Pernil Dominicano | Roasted Pork Shoulder

Dominican Style Pernil Recipe that’s juicy, full of flavor, authentic, and perfect for the holidays and family gatherings!

If you go to any Dominican, Puerto Rican, or Cuban family party or special event, then I guarantee that Pernil will be on the menu! In fact, my grandmother’s Dominican Pernil is one of the earliest recipes that I learned how to master. Little did I know just how important these teaching lessons would become now that I’m in charge of making the Pernil for all of the parties. Even our Dominican Thanksgiving Turkey gets the full Pernil treatment for the holidays! 

What Pork to Use to Make Pernil? 

Pernil is roasted pork shoulder. When you cook it tenderly and slowly, you end up with the juiciest pulled pork that pairs perfectly with Yuca con Mojo and Moro de Guandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas). This traditional Dominican roasted pork starts with the right cut of meat — pork shoulder. Keep in mind that this cut of meat can also be labeled as “pork shoulder picnic” in your local grocery store. If you can’t find pork shoulder or pork shoulder picnic, Boston butt can be a good substitute. Just make sure that in any case, you buy it with the bone-in and skin intact.  These are tough cuts of meat that transform into juicy and tender cuts when we roast them low and slow in our citrus marinade. 

Most importantly, avoid accidentally picking up a cut of bone-in ham instead of pork shoulder. No matter how hard you try, you can never turn this into Dominican Pernil. My grandmother made this mistake one year for Noche Buena and let’s just say, we were all upset when we couldn’t make our Cuban Sandwiches with the pernil leftovers! 

What Ingredients Do I Need to Season Pernil Dominicano?

Dominican Style Pernil is special because it uses a few key ingredients that give it its iconic and unique flavor — Dominican orégano. On the surface, this recipe is deceivingly simple.  You just have to make sure that you have the exact ingredients for that undeniable authentic Dominican flavor.

For this recipe, you’re to need: 

• Dominican Orégano
• Sour Orange – if you can’t find this, you can make your own with equal parts fresh orange juice and lime 
• Lime 
• Garlic – The more the merrier and fresh garlic! Leave that jar stuff alone! 
• Salt
• Black Pepper 
• Cumin 
• Fresh Thyme – For a little razzle dazzle 
• Fresh Onion 

How Do I Season a Dominican Style Pernil? 

The most important rule to making the marinade for the pernil is to use all fresh ingredients!  Additionally, you also need to season the Pernil sufficiently with salt. How much salt ultimately comes down to personal preference. 

Pork shoulder sweats out salt so you have to add a lot of salt so you don’t end up with a bland dish. Pork shoulder is a big and thick piece of meat. This is why we poke holes in it to make sure some of the marinade gets inside. This is also why when we serve the dish, we pull apart the meat and serve it with a combo of outside pieces and inside pieces. The outside pieces are my FAVORITE since they’re the most flavorful.

Now back to the salt—different recipes will call for different amounts of salt. Pernil is a traditional Latin dish that you can make in a variety of different ways. After YEARS of making this dish, I’ve cracked the code to salting the pernil perfectly. 

Here’s my rule of thumb when seasoning Pernil Dominicano: The MAX amount of salt that you should use is HALF of the pork shoulder’s weight in tablespoons. 

Confused? I’ll explain. If you have a 10lb pernil, the MAX amount of salt you should use is 5 tbsp. This will give you a very well-seasoned pernil. Anything more than 5tbs for a 10lbs pork shoulder will give you a salty pernil. As the pernil roasts in the oven, the marinade will reduce thus making it saltier. However, if you like your food on the saltier side, then the most you should add is one extra tablespoon. More than that and you might be in enemy territory. 

You can also use less salt. However, I wouldn’t recommend using less than 2 ½ tbsp of salt (25% of a 10lbs pernil’s weight). You desperately want to avoid a bland pernil. Bland pork shoulder can ruin a party. If your family is anything like mine, then you’ll be hearing about it for months!

In the end, if you want the perfectly seasoned pernil, stick to my rule of thumb. Don’t exceed an extra tablespoon if you want it a little saltier. Always make note of the weight of the pork shoulder than you grabbed since this will dictate how much salt you should use. 

Is Boiling the Pernil Really Necessary?

Before I roast the pernil, I like to boil the pork shoulder for at least an hour. This step is non-negotiable for me because it’s the key in getting a juicy pernil. Braising the pernil with 1-2 cups of water helps the marinade penetrate the inside. It also creates a ton of au jus (gravy)!  Marinate the pernil for 1-2 days, and then braise it for an hour before slow roasting. This simple step will make you the go-to Pernil person in your family!

How Long Should I Roast the Pernil In The Oven? 

How long the pernil cooks in the oven all depends on its size. The average pernil is about 7-10lbs. I like to set my oven to 350F and slow roast the pernil COVERED with the braising liquid for 4-5 hours. Remember that low and slow is the name of the game. 

For the first 3 hours, roast the pernil covered with aluminum foil. By the third hour, check on it. If the meat is not NOT pulling away from the bone, cover it again and let it roast for another hour. This tends to be the case for a pernil bigger than 10 pounds. If your pernil looks good at hour 3, then leave the pork shoulder uncovered. Crank the oven to 425F and roast the pork shoulder until it has even color throughout. You want that iconic deep reddish-brown color and crispy skin! 

Setting aside 4-5 hours (or more if your pernil is large) can seem like a long time. If you’re pressed for time, then you can safely bump up the temperature to 375F. I highly recommend that you get an oven thermometer. Here’s one oven thermometer by Taylor Precision Products that I swear by because it works every time without any fuss! 

How Do I Know If My Pernil is Cooked All The Way Through? 

