Pernil is a mouthwatering dish of marinated pork shoulder or leg slow roasted until fall-apart tender and delicious crispy skin, a holiday favorite. This is the best roasted pulled pork you'll ever have.
Crispy Skin Pernil Recipe
We're cooking up a large pork shoulder today, my friends. Only this time, we're taking a trip to Puerto Rico and cooking up our pork Puerto Rican style with a dish I think you are going to love.
The recipe is called Pernil, and it just may become one of your new favorites.
What is Pernil?
Pernil is a popular Latin American recipe of slow roasted pork shoulder or leg that has been marinated for full flavor. It is usually made with pork shoulder or pork leg, though other cuts of pork can be used.
It is commonly served for Christmas dinner and at the holidays or special occasions, rather than the traditional turkey or ham of other countries, and is usually served with arroz con gandules, or rice with pigeon peas.
It is also sometimes used to make the famous Cuban sandwich or Cuban Medianoche Sandwich. You may know it by other names, such as Pernil Asado or Pernil al Horno.
It's absolutely delicious, especially to lovers of tender cuts of pork that are juicy and deeply satisfying. You'll find pernil in countries like Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. This is a Puerto Rican pernil recipe.
Let's talk about how to make pernil, shall we?
Pernil Ingredients
- FOR THE MARINADE
- Sofrito. Try my homemade sofrito recipe.
- Seasonings. Dried oregano, garlic powder, ground coriander, onion powder, cumin and salt and black pepper to taste. Alternatively, you can use adobo seasoning.
- Oil.
- FOR THE PERNIL (Roast Pork)
- Pork. Use 4-6 pound pork shoulder (bone-in, skin on – Or you can use boneless – see recipe notes). This recipe can also be made with pork leg or ham or other cut of meat.
- Garlic. For studding the pork.
- Liquids. Sour orange juice and water. If you can't find sour orange, use equal amounts of sweet orange juice and lime juice.
- Optional. Achiote oil for additional marinating as you roast the pork. Also, vinegar and chopped cilantro to make a serving sauce or gravy.
How to Make Pernil - the Recipe Method
Make the Marinade. Combine the sofrito, oregano, garlic powder, coriander, onion powder, cumin and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the olive oil and mix well, or use a food processor.
Prepare the Pernil (Roast Pork Shoulder). Cut various slits into the pork and stuff the garlic slices into them.
Marinate the Pork. Rub down the pork shoulder with the prepared marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Overnight is better for more flavor penetration.
Roasting Pan. Transfer the pork shoulder to a roasting pan or large baking dish, skin side up. Wipe dry the skin, which will help with the crispy skin.
Add Liquids to the Bottom of the Pan. Pour 1 cup water and 1 cup sour orange juice into the bottom of the roasting pan, then cover the pan with foil, leaving no gaps.
The First Roast. Roast the pork shoulder for 3 hours at 300 degrees F (150C).
Second Roast. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F (205C). Rotate the roasting pan and remove the foil. Pat the skin dry and add 1-2 cups additional water/sour orange if the bottom is too dry.
Roast for 1-2 hours or longer, until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 210 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer, or when a skewer can pierce the meat easily.
Cooking time can vary.
Crispy Skin Pernil. If cooking with skin-on, the skin should be nice and crispy at this point, but if it is not, turn up the oven temperature to 500 degrees F and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the skin is browned and crispy to your liking.
This crispy skin or crackling is one of the best parts of the pernil. You will absolutely love it.
Time to Serve! Remove from heat and rest 20 minutes to 30 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. Carve or pull with forks and serve.
Serving Sauce/Gravy. Drain the drippings from the roasting pan into a bowl and skim the fat. Stir in vinegar and chopped cilantro. Add salt to taste. Serve with the finished pork as a dipping sauce or gravy.
Boom! Done! Easy enough to make, isn't it? There is a bit of prep work, but the majority of your time spent will be waiting while the pork shoulder roasts in the oven.
I love this recipe! SO delicious and tender. Best Puerto Rican pork around.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- The Crispy Skin. The crispy skin, or "cuero", is only achieved with pernil by using skin-on pork. Be sure to dry the skin before roasting, as the moisture will prevent it from crisping up. Up the temperature at the end of roasting, uncovered, to ensure the perfect crunchy outer crust.
- Mix the crispy skin into the served pork so everyone gets some. The crispy skin is highly prized! This is why I slice all the way through the skin before roasting, making it easier to distribute.
- You can make Puerto Rican pernil with boneless pork. Make it the exact same way, but you won't need to wait for extra roasting time at the end.
- Adobo seasoning is a common seasoning blend in Latin American countries. It's a mix of garlic, cumin, onion, salt and pepper and other possible ingredients. Use it instead of the seasonings called for in the recipe.
What to Serve with Pernil?
Pernil is very often served with arroz con gandules, or rice with pigeon peas, especially during the holidays. You can easily serve it with yellow rice (arroz amarillo) and warmed beans.
