Pernil (Puerto Rican Pork Shoulder)

By carvalhohm

Ingredients

• 8-10 lbs. pork shoulder (Pernil)
• 1 big head garlic
• 2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. crushed orégano
• Adobo

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from elcolmadito.com

Preparation

Step 1

Pre-heat oven to 350º.

Wash pernil in cold water. Make stabs (about 1 inch wide) so you can put paste like mixture in them. Sprinkle adobo to your taste and set aside. (For better flavor, season night before.) Peel all garlic, dust off your pilón and mash the garlic to make a paste or grind in food processor. Add orégano and pepper, after garlic, orégano and pepper are well mixed, add olive oil and stir with spoon to make paste like mixture.

Place 1 teaspoon of paste mixture into each hole of pernil. Cover bottom of baking pan with aluminum foil and place pernil on top.
Cover pernil well with aluminum foil so it will come out juicy, not dry. Bake for 4 to 5 hours at 350º, depending on your oven. Uncover for last 15-20 minutes on high setting for some crunchy "chicharrón" skin.