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4.9 from 171 votes

Pernil roasted pork loin

Pernil is pork marinated in a sauce of bitter orange juice, onion, garlic, achiote, cloves, cinnamon, cumin and panela and slow roasted in the oven for several hours.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
5 hrs 30 mins
Additional Time
2 d
Total Time
6 hrs
Servings: 10 to 12
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: South American , Ecuadorian

Ingredients

  • 6-7 lbs pork loin
  • 1 tbs ground achiote or annatto seed
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 garlic heads peeled
  • 1 red onion cut in large chunks
  • 2 tbs grated panela or piloncillo see more info on panela in this post
  • Juice from 3 bitter oranges replace with 2 oranges and 1 lemon
  • salt about 2 tbs and pepper (about 1/2 tbs), adjust to taste
Side dishes:
  • Whole potatoes sauteed in butter
  • pickled red onions
  • Fried ripe plantains
  • Tree tomato hot sauce

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Blend the onions, garlic and bitter orange juice to obtain a puree.
  2. Mix the puree with the achiote, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, panela, salt and pepper. (Warning - this marinade is so strong will make you cry – even if you’re wearing contacts)
  3. Make several cuts or incisions in the pork loin and add the onion marinade, rub the pork loin with the marinade trying to get it in to the incisions.
  4. Let the meat marinate for at least 1 day (2-3 days is ideal), turn it over every 6-8 hours. This is a dry roast and the marinade on the roasting pan can leave stains - to avoid this I recommend lining your pan with foil.
  5. Pre-heat the oven to 275 F, bake for 3 hours, turning the roast every hour.
  6. Increase the oven temperature to 350F, bake for another 2 ½ hours, turning the roast every 30 minutes.
  7. Slice the meat finely and serve with whole potatoes sautéed in butter, fried ripe plantains, tomato slices, lettuce, radishes, pickled onions and tree tomato hot sauce.