Puerto Rican Pernil
The crackling depends on one disciplined move: keep the adobo beneath the skin, then dry the skin thoroughly before the roast goes into the oven. I use a garlic-heavy paste with oregano, cumin,…
Ingredients
- 5 lb bone-in pork shoulder with skin
- 12 cloves garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Set the pork shoulder on a rimmed sheet pan and pat it completely dry with paper towels. Using a sharp boning or chef's knife, score the skin in a crosshatch pattern, cutting through the skin and fat but stopping before the meat; make cuts about 1 inch apart. Do not cut deeply into the flesh, because the juices will escape during roasting and the skin will not render evenly.
- For the adobo, combine the garlic, kosher salt, oregano, cumin, black pepper, olive oil, vinegar, orange juice, and lime juice in a mortar, mini food processor, or small bowl. Crush or blend until the garlic is broken down into a coarse, spoonable paste. The mixture should smell sharply garlicky with a bright citrus note and should hold together rather than run like a sauce.
- Lift the scored skin carefully from one edge to create pockets between the skin and meat. Rub approximately three-quarters of the adobo directly over the exposed meat, working it into the pockets and around the sides of the shoulder. Rub the remaining paste over the underside and sides of the roast, but keep the top skin as clean and dry as possible so it can blister and crisp.
- Place the shoulder skin-side up in a roasting pan, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. This resting period allows the salt to move into the meat and the acidic citrus-vinegar mixture to perfume the roast. Remove the pork from the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking so the exterior loses its chill and the roast cooks more evenly.
- Heat the oven to 300°F. Remove the plastic wrap and pat the skin dry again, especially inside the scored cuts; moisture on the surface will steam rather than crisp. Pour 1 cup water into the bottom of the roasting pan without splashing the skin, then position the shoulder skin-side up. The water protects the drippings from scorching while the pork slowly renders.
- Roast at 300°F for 4 1/2 to 5 hours, rotating the pan once halfway through if your oven has hot spots. After about 3 hours, begin checking the liquid level and add a few tablespoons of water only if the pan is dry. The pork is ready for the finishing stage when a fork slides into the thickest portion with little resistance and an instant-read thermometer registers 190°F to 195°F; the skin should be browned but not yet fully crisp.
- Transfer the shoulder briefly to a platter and carefully pour or spoon excess rendered fat from the roasting pan, leaving the browned juices behind. Return the pork to the pan and raise the oven to 450°F. Roast uncovered for 15 to 25 minutes, watching closely, until the skin bubbles, turns deep mahogany, and feels rigid when tapped; rotate the pan once if the crackling colors unevenly.
- If the skin is browned but still leathery, switch to the broiler on high and place the pan 6 to 8 inches below the element for 1 to 3 minutes, checking every 20 seconds. Move the pan immediately when the surface blisters and crackles; the sugars and proteins can burn quickly at this stage. Keep the broiler door slightly ajar only if your oven manual permits it.
- Transfer the finished pernil to a carving board and rest it uncovered for 30 minutes. Do not tent it with foil, because trapped steam softens the skin. The resting period allows the meat juices to redistribute while the crisp exterior remains dry; the internal temperature will settle slightly as the fibers relax.
- Skim any remaining fat from the pan juices, then scrape the browned fond into the liquid and taste for seasoning. Carve or pull the pork into large pieces, keeping some crackling attached to each portion, and spoon the warm pan juices over the meat. Serve on a large platter for the celebration, with extra crackling scattered across the top so it stays audible and crisp at the table.
Watch the Puerto Rican Pernil cooking video
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