Pernil (Pork Shoulder)

                                                                         

Pernil is a delicious slow cooked piece of pork shoulder or pork butt. It is usually eaten during the holidays. Puerto Ricans make it for Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve or Christmas  dinners but it is also eaten for celebrations. When I was growing up, my mother made it for Christmas Eve. I make it randomly.  If I have time I make it during the day but if I'm taking it as a dish somewhere, I make it over night in the oven.  Two years ago I was making it for a luncheon at the school where I worked and my oven broke down. I panicked! I didn't know what to do. I took out my two slow cookers and put one pernil in each at about 8:00p.m.  At 5:00 a.m. my pork was completely cooked and totally delicious. (No crackling skin though.)

Here are two ways to make pernil. 

Ingredients

1/4 cup sofrito

10 garlic cloves crushed (divided)

2 Tablespoons adobo

1 Tablespoons, garlic powder

2 teaspoons, achiote or 2 packets of  sazón

1 teaspoon, oregano

1 teaspoon, salt

1/2 teaspoon, black pepper

1/4 cup oil

1 pork shoulder (about 6-8 pounds)

Procedure #1

1. Preheat oven 300 degrees.

2. In a bowl combine and mix the sofrito, half of the fresh garlic, adobo, garlic powder, sazón, oregano, salt and pepper. 

(Let's call this 'sofrito marinade'). Set aside.

3. Cut the fat off the pork. Set aside

4. Use your knife to make 1 inch holes on the pernil. Use the other half of the garlic to place it inside the previously made holes.

5. Rub the whole pernil and the holes with the 'sofrito marinade'. Rub the skin as well and lay the skin on top of the pernil. 

**If you have time, refreigerate over night, If not, refrigerate for one or two hours to let it marinade. Take the pernil out of the refrigerator and let it get to room temperature before placing it in the oven. 

6. Put the pernil in an oven pan, the skin over it, and cover it with aluminum foil. Cook for 4 hours. 

7. After 4 hours uncover it , empty some of the fat from the pork in the pan into a sauce pan (**place it on the side in case you need it later), cover and cook for 3 more hours.

8. Take the pernil out of oven, remove the aluminum foil, and take the skin off the pork.

9. Raise the oven to 400 degrees. Put the skin back in the oven (in a separate oven plate)  until it is nice and crispy. Check every 10 minutes.

**Serve

Procedure #2

1. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.

2. Follow above procedure #2-5.

3. Put your pernil in an oven pan, cover with aluminum foil, and cook overnight for about 10 or so hours. 

4.  Take out of oven, remove the aluminum foil, and take the skin off the pork.

5. Raise the oven to 400 degrees. Put the skin back in the oven (in a separate oven plate) until it is nice and crispy.  

6. Check frequently.