Pernil
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
4 hrs
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Cook Time
4 hrs
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Servings
12
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Calories
450 kcal
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Course
Dinner
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Cuisine
South American
Pernil
Description
The Pernil recipe starts by crafting a marinade from vegetable or olive oil, numerous smashed garlic cloves, green sofrito, and a combination of Sazon, adobo, chicken bouillon, kosher salt, and oregano. The roast pork is carefully prepared by lifting the skin, poking holes across the meat for the marinade, and massaging the mixture thoroughly inside and out – avoiding the skin surface itself. The skin is left dry and seasoned only with salt and sazon to encourage crisping during roasting.
After marinating for at least 4 hours or overnight, the pork is slow-roasted at 325°F covered with foil and regularly basted, until tender. The method produces deeply infused, juicy pork with aromatic garlic pockets and the characteristic crispy skin with small boils known as chicharron.
This Pernil is rich with savory, herbal, and garlicky flavors layered through the meat and skin. The recipe is well suited for festive occasions or hearty meals, notable for its authentic seasoning and precise skin preparation.
Notes emphasize that small boils on the skin are normal, the marinade quantity suits large cuts (8-12 lbs), and cooking times may vary with pork size, necessitating longer roasting for bigger roasts.
Ingredients
- 1 lb roast pork
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil you can also use olive oil
For the Marinade
- ¼ cup green sofrito Buy it fresh, make it, or use Goya!, or red sofrito
- 12-15 large garlic smashed, cloves
- 3 teaspoons Sazon seasoning about 2 packets
- 2 teaspoons adobo seasoning
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon seasoning Maggi brand
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons oregano
For the Skin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Sazon seasoning
Instructions
- Combine oil, smashed garlic, sofrito, and spices in a large bowl to create the marinade. Mix well.
- Carefully peel the meat's skin back with a sharp knife. Evenly poke 6-8 holes across the meat using a knife. Then, add 4-6 holes on the back of the pernil.
- Next, massage the marinade onto the meat, ensuring that large chunks of garlic are placed inside the holes. Thoroughly marinate the top and bottom of the pork and underneath the skin, ensuring not to get marinade on top of the skin.
- Ensure the skin is dry and none of the marinade is on top. Pat the skin dry with a paper towel if needed. Season the top of the skin with salt and sazon only.
- Place the meat in your pan, cover it with aluminum foil, and let it marinate overnight, or at least 4 hours.
- The next day, remove the meat and gently pat the skin dry with paper towel.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Bake the meat covered with foil for 3 to 4 hours. Baste the meat with the juices every hour. Once the meat is knife-tender and soft enough for a knife to enter easily, uncover it.
- Increase the oven temperature to 375°F, and continue baking for an additional hour or until the skin is crispy and bubbling.
- Remove the meat from the oven, let it rest for fifteen minutes, and then begin shredding it with oven-safe gloves or tongs. Cut the skin and serve in chunks!
Notes
- Small boils on the skin, called chicharron, are normal and expected.
- The marinade quantity is sufficient for a Pernil roast weighing between 8 and 12 pounds.
- Cooking time should be adjusted according to the size of the Pernil; larger roasts may need longer cooking.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 450 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 450kcal | 23% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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