Ingredients
Scale
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
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 325 F
- Rinse and pat dry the pernil.
- With a sharp knife, loosen the top layer of fat.
- Make 10-12 small holes throughout the pernil
- Insert garlic cloves into the pernil
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Cover and place in the oven. Set the timer for two hours.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Make sure to check-in with the pernil every 10 minutes because you don’t want it to burn.
- Once the cuerito is nice and crispy, let it rest for 30 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 4 Hours
- Category: Roasted Pork
- Method: Roasting
