Pernil Asado Puertorriqueño is a mouthwatering holiday classic! This marinated, bone-in pork roast delivers tender, juicy meat and irresistible crispy skin, repeatedly earning its place as the star of any gathering or holiday dinner.
Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations are filled with traditional mouthwatering dishes. Favorites like arroz con gandules (pigeon peas and rice), pasteles, ensalada de papa, ensalada de coditos, tostones, and pavochon (Puerto Rican style turkey) all make an appearance. But a Puerto Rican Christmas would not be complete without Pernil Asado at the center of the table! It’s not only delicious but synonymous with the holiday season!
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What Makes an Authentic Puerto Rican Pernil?
Authentic Puerto Rican pernil gets its amazing flavor from its signature seasoning. The pork is marinated and deeply infused with plenty of garlic and a robust blend of spices. Marinating it overnight or even for a few days is really essential in order to achieve the most flavor, which allows the seasonings to penetrate deeply for that amazing, authentic taste.
It’s then slow roasted for several hours, resulting in a highly flavorful pork roast that’s juicy and meat that practically melts off the bone! However, ask any pernil lover and they will tell you that the highlight of a perfectly cooked pernil is its chicharrón, the irresistible crispy skin that crackles on the outside all while the meat remains luscious and moist underneath. The contrast between the juicy interior and the crunchy skin is what makes authentic Puerto Rican Pernil a beloved holiday classic and tradition.
Reasons to Love this Recipe
- Amazing Flavor: Nothing beats a well marinated pernil asado! The blend of garlic, oregano and other essential spices, infuses the roast so well with an irresistible depth of flavor.
- Tender, Juicy Meat: Slow roasting ensures the pernil is incredibly tender and juicy.
- Crispy Skin: Besides having the most tender pork roast you will ever eat, the golden crispy skin will be what lingers in your brain whenever you think of this dish! It’s truly the perfect contrast to tender pork with crackling crispy tasty skin!
- Celebrations: Pernil is not only a staple for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but also a favorite dish, commonly served at family gatherings.
- Make-Ahead: Because its a must to marinate pernil for a few days, its perfect to prepare in advance which is a huge help during the holidays when so many other dishes need to be made.
- Delicious Leftovers: If you’re lucky and have any Pernil leftover, use it in a variety of other dishes. A popular choice for us is making the popular sandwich cubano (Cuban sandwich). So delicious!
- Authentic Puerto Rican Tradition: Considered to be one of our famous staples, pernil brings a taste of Puerto Rican heritage right to your table!
Ingredients
- Pork Shoulder – For a true authentic pernil recipe, use a bone in pork shoulder roast.
- Garlic – Lots of garlic is a must to season pernil.
- Oregano – Use dry oregano for the most authentic flavor.
- Vinegar – Use white, apple cider or wine vinegar for this recipe.
- Adobo – Adobo is not only a common seasoning for this dish but traditional.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Pernil – If you cannot find a bone in shoulder roast, use a boneless roast or a Boston butt in its place.
- Adobo: If you live in an area where you cannot find adobo, simply season your pork roast with salt or make your own adobo blend at home.
Instructions
Step 1: Rinse the pork under cool water. Using a sharp knife, make a few one-inch deep slits all over the pork (Image 1).
Step 2: Using your knife, slice between the fat of the skin and meat creating a flap by cutting the skin almost to the other end of the pork without fully detaching it (Image 2).
Step 3: Add the oil, vinegar, garlic, cumin, red crushed pepper, black pepper and sazon to a mini chopper or blender and blend until a smooth paste forms (Images 3 & 4).
Step 5: Using your hand, rub the paste thoroughly over the entire pork shoulder, making sure to work it into all the slits. Sprinkle adobo over the entire pork (Image 5). Cover the pork shoulder and refrigerate overnight.
Step 6: Preheat oven to 325°F degrees. Take the pork out of the refrigerator and let it sit on counter for 30 minutes before roasting. Add a cup of water to bottom of the roasting pan before adding the pork to the oven to cook. Cover with aluminum foil and cook the pork for 35-40 minutes per pound. For example: An 8 pound pernil, will need approximately, 4.5 hours cooking time.
In the last 35 minutes of cooking, increase the oven to 425°F and crisp the skin until bubbly. (Keep a close eye on it that it doesn’t burn!)
Once pork is cooked, remove from oven and let it sit for 20 minutes before carving (Image 6).
Step 7: While the pernil is resting prepare the onion relish. Slice the red onions thinly and add to a small saucepan with the juice of one lime or lemon. Cook the onions over medium low heat until soft and translucent, stirring in between. Place the cooked onions in a bowl and serve beside pork when serving the pernil asado.
Slicing the Pernil
Transfer the pernil to a cutting board and remove skin. Cut skin into pieces.
Slice or shred the pernil , then return it to the roasting pan, allowing it to soak the flavorful pan juices. (Note: The pork will be incredibly tender and may resemble shredded pork as it falls apart.)
Expert Tips
- Marinate: For maximum flavor, allow the pernil to marinate for at least 24 hours or better yet, 48 hours.
