Pernil is a slow cooked pork roast (in this case a shoulder). It is a classic Puerto Rican dish, and also a classic dish in the Dominican Republic, though unsurprisingly there are small differences that mean a lot. There are Cuban versions, too. This one borrows from Puerto Rican influences to deliver a succulent, beautifully-seasoned slow cooked piece of pork that will make your mouth water.
You will need a slow cooker for this recipe.
Prep Time15 minsCook Time10 hrsTotal Time10 hrs 15 mins
INGREDIENTS
1 pork shoulder
14 garlic cloves(we're shooting for around 2 cloves per pound of pork, so feel free to adjust accordingly. This amount works for the pork shoulders in the pantry)
1 ½ tbsp kosher salt(different from table salt - coarse and less refined, so not as dense. If you substitute table salt, you're going to want just about 1 tbsp)
½ tbsp freshly ground black pepper(alternatively, use the regular ground black pepper)
1 tbsp dried oregano
¼ cup olive oil
DIRECTIONS
The Garlic Paste
1Using a mortar and pestle, a food processor, or some other tool, combine the garlic cloves and salt until a chunky paste forms.
2Add in the ground black pepper, dried oregano, and olive oil
3Mix it all up together. If it becomes too dry, add a bit more oil
The Marinating Massage
4Prepare the shoulder by poking it with a knife on all sides so that it's got a bunch of slits for your garlic paste to enter.
5Take the garlic paste and slather the entire shoulder with it, working it into all of the slits. Don't be afraid to use your hands!
6Now it's time to let it marinate. Ideally it can marinate overnight, but an hour is fine too.
The (slow) Cooking
7Set it to cook on low for 10-12 hours, or on high for 6-7 hours, until the meat falls apart.
8Once ready, it should be extremely tender and ready to be shredded. Remove it from the slowcooker to do just that, and serve over rice (preferably with black or kidney beans). Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 pork shoulder
14 garlic cloves(we're shooting for around 2 cloves per pound of pork, so feel free to adjust accordingly. This amount works for the pork shoulders in the pantry)
1 ½ tbsp kosher salt(different from table salt - coarse and less refined, so not as dense. If you substitute table salt, you're going to want just about 1 tbsp)
½ tbsp freshly ground black pepper(alternatively, use the regular ground black pepper)
1 tbsp dried oregano
¼ cup olive oil
Directions
The Garlic Paste
1Using a mortar and pestle, a food processor, or some other tool, combine the garlic cloves and salt until a chunky paste forms.
2Add in the ground black pepper, dried oregano, and olive oil
3Mix it all up together. If it becomes too dry, add a bit more oil
The Marinating Massage
4Prepare the shoulder by poking it with a knife on all sides so that it's got a bunch of slits for your garlic paste to enter.
5Take the garlic paste and slather the entire shoulder with it, working it into all of the slits. Don't be afraid to use your hands!
6Now it's time to let it marinate. Ideally it can marinate overnight, but an hour is fine too.
The (slow) Cooking
7Set it to cook on low for 10-12 hours, or on high for 6-7 hours, until the meat falls apart.
8Once ready, it should be extremely tender and ready to be shredded. Remove it from the slowcooker to do just that, and serve over rice (preferably with black or kidney beans). Enjoy!
Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder Pernil
Wilson Soto