Recipe: Making Pernil Asado at Home

A few months ago, I posted a pernil asado I made a little while ago on my personal Facebook and Instagram Stories and received many questions and comments. Many of the commenters mentioned they are intimidated by making pernil asado, the succulent Puerto Rican-style pork shoulder, one of the most popular dishes on the island. Don’t be. This roasted pork shoulder recipe is quite easy to make. You just need time and patience.

The Pernil Asado Marinade

Once you have your marinade down, you realize how easy it is. This marinade is a mix of my mom and dad’s technique. My mom loves oregano, and my dad loved garlic, so we put plenty of both in the marinade. I tried Loisa organic sazón, which gave it a beautiful color and flavor without making it too salty. I love how the scent of garlic and oregano infiltrates the home as the pernil is roasting. The warm scent takes me back to my parent’s kitchen and my childhood memories of Guayama, Puerto Rico.

Roasting the Pernil

I recently started roasting my pernil in my Dutch oven and love the flavor so much better. The Dutch oven keeps the juices concentrated, and the meat pretty much falls off the bone. I’ve had my Le Creuset Dutch oven for almost eight years and just started doing this technique this year. Where have I been? If you don’t have a Dutch oven, you can always use a covered roasting pan or a regular roasting pan with aluminum foil.

Side Dishes for Pernil

For the sides, I prepared arroz con gandules and yautia en escabeche (a root vegetable). This past year, I’ve become obsessed with yautia, a root vegetable smaller than taro. You can find it in Latino and Asian markets. I find it milder and easier to manage than yuca.

Wine Pairings for Pernil Asado

One of the great things about making a roasted pork shoulder is how versatile it is when it comes to pairings, which is great when you have guests with different wine tastes. During this time, I’ve been looking to consume wines from lesser-known regions and smaller producers. For the video, we paired the pernil with Dry Rieslings from the Finger Lakes. I’m a big fan of the Rieslings from Hermann J Wiemer and Ravines. They have the perfect balance of floral and citrus notes which is characteristic of premium rieslings of the region. A dry rose also goes well with pernil. Lately, I’ve been into South American roses. Los Vascos makes a delicious and affordable Chilean rose. A Pinot Noir is a good bet for red wine drinkers. I recently sampled the Pinot Nero Franz Haas from Alto Adige in Northern Italy. The light yet earthy flavors will pair well with the pernil.

Pernil Asado (Roasted Pork Shoulder)

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5 from 1 review

Pernil asado, the Puerto Rican style roasted pork shoulder, is an easy main dish that works not only for special occasions but for meal planning or feeding a whole family. 

• Author: DiningTraveler
• Prep Time: 30 Minutes
• Cook Time: 4 Hours
• Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 15 1x
• Category: Roasted Pork
• Method: Roasting

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

8/9 lb Bone-in pork shoulder

Marinade:

3/4 Cup of Olive Oil 

2-3 tbsp of dry oregano

2 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp kosher salt

2 tsp sazón

2 tsp black pepper

10–12 whole garlic gloves

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Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 325 F 
2. Rinse and pat dry the pernil. 
3. With a sharp knife, loosen the top layer of fat.
4. Make 10-12 small holes throughout the pernil
5. Insert garlic cloves into the pernil 
6. Mix all the marinade ingredients. The measurements are up to you. Use more or less of each ingredient depending on your taste. I personally love a very garlicky pernil. 
7. With a spoon or silicone brush, brush the marinade all over the pernil. Make sure you flip the layer of fat to get the marinade between the fat and the meat. 
8. Place pernil fat side up on a roasting pan. I make mine in a Dutch oven, but a roasting pan or even a pan covered with aluminum foil will do.
9. Cover and place in the oven. Set the timer for two hours.
10. At the two hour mark, check for progress with a thermometer. If the pernil is less than 130 F, let it cook for another 30-45 minutes covered until it reaches this temperature. 
11. At 130 F, uncover the pernil and let it cook for an hour. This will allow the “cuerito” fat layer to brown and start to crispen. 
12. After an hour, the pernil will be around 155 F. At this time, place the oven in “Broil” for 15-30 minutes to get that crisp cuerito (fat layer). Note: Pork is fully cooked at 160 F. The last step on broil will get it there. 
13. Make sure to check-in with the pernil every 10 minutes because you don’t want it to burn. 
14. Once the cuerito is nice and crispy, let it rest for 30 minutes before serving.