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Cuban Pernil

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4.21 from 69 votes
♥

A classic Cuban staple, pernil is a slow roasted pork should adored throughout all of Latin American communities. A simple marinade of garlic and citrus infuse the pork and the slow roasting ensures it's fall off the bone tender.

Cooked pork shoulder is on an aluminum foil lined pan with cut lime.

What is pernil? 

Pernil is the Spanish word for pork shoulder. In America, especially the northeast pernil is traditionally roasted in the oven. But lately, I've seen people go as far as to grill it. I mean, hey, go for it. But on the islands, they typically take a whole pork and roast it over an open fire.

The flavors of pernil are very simple, the less the better. This is something my mom has always told me "salt, pepper, garlic"-those are the basics. Generously season your meat with it and you're good to go. But you know me, I don't leave well enough alone. I have to add some more flavors to my dishes.

Raw pork shoulder in it's packaging.

How Do You Make Pernil? 

Raw pork with the skin cut is in a bowl.

First, you need to remove most of the skin from the meat, just leave enough on to keep it attached. Then with a knife, poke hole pockets all over the meat. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic.

A glass bowl has a blend of fresh herbs in a paste.

Next, you're going to make a paste with oil and seasonings. Each pernil is going to weigh differently, feel free to make more or less.

seasoned raw pork shoulder

This is why you're poking holes, get deep into the pockets for layers of flavor. Rub the paste in very well. Make sure you rub under the pork as well. Cover and refrigerate for 2-24 hours.

a container of mojo criollo is being shown.

In the final 20 minutes or 2 hours (depending on how long you're planning on marinating pork), add in a cup or so of Mojo or sour orange. Make sure your meat is skin-side up the whole time! (I use Mojo because it's easy, but if you're a purist, feel free to make your own.)

The beauty of pernil is how long it takes to cook. This is why we hold onto this recipe for gatherings or holidays. Slow and low is the name of the game. I once met a man who put his pernil into the oven at midnight each night at only 300 degrees. By morning, the meat was falling off of the bone.

Another beauty of pernil is the fact that leftovers are abundant. Perfect to make Cuban Sliders or Pork Taquitos!

roasted pork shoulder on a pan

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Just like turkeys, each family has their own method and recipe, I'm sure you'll find a way to make this your own. Don't forget that like turkeys, pernil is perfect for leftovers! Leave a comment below and be sure to subscribe. As always, buen provecho.

Recipe Video For Making Pernil (Cuban Pork Shoulder)

Close up of pernil with crispy skin
Author: Neyssa Jump
Print Pin
4.21 from 69 votes

Authentic Cuban Pernil

In the practice of Jyotisha, the basic premise establishes that each of the planets emits colored rays of light: the rays of the Sun are red, Moon orange, Mars yellow, Mercury green, Jupiter blue, Venus indigo, Saturn violet, Rahu ultraviolet, and Ketu infrared
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 9 hours
Marinating Time 2 days
Total Time 2 days 9 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients
 

For the pork

  • 6 pounds bone-in, skin-on pork picnic shoulder
  • 1 teaspoon salt (for the skin)
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (for the skin)
  • Lime wedges (for serving, optional)

For the mojo marinade

  • 10 cloves garlic (peeled)
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 ½ tsps ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 cup sour orange juice (naranja agria)
  • ½ cup olive oil

Instructions

Make the mojo.

  • Using a pilón (mortar and pestle) or food processor, mash the garlic with the salt until you have a paste. The salt helps break down the garlic as you mash it.
  • Add the black pepper, oregano, cumin, onion powder, and allspice and mix to combine. Stir the garlic mixture into the sour orange juice, then add the olive oil and mix well.

Prepare the pork.

  • Pat the pork shoulder thoroughly dry with paper towels. Place it skin-side up on a clean cutting board.
  • Using a sharp knife, carefully separate the skin from the meat, leaving one edge attached so that the skin opens like the page of a book.
  • With the tip of your knife, make deep pockets throughout the exposed meat without cutting all the way through the roast.

Season the meat.

  • Pour and rub the mojo over the exposed pork, working it over the sides, underneath the skin, and especially into the pockets you made in the meat.
  • Fold the skin back over the pork.
  • If desired, use a sharp knife to score the skin in a crosshatch or diamond pattern. Cut through the tough skin without cutting deeply into the meat.
  • Season both sides of the skin flap with approximately 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.

Marinate.

  • Place the pork in an airtight container or food-safe roasting/turkey bag. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 48 hours.
  • For the best flavor, I like to season my pernil the day before I plan to cook it.

