Pernil (Roast Pork Shoulder)
A traditional Latin American dish, Pernil is marinated overnight and roasted until fall-apart tender. Juicy and delicious, it is an easy yet impressive centerpiece for your Christmas table!
Ingredients
- 2 large onions, peeled and cut into chunks
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- Juice of 4 limes
- 1 1/2 cups white wine, plus more if needed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 whole bone-in, skin-on pork shoulder, 4 to 8 pounds
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
Equipment
Instructions
- Combine the onions, garlic, lime juice, 1 cup white wine, salt and pepper in the jar of a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add more wine. Reserve.
- Place the pork shoulder on a cutting board and score the skin with a sharp paring knife, making a cross-hatch pattern.
- Transfer the pork to a big bowl (or brining bag) and pour the marinade over it. Sprinkle with the herbs and rub the mixture into the pork, getting into every nook and cranny. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, turning a few times so every inch gets to soak the marinade.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the pork on a roasting pan and pour the marinade along with the remaining white wine.
- Roast for several hours, 35 - 40 minutes for every pound, turning every hour or so and adding more wine to the pan as needed, until the meat is very tender and a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 195-205 degrees F. Remove from oven.
- Turn the pernil skin side up, brush the skin with the butter and place it under the broiler until crisp.
- Let it rest, tented with foil, for at least 3 minutes (and up to 30 minutes) before serving with the pan juices.
Notes
Serving per person:
You should calculate around 6 ounces per person. Since pernil has an average yield of 62%, here's an estimate of servings per weight: 4 lbs - 6 servings5 lbs - 8 servings
6 lbs - 10 servings
7 lbs - 12 servings
8 lbs - 14 servings
9 lbs - 16 servings
10 lbs - 18 servings
Cooking time:
Cooking time will vary according to the pork shoulder's weight. A good rule of thumb is 35 to 40 minutes per pound. 4 lbs - 2.5 hours5 lbs - 3 hours
6 lbs - 3.5 hours
7 lbs - 4 hours
8 lbs - 4.5 hours
9 lbs - 5 hours
10 lbs - 5.5 hours
Make ahead:
Pernil should be roasted the day you plan on serving it. However, you can do the first roasting phase, until it is cooked through and tender, and let it rest for up to 2 hours. Then, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F and roast again, rotating every 5 minutes, until the skin is crispy, about 20 minutes total.Freezing and reheating:
You can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months, tightly wrapped to avoid freezer burns. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven at 300 degrees F, tented with foil, for 20 minutes.Nutrition
Serving: 6ounces, Calories: 103kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 17mg, Sodium: 66mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g