Daddy Eddie's Roast Pork (Pernil), Puerto Rican-Style

4.8
(66)

Pernil is roasted pork shoulder, seasoned to the max. It is served with rice and beans, salad, or sweet plantains.

roast pork, Puerto Rican style, resting on a cutting board
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Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
4 hrs
Additional Time:
9 hrs
Total Time:
13 hrs 15 mins
Servings:
8
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 8 servings

  • 10 cloves garlic, or more to taste

  • ¼ cup olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano

  • 1 tablespoon salt

  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper

  • 5 pounds pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat

Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients.

    ingredients gathered to make roast pork Puerto Rican style

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  2. Combine garlic cloves, olive oil, vinegar, oregano, salt, and black pepper in a mortar and pestle; mash into a paste.

    ingredients mashed into a paste

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  3. Cut deep slits into pork with a small knife. Stuff slits with garlic paste; rub any remaining paste over pork.

    slits cut into pork and garlic paste stuffed inside

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  4. 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.

    pork placed onto a roasting pan

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  5. Take pork out of the refrigerator, uncover, and bring to room temperature, 1 to 2 hours.

  6. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

  7. Roast pork skin-side down in the preheated oven until golden-brown, about 2 hours.

    pork roasted skin side down to begin

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  8. 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.

    pork flipped and roasted skin side up

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Recipe Tip

If you don't have a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic paste in a sturdy bowl with the back of a spoon.

113 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

355 Calories
24g Fat
2g Carbs
32g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 355
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 24g 30%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 112mg 37%
Sodium 966mg 42%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 32g 64%
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Calcium 49mg 4%
Iron 3mg 14%
Potassium 468mg 10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.