After roasting the pernil covered for 3 hours (4 hours if it’s larger), baste it and remove 50% of the gravy. Set that gravy aside in case you need it later on. At 3 hours, the pernil should be 90% cooked. You’ll know this because the juices coming out of the pernil will be clear.  Your pernil will also be light golden brown. However, the skin won’t be crispy. This is why we turn up the heat and roast it uncovered for that last hour. Removing 50% of the gravy will also help the pernil brown evenly. 

Keep in mind that the gravy that’s left behind to continue roasting will reduce and become saltier. You can always dilute it with the gravy you removed at hour 3 or 4 if you want to dress your shredded pork with some gravy for extra flavor and moisture. 

All in all, that final hour of cooking is where the magic happens. The skin becomes crispy, and I immediately think of the Dominican Potato Salad and Beef and Cheese Empanadas that I’m going to enjoy on the side! 

If you want the skin to crisp even further, broil it for 5 minutes. Just make sure to watch it carefully! You don’t want your hard work to go to waste! Doing this will give you super crispy skin aka chicharron! 

Feel free to shred the pernil and serve with lime! 

If you have more questions on How to Make the Best Dominican Pernil, I have you covered in these FAQs!

Recommended Tools: The Perfect Dominican Style Pernil Is Not Complete Without These Tools!

• Dominican Orégano 
• Food Processor 
• Roasting Pan 
• Large Caldero (Braising Pot) 
• Oven Thermometer
• Citrus Juicer

Pernil Dominicano | Roasted Pork Shoulder | Made To Order | Chef Zee Cooks

Serves: 12 Prep Time: 1 hour Cooking Time: 5hours 5hours

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

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Ingredients

• 1 ½ - 2 heads of Fresh Garlic
• 1 tbsp Dominican Oregano (whole or ground) *Regular oregano will also work
• 5 tbsp Salt for a 10lbs Pernil
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 tsp Fresh Thyme
• ½ tsp Cumin
• 1 Red Onion
• 1 tbsp Chicken Bouillon Cube
• 1 Fresh Orange
• 2-3 Fresh Limes
• ¼ cup Olive Oil
• 3-4 cups of Water
• 1 cup of White Distilled Vinegar

Instructions

1. Poke holes all over the pernil using a cross method to get small to medium holes. Try not to make too many holes on the top of the pernil. The goal is to keep the skin intact as much as possible so that it gets crispy in the end. This will also protect the fat layer underneath which will eventually render thus keeping the pork shoulder moist during cooking. 
2. Then place pork shoulder in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 cup white distilled vinegar and enough water to cover the pork shoulder. Massage the vinegar and water into the pork. Set aside while you prepare the marinade. This vinegar - water bath will act as a quick brine for our pork shoulder while also "cleaning" the meat. It's a traditional step when preparing this dish. 
3. In a food processor, add fresh garlic garlic cloves, a pinch of salt, Dominican oregano, chicken bouillon cube, cumin, roughly diced onion, and thyme. Blend together until smooth. Afterwards, transfer marinade into a medium sized mixing bowl. 
4. Once the marinade has been transferred to a mixing bowl, add salt according to the size your pork shoulder. Then add the freshly squeezed orange juice, lime juice, and olive oil. Mix together until well combined and set marinade aside
5. Drain the pernil of the vinegar + water bath. Rinse pernil with extra water if needed. No worries if there's a bit of vinegar left behind. 
6. Next, season the pernil thoroughly using the marinade. Be sure to massage the marinade into the holes we made earlier. It looks weird at first, but your taste buds will thank you later. The deeper the holes, the more pronounced the marinade and flavor will be throughout. Try and insert as much as the marinade as possible. Once you've filled all of the hole with the marinade, add the rest of the marinade to the exterior of the pork shoulder and massage. 
7. Now that the pork shoulder is fully seasoned, cover the pernil in the mixing bowl with saran / plastic wrap. Marinate the pork shoulder for at least 12 hours. For best results, marinade for 24-48 hours in the refrigerator. 
8. The next day, set oven to 350F (375 if you're short on time or if your pernil is more than 10lbs) Then, in a large pot or caldero, add the pork shoulder —skin side up—and add 3-4 cups of water. Be sure to include all of the marinade that in the mixing bowl. Boil for at least an hour. Add extra water if needed while pork braises. 
9. Once the pork shoulder has finished braising, transfer pork shoulder —skin side up—onto a roasting pan. If you don't have a roasting pan, a disposable aluminum pan will work. Make sure to double up and use an aluminum pan that is big enough for your pernil. Cover the pernil with aluminum foil. 
10. Transfer the pernil in roasting pan into the oven. Cook the pernil covered for 3 hours at 350 degrees. After 3 hours, check the pernil. You want to see if the meat is pulling away from the bone. Also check if the juices are coming out clear. If the pork seems under cooked, cover again with aluminum foil and roast for an additional hour. At this stage, the pernil will become light golden brown and the juices will run clear. 
11. At the 4^th hour, (cook times will vary depending on size) remove the aluminum foil cover, and remove 50% of the juices.  Roast uncovered for one more hour until the pernil is evenly browned. 
12. *Optional**Once the pernil is done, broil for 5 minutes to get super crispy skin.  Keep a close eye to ensure that the pernil does not burn. 
13. Once the pernil has finished roasting, remove from the oven and let rest for at least 30 minutes before shredding and serving with your favorite side dish. 

Notes

After cleaning your pernil in a vinegar-water bath, thoroughly disinfect your sink and work surfaces with clorox. Cook times will vary depending on the size of your pork shoulder. Allow for a total of 5-6 hours to cook pernil from start to finish.