Pernil, Sazon, Slow-Roasted

Crispy and Tender Pernil

Name: Pernil
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 255 min
Ingredients: 3.5 lbs Pork Butt; 2 Bunches Scallions; 1 Whole Lemon Juice; 1 Whole Orange; 1 tbsp Avocado Oil; 10 Cloves Garlic Cloves; 1 tbsp Sazon; 2 cups water; .5 tsp Sea Salt

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Pernil is a slow-roasted pork shoulder or butt and, when perfectly cooked, has a crispy outer layer and is tender with a punch of flavor.

Should I make pernil with boston pork butt or picnic shoulder, aka pork shoulder?

For Thanksgiving a few years ago, my sister, the kids, and my brother-in-law went to the local butcher in Virginia Beach for pork shoulder. Instead, the butcher recommended pork butt, promising they were the same, but I would argue that it was even better.

So here’s a quick outline of some of the similarities and differences.

Similarities:

Ideal for slow roasting.
Have a similar flavor profile.
Both come from the shoulder of the pig.

Differences:

The picnic shoulder has a thicker layer of fat on the skin. The boston butt has more fat marbling throughout.
The picnic cut is ideal for stews and can be sliced similarly to ham.

How should I season the pernil?

I seasoned the pernil with a mix of fresh ingredients in this recipe.

Scallions
Juice of a lemon
Juice of an orange
Fresh garlic
Salt
Tomato paste
Avocado oil

In a food processor, add all the ingredients until they’re a paste, pour half on the pork butt, and place in the oven.
This combination will give the pernil a rich flavor.

How long does it take to cook pernil?

This really depends on the size however, be ready to roast for several hours.

Ideally, you’ll want to start off with medium to high heat to cook thoroughly, then crisp the top layer.

How do I know when the pernil is ready?

When fully cooked, the pernil should come apart quickly – and if you’ve cooked the pork butt or shoulder with the bone-in, you’ll find that the meat comes off the bone easily.

For this recipe

Food Processor

Basting Brush

Ceramic Roasting Pan

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Step One – In a food processor, add the scallions, garlic, oil, salt, sazon, and tomato paste until it’s chopped to a smooth, slightly chunky consistency.

Step Two – Preheat the oven to 350.

I like to clean the pork in a bowl with water and vinegar before cooking – let it sit in the vinegar and water solution and rinse.

Place it in a baking dish, downside up – brush the scallion seasoning mix on the pork butt with a basting brush. Then flip and coat the rest of the pernil.

Step Three – Carefully remove the pernil from the oven, flip the pernil and cook for another 2 hours.

Step Four – After two hours, broil for 30 minutes, and carefully remove from the oven. Coat the pernil with the remaining scallion mix, top and bottom, flip the pernil and set it to broil for the remaining 30 minutes until the skin is crunchy.

Step Five – Let sit for a few minutes.

In the meantime, move the drippings into a bowl and skim the fat.

Serve the pernil and add a side of gravy!

Pernil

Print Recipe

Slow-roasted Pork Butt

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Puerto Rican

Keyword Pernil, Puerto Rican Sofrito, Sazon

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 4 hrs 15 mins

Servings 6 people

Calories 380

Ingredients

3.5 lbs Pork Butt
2 Bunches Scallions
1 Whole Lemon Juice
1 Whole Orange
1 tbsp Avocado Oil
10 Cloves Garlic Cloves
1 tbsp Sazon
2 cups water
.5 tsp Sea Salt

Instructions

Step One
In a food processor, add the scallions, garlic, oil, salt, sazon, and tomato paste until it’s chopped to a smooth, slightly chunky consistency.
Step Two
Preheat the oven to 350°.
I like to clean the pork in a bowl with water and vinegar before cooking. Rinse and remove from the bowl, and place it In a baking dish downside up. Brush the scallion seasoning mix on the pork butt with a basting brush. Then flip and coat the rest of the pernil.
Add 2 cups of water to the baking dish and place in the oven for 2 hours.
Step Three
Carefully remove the pernil from the oven, flip the pernil and cook for another 2 hours.
Step Four
After two hours, broil at 400° for 30 minutes and carefully remove from the oven. Coat the pernil with the remaining scallion mix, top and bottom, flip the pernil and set it to broil for the remaining 30 minutes until the skin is crispy.
Step Five - Let sit for a few minutes. In the meantime, move the drippings into a bowl and skim the fat.
Serve the pernil and add a side of gravy!