot; some people like to wear kitchen gloves to protect their fingers from the heat), or two forks to pull the meat into chunks. Sprinkle the meat with the lemon and orange juice, season with additional salt and pepper, and serve hot or warm.

PERNIL (PUERTO RICAN PORK SHOULDER)

Steps:

• Wash the pork shoulder.
• With a sharp knife, make 1 inch deep cuts into the pork.
• With mortar and pestle crush garlic, oregano and black pepper together. Add olive oil, vinegar and salt. Mix well.
• Spoon some of the garlic mixture inside the small cuts around the pork, and spread remaining mixture all over the pork.
• Place pork in an aluminum turkey pan (skin side up); cover with aluminum foil tightly. Refrigerate at least 8 hours. (I have marinated this for as long as two days.).
• Bake in pre-heated 325 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 5 to 6 hours.
• Remove aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for another hour or until skin is crisp. Closely watch this so you don't burn the skin (chicharrone).
• Pork should be well-done and tender.

DADDY EDDIE'S ROAST PORK (PERNIL), PUERTO RICAN-STYLE

Steps:

• Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper in a mortar and pestle; mash into a paste.
• Make deep slits into the pork with a small knife. Stuff slits with the paste; rub any remaining paste over the pork.
• Place pork in a plastic roasting bag and put in a roasting pan with a rack. Let marinate in the refrigerator, 8 to 48 hours.
• Take pork out of the refrigerator, uncover, and bring to room temperature, 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Roast pork skin-side down in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 2 hours. Flip pork and continue roasting, skin-side up, until juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), 2 to 4 hours more.

ROASTED PORK SHOULDER (PERNIL AL HORNO)

Steps:

• Place the pork, fat-side up, in a roasting pan fitted with a rack insert, and using a sharp knife, score the surface of the meat with small slits. Mash the garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper into a paste on a cutting board with the flat side of a knife; place the adobo in a bowl and stir in the oil and vinegar. Rub the garlic paste all over the pork, being sure to get into the incisions so the salt can penetrate the meat and pull out the moisture - this will help form a crust on the outside when cooked. Cover the pork with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
• Allow the meat to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Roast the pork for 3 hours, uncovered, until the skin is crispy-brown. Let the meat rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing.

PUERTO RICAN PERNIL (ROAST PORK SHOULDER)

Steps:

• after that, you are going to make a paste. it is going to include all the spices, minced garlic, minced cilantro, lemon juice, lime juice, and olive oil. add salt last. you dont want it to be too salty. when you have this thick paste, you are going to give your pernil a rub down. it do mean it literally. you might want gloves for this because the annatto will make your hands orange for a few hours. i dont use gloves because im used to having my hands in it. you are going to take that paste and rub it all over your pernil. those holes you made the night before when you stabbed it, are going to be filled with that savory seasoning. get it all in there with those fingers. now put it in the roasting pan you are going to use. cover it with aluminum foil. the next day you are going to finally cook it. yay!! there are 2 different ways to cook it. if you have all day: preheat your oven to 400. put your pernil in uncovered for 20 minutes. put aluminum foil on and reduce heat to 275 degrees. leave the pernil in there all day. preferably for about 6-8 hours. at the end of those 6-8 hours, uncover the pernil. increase heat to 400 degrees again for 20 minutes, or until the skin on top is crispy. if you DONT have time: preheat your oven to 400. put your pernil in uncovered for 20 minutes. put aluminum foil on and reduce heat to 350 degrees. leave the pernil in there until your meat thermometer reads 160-170. it would be about 2-4 hours depending on the size f your pernil. uncover you pernil. increase heat to 400 degrees again for 20 minutes, or until the skin on top is crispy. let sit for 20 minutes and dig in. enjoy!!

THE BEST PUERTO RICAN PERNIL (PORK SHOULDER)

Steps:

• Make the marinade:.
• In medium bowl, combine garlic, lime juice, oregano, soy sauce, olive oil and salt and black pepper. Set aside.
• Wash the pernil in vinegar and water, pat dry with paper towel.
• Place on a cutting board fat side up.
• Leaving the fat in a single piece and attached at one end, use a knife to remove the layer of fat from the shoulder, opening it like a book to reveal the meat. Then, use the knife to poke 1-inch deep holes into the meat on all sides (about 20 holes).
• Place pernil in roasting pan skin side up. Rub the marinade all over the pernil, making sure you work it into to the holes. Return the skin back to its original position. Score the skin with diagonal cuts and sprinkle salt to taste over the skin.
• Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.
• On day of Cooking:.
• Remove pernil from refrigerator 45 minutes before roasting.
• Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
• Add a little water to the roasting pan so that it comes up about 1/2 inch up the sides.
• Cook pernil uncovered for 1 hour. Turn oven temperature down to 225 degrees F, tent pernil loosely with aluminum foil, and cook for 8 hours. Remove foil and cook for 1 hour.
• Let pernil rest for 10 minutes before slicing.