Pernil (Slow-Roasted Pork)

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 330 min
Servings: 16
Yield: 16 servings

Description

Pernil is a Puerto Rican favorite; pork shoulder with garlic, oregano, and adobe seasoning is roasted until tender and succulent with golden crisp skin.

Ingredients

9 pounds skin-on, bone-in pork shoulder (picnic) roast
1 medium lime, halved
10 cloves garlic
2 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons adobo seasoning (such as Goya®)
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sazon seasoning
2 (12 fluid ounce) cans or bottles beer (such as Budweiser®)

Directions

1 Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2 Rub pork shoulder all over with lime.
3 Mash garlic into a paste with a mortar and pestle, then transfer to a bowl.
4 Mix in salt, 1 tablespoon oil, oregano, pepper, adobo seasoning, and vinegar until well combined.
5 Pull the skin back to within 1 inch from the narrow part of the bone.
6 Make 3/4-inch slits all over the pork with a sharp knife.
7 Stuff seasoned garlic paste into the slits, then pull the skin back into place.
8 Mix remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil with sazón seasoning in a small bowl.
9 Rub all over the skin.
10 Transfer pork to a large roasting pan. Pour beer into the pan, then cover with aluminum foil, sealing well.
11 Roast in the preheated oven until pork is slightly pink in the center, about 3 hours. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
12 Uncover and continue roasting until the skin is golden brown and crispy, about 2 1/2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before carving.