- Fresh Garlic: Use fresh garlic for a stronger, richer flavor.
- Let it Rest Before Carving: Allow the pernil to rest for 15-20 minutes after roasting and before cutting. This helps the juices to redistribute, keeping the pork moist, tender and highly flavorful.
- Serve: Pernil pairs perfectly with many sides but best with other authentic dishes like arroz con gandules.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! For the most flavorful authentic tasting pernil, it is very important that you allow the marinade and spices to deeply infuse into the pork for a period of time, before cooking.
To guarantee deliciously crispy skin, increase the oven heat to around 425°F the last 35 minutes of cooking. Watch it closely to prevent it from burning.
Yes boneless pork shoulder can be used but bone in pork shoulder is preferred.
Yes, pernil is make-ahead friendly. You can roast it ahead of time and then reheat in the oven, which is perfect for busy holiday cooking.
Store the leftovers in an airtight container and eat within 4 days. It can also be frozen up to 3 months.
To reheat the pernil and keep it juicy, cover it with foil and warm in the oven at low temperature, around 300°F. If you want to crisp the skin again, uncover and broil for a few minutes.
Other Holiday Dishes You Will Love
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📖 Recipe
Pernil Asado Puertorriqueno (Puerto Rican Pernil)
Ingredients
- 8+ lbs bone in pork shoulder rinsed
- adobo sprinkled all over roast
Seasoning
- 1½ heads garlic peeled
- 2½ tablespoon oregano
- 1 packet sazon
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
Red Onion Topping (Optional)
- 2 red onions sliced
- 1-2 lime or lemon
Instructions
- Rinse the pork under cool water. Using a sharp knife, make a few one-inch deep slits all over the pork.
- Using your knife, slice between the fat of the skin and meat creating a flap by cutting the skin almost to the other end of the pork without fully detaching it. Make additional one-inch slits on top of the exposed meat.
- Add the oil, vinegar, garlic, cumin, red crushed pepper, black pepper and sazon to a mini chopper or blender and blend until a smooth paste forms
- Using your hand, rub the paste thoroughly over the entire pork shoulder, making sure to work it into all the slits. Sprinkle adobo over the entire pork. Cover the pork shoulder and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat oven to 325°F degrees.
- Take the pork out of the refrigerator and let it sit on counter for 30 minutes before roasting.
- Add a cup of water to bottom of the roasting pan before adding the pork to the oven to cook. Cover with aluminum foil and cook the pork for 35-40 minutes per pound. For example: An 8 pound pernil, will need approximately, 4.5 hours cooking time.
- In the last 35 minutes of cooking, increase the oven to 425°F and crisp the skin until bubbly. (Keep a close eye on it that it doesn't burn!)
- Once pork is cooked, remove from oven and let it sit for 20 minutes before carving.
Red Onion Relish (Optional)
- Slice the red onions and place in a saucepan with juice from one lemon or lime.
- Cook onions over medium low heat until soft and translucent.
- Place cooked onions in a bowl and serve beside pork when serving pernil asado.
Notes
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- 4 lbs | 2.5 hours | 5 servings
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- 5 lbs | 3 hours | 7 servings
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- 6 lbs | 3.5 hours | 9 servings
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- 7 lbs | 4 hours | 11 servings
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- 8 lbs | 4.5 hours | 13 servings
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- 9 lbs | 5 hours | 15 servings
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- 10 lbs | 5.5 hours | 17 servings
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- 11 lbs | 6 hours | 19 servings
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- 12 lbs | 6.5 hours | 21 servings
Winda Rodriguez Ramos says
Fantastic receipe for an exceptional Puerto Rican meal!
Catherine Arena says
Thank you Winda!
David says
Excelente! Necesitaba otra receta y este me gustó. Comimos pernil para Thanksgiving. Aunque este plato se come en las fiestas de navidad, lo hago cada dos meses para disfrutar tan delicioso plato.
Cathy says
¡Hola David! Me alegro tanto que le gusto! Nosotros somos iguales en mi casa, siempre cocinamos pernil! Riquisimo! Gracias por tomor de su tiempo para dejarme saber cuanto le gusto. 🙂
Sam says
Quick question:
Do we cook it the entire time at 450 degrees or is that for the last 40 mins to crisp the skin? Sorry the wording was confusing to me and wasn’t sure at what point to increase the heat. Thanks!
Cathy says
Hi! Increase the temperature to 450 degrees the last 40 minutes of cooking to help crisp skin. Thank you for trying the recipe! If you have any other questions, let me know. 🙂
Dave says
Two questions: I am cooking two 5lb pork shoulders in the same pan. Do I use the timing for 5lbs or for 10 lbs?
For the last step (cooking at 450 degrees, is that covered or uncovered? Thanks!
Catherine Arena says
Hi Dave! For two 5 lbs of pernil, plan on about 5.5 hours of cooking. If you have a thermometer, aim for an internal temperature of 195°F to 205°F for the most tender roast. For the final step, leave the pernil uncovered to achieve crispy skin. Hope it turns out amazing for you!