Pernil (puerco asado) is a classic Dominican roasted pork dish made with garlic, citrus, and traditional seasonings. It’s one of the most anticipated dishes at our Nochebuena celebrations, but it’s just as delicious for family gatherings and Sunday dinners.
Growing up in the Dominican Republic, the smell of garlic, oregano, and limón filling the kitchen was always a sign that something good was cooking. There’s nothing quite like tender, flavorful pork with pieces of crispy, golden skin (cuerito) on the side.
My Dominican pernil recipe uses a two-step cooking method that’s a little different from traditional oven roasting. First, the pork shoulder is marinated in a flavorful garlic-citrus seasoning and slow-cooked until fall-apart tender. Then, it goes into a hot oven to develop that delicious crispy skin.
Serve it with moro de guandules con coco and Dominican Potato Salad (ensalada rusa) for a traditional Dominican holiday meal, or enjoy it with white rice (arroz blanco) and Dominican Beans (habichuelas guisadas) any day of the week.
What Is Pernil?
Pernil, also known as puerco asado in the Dominican Republic, is a seasoned, slow-roasted pork shoulder traditionally served at family gatherings and celebrations, especially Christmas Eve (Nochebuena).
Dominican pernil gets its delicious flavor from a combination of garlic, oregano, citrus, and other seasonings that are rubbed into the meat before cooking. The goal is tender, juicy pork with a flavorful exterior and crispy skin, known as cuerito.
While traditional Dominican pernil is roasted in the oven, my version starts in the slow cooker to make the meat fall-apart tender, then finishes in a hot oven to crisp up the skin. It’s a convenient way to prