The first time I made Pernil was for Christmas so many years ago. My family loved it, and since then, it has become our standard for this holiday. The Pork is marinated for days with a mixture of garlic, pepper, orange zest, and a few other ingredients and then roasted to perfection. The pork becomes incredibly flavorful, succulent, and the skin is indescribably crisp. I love to serve it with fried plantains with rice and peas.
Ingredients for Pernil:
1 9 pound skin on pork shoulder/ picnic pork
Marinade:
14 cloves of garlic 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon + 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon orange zest
Time-Saving Tip: The pork needs to marinate for two days, so it's best to plan for making this dish. The marinade can be made a few hours before using it.
Let's see what we need.
We're ready to cook.
To make the marinade, add the garlic, salt, pepper, and vinegar to a food processor. Pulse until ground, except for a few peppercorns. Slowly add the oil. Once combined, stir in the orange zest. If you prefer that all of the peppercorns ground, you will need to run them thru a coffee grinder.
Use a knife to cut slits all over the skin and around the rest of the pork. Using a small spoon or your finger do your best to fill the holes with some of the marinades. Use the remaining marinade to rub all over the pork. Place the pork skin side up in a pan with sides. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for two days.
Remove the meat at least 1 hour before roasting. Place the meat on a v rack. Pour in about 3/4 cup of water and 3/4 cup orange juice in the pan. Place the meat in a preheated 450-degree oven, Roast for 1 1/2 hours, adding water as needed. Reduce the temperature to 375-degrees and continue roasting until the temperature is 145 degrees. Remove from the oven and let rest 15 minutes. Remove the skin before carving the meat. By now, the surface should be crisp; if not, you can pop it back in the oven until it crisps up. Some would argue that the skin is the best part.
It's ready! The Pernil looks so delicious, and it is, no wonder my sons love it. Every bite is a powerhouse of flavor. The meat is so juicy and flavorful, and the skin is crispy and so tasty. Pernil is perfect for any celebration.
Pernil:
1 9 pound skin on pork shoulder/ picnic pork
Marinade:
14 cloves of garlic 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon + 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon orange zest
To make the marinade, add the garlic, salt, pepper, and vinegar to a food processor. Pulse until ground, except for a few peppercorns. Slowly add the oil. Once combined, stir in the orange zest. If you prefer that all of the peppercorns ground, you will need to run them thru a coffee grinder.
Use a knife to cut slits all over the skin and around the rest of the pork. Using a small spoon or your finger do your best to fill the holes with some of the marinades. Use the remaining marinade to rub all over the pork. Place the pork skin side up in a pan with sides. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for two days.
Remove the meat at least 1 hour before roasting. Place the meat on a v rack. Pour in about 3/4 cup of water and 3/4 cup orange juice in the pan. Place the meat in a preheated 450-degree oven, Roast for 1 1/2 hours, adding water as needed. Reduce the temperature to 375-degrees and continue roasting until the temperature is 145 degrees. Remove from the oven and let rest 15 minutes. Remove the skin before carving the meat. By now, the surface should be crisp; if not, you can pop it back in the oven until it crisps up. Some would argue that the skin is the best part.
Time-Saving Tip: The pork needs to marinate for two days, so it's best to plan for making this dish. The marinade can be made a few hours before using it.