Roast low and slow.

  • When you're ready to cook, remove the pork from the refrigerator while the oven preheats to 250°F.
  • Place the pork skin-side up in a heavy, deep roasting pan. Roast for approximately 8 hours, or until the pork is extremely tender.
  • Don't rely on the clock alone. A fork or temperature probe should slide into the thickest part of the pork with very little resistance, the bone should wiggle easily, and the meat should readily pull apart. For shreddable pork shoulder, the internal temperature will typically be around 195–205°F.

Crisp the skin.

  • Carefully transfer the tender pork to a clean roasting pan, reserving the cooking juices from the original pan.
  • Increase the oven temperature to 425°F.
  • If the surface of the skin is wet, gently pat it dry with a paper towel. Return the pork to the oven uncovered and roast for approximately 30–45 minutes, or until the skin is dried, tight, and crisp.
  • Here's my favorite test: gently tap the skin with the back of a knife. You should hear it. It should sound firm and crunchy rather than feel soft or soggy.
  • Keep an eye on it during this final stage. Once the skin begins crisping, it can change quickly.

Rest the pernil.

  • Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
  • Don't skip the rest—we've waited this long!

Shred and serve.

  • Carefully remove the crispy skin. Your cuero has now become the best part: chicharrón. Break or cut it into pieces for serving.
  • Remove the bone and pull the pork into bite-size pieces or chunky shreds. Spoon some of the reserved pork juices over the meat to keep it juicy and flavorful.
  • Just before serving, I love squeezing a little fresh lime juice over the pork. You don't need much. It's not there to make the pork taste like lime—it just wakes everything back up.

Notes

Neyssa's Success Tips
Get the mojo inside the pork. A six-pound pork shoulder is thick. Don't just season the surface—those pockets give the garlic, sour orange, and seasonings direct contact with more of the meat.
Keep the skin dry before crisping. Mojo is wonderful for the meat but moisture works against crispy skin. If the cuero looks wet after the slow roast, blot it dry before increasing the heat.
Don't cook by time alone. Eight hours is your guide, not a finish line. If the bone doesn't wiggle and a probe still meets resistance, the pork needs more time.
Save those juices. The liquid left in the roasting pan is packed with flavor. Spoon some over the shredded pork instead of letting it go to waste.
Listen to your cuero. When you tap properly crisp skin with the back of a knife, you'll hear that hard, crunchy sound. If it still feels soft and bends easily, it isn't chicharrón yet.
Not familiar with sour orange? It's a blend of equal parts of fresh orange juice and lime juice together. They also sell it already bottled, if you prefer to use that.

Nutrition

Serving: 0g | Calories: 789kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 102g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 286mg | Sodium: 1775mg | Potassium: 1824mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 102IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 3mg
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Comments

    4.21 from 69 votes (65 ratings without comment)

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  1. Richard Huber says

    5 stars
    Came out fantastic. Only problem was that there were no leftovers. 🙂

    Reply

  2. Allison says

    Hi Neyssa! I am a huge fan of pernil so this recipe is speaking to me. But do you think this recipe would hold up in a slow cooker? I'm thinking I'd put it in in the morning on low and take it out a dinner time, thoughts? Thanks!

    Reply

  3. mauslot says

    5 stars
    I don't know whether it's just me or if everybody else
    experiencing issues with your website. It seems like some of the text on your posts
    are running off the screen. Can someone else please provide feedback and let me know if this is happening
    to them as well? This may be a problem with my internet browser because I've had this happen before.
    Cheers

    Reply

  4. Nancy Liguori says

    5 stars
    Awesome!!! What else can I say.

    Reply

  5. Jennifer says

    4 stars
    Hey just wanted to give you a quick heads up and let you
    know a few of the pictures aren't loading correctly.
    I'm not sure why but I think its a linking issue. I've tried it in two different web browsers and both show the same outcome.

    Reply

  6. Kevin Gerrard says

    Pernil is one of those dishes where the simple garlic-citrus marinade really does all the work, and I appreciate how boldly you season before that long slow roast. I've been poking around with voice tools lately (even tried a Voice Gender Analyzer out of curiosity) and it's funny how the same "keep it simple" advice seems to apply. Do you usually go skin-side up the whole time or flip it partway through?

    Reply

    • Neyssa says

      It does, I love how simple it can be. I do leave it skin-side up the whole time. LOL at the voice gender analyzer! I love Speechify for long articles, and it's interesting how different genders, etc create various tones, etc. Let me know if you make this recipe.

      Reply