Pernil - Puerto Rican Roast Pork Shoulder

By yollymg

This is a delicious Puerto Rican roast pork (Pernil al Horno) that makes a wonderful change for the holidays.

During the holiday season, pernil is often made in Latin-American homes. In fact, pernil is at almost every Puerto Rican wedding, anniversary, birthday, or large party event.

Ingredients

• 1 large onion
• 1 green bell pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• Green olives with pimientos
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons recaito
• 1/2 package sazon seasoning
• 2 to 3 tablespoons drained capers
• 1 teaspoon sofrito
• White vinegar
• 1 (10-pound) pork shoulder roast with bone
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Olive Oil

Preparation

Step 1

In a medium bowl, combine onion, bell pepper, oregano, green olives, garlic powder or garlic salt, basil, recaito, sazon seasoning, capers, and sofrito; add enough white vinegar to just cover the ingredients; mix and crush together until well blended.

With a sharp knife, cut 1-inch deep slits on all sides of the pork roast. Using a spoon or your fingers, stuff the seasoning mixture into each slit. Place pork roast into a large dish or pan. Pour any extra seasoning mixture over the roast, cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Place roast onto a rack in a shallow baking pan (place a little water in the bottom of the pan). Mix paprika with a little olive oil; rub over the roast.

Bake, uncovered, 4 to 5 hours or until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees. Base with juice every 30 minutes (if roast starts to get too brown during baking, cover with aluminum foil). Remove from oven and transfer onto a cutting board.

Let stand 15 minutes before carving (meat temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after it is removed from the oven). After carving, transfer onto a large serving platter.