Storage and Leftovers
Store any leftover pernil in the refrigerator in sealed containers for up to 5 days. Simply reheat it in a pan over medium heat to enjoy again.
You can also freeze it in vacuum sealed freezer containers for up to 6 months.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this Puerto Rican pernil recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Pernil Recipe (Puerto Rican Roast Pork)
Ingredients
FOR THE MARINADE
- 3 tablespoons sofrito
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup olive oil
FOR THE PERNIL (Roast Pork)
- 4-6 pound pork shoulder bone-in, skin on – Or you can use boneless – see recipe notes
- 8 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 cup sour orange juice (or use an equal mix of orange juice and lime juice)
- 1 cup water (or more as needed)
FOR SERVING
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
PREPARE THE MARINADE
- Combine the sofrito, oregano, garlic powder, coriander, onion powder, cumin and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the olive oil and mix well. Set aside for now.
FOR THE PERNIL
- Cut various slits into the pork and stuff the garlic slices into them. I like to make long slices along every side, making this part easier.
- Rub down the pork shoulder with the prepared marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Overnight is better for more flavor penetration.
- Heat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Transfer the pork shoulder to the bottom of a roasting pan or large baking dish, skin side up. Wipe the skin clean of any marinade and excess moisture. This will help with the crispy skin.
- Pour 1 cup water and 1 cup sour orange juice into the bottom of the roasting pan, then cover the pan with foil, leaving no gaps.
- Bake the pork shoulder for 3 hours.
- Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Rotate the roasting pan around for even cooking and remove the foil. Pat the skin dry with a paper towel. Add 1-2 cups additional water/sour orange if the bottom is too dry.
- Bake for 1-2 hours or longer, until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 210 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer, or when a a skewer can pierce the meat easily.
- If cooking with skin-on, the skin should be nice and crispy, but if it is not, turn up the oven temperature to 500 degrees F and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the skin is browned and crispy.
- Remove from heat and rest 20 minutes. Carve and serve.
- For Serving. Drain the drippings from the roasting pan into a bowl and skim the fat. Stir in vinegar and chopped cilantro. Add salt to taste. Serve with the finished pork as a dipping sauce or gravy.
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 2/15/23 to include new information and photos. It was originally published on 10/26/20.
Amy says
Hey Mike can you tell me how to adjust the times for an 8.4 lb shoulder? Thank you!
Mike Hultquist says
Amy, figure 35-40 minutes per pound, but check it closer to the end. Enjoy!
Andrea says
What kind of pork shoulder should you use? There is picnic and butt and not too sure what else. I do know should has more white meat than butt. There is also blade Which is the most common one used?
Mike Hultquist says
Works with either, but I used picnic shoulder.
Glenn says
Made this yesterday and it came out perfect. It looked as good as it tasted.
Made PR Rice with the extra Sofrito. A side of Shishido peppers from garden were a tasty addition. Thanks!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Thanks, Glenn!
Bri says
Could I possibly make this in a slow cooker if skinless?
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, you surely can. Works great.
Bri says
Thank you! I made it the way the recipe calls last time and loved it on our cubanos but our schedule is so crazy
Mrcook says
Delicious, this is the second time I’m making this and I can hardly wait to eat it. This is so simple to prepare, of course the cooking time takes hours but the prep is a snap!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much! This is definitely a favorite of mine. I LOVE the crispy skin! Yum!
Ted says
Hey Mike, this recipe looks great! Love reading the comments as well. Quick question…I have 3 young kids 6 and below and they have a hard time with spicy food (they’ll learn). For this recipe, do I need to be worried about it being too spicy? If so, any modifications you’d recommend?
Appreciate your feedback.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Ted. There really isn't anything "hot" spicy in this recipe. Be sure to use a mild sofrito (you can make your own, recipe here on the site). This recipe is more about the wonderful flavor than the heat, so I think you should be good to go. Let me know how it turns out! Enjoy!
Cynthia Michaelis says
We just bought an 11 lb bone in Boston butt. How long will we need to roast that size?
Mike Hultquist says
Cynthia, it is ROUGHLY 45 minutes per pound at 300 degrees F, so close to 8 hours. There are a lot of variables though, and it can take more or less time. Check it at 5.5 hours for internal temp. Again, it could take much longer. Enjoy!
Tommy Hylka says
Can’t wait to try this.
Mike H. says
Let me know how it goes, Tommy. Enjoy!
Gary says
first time making this. i bought an 8lbshoulder, but it looks skinless but one side looks to be all fat cap. do I cook fat side up or down and do I season the fat cap as well
Mike Hultquist says
Gary, if you're making this with a skinless pork shoulder, you can remove most of the fat cap so you can get the marinade into the meat, but then add the fat cap back onto the top of the meat during roasting to let it baste in that fat, which will build flavor. Just be careful not to burn it if you're heat source is primarily at the top. Or just trim the fat cap and discard it for less fattiness. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Linda says
This is my 3rd time making this and it come out perfect every time. Definitely my go to recipe thank you.
Mike H. says
Thank you, Linda. I am very happy to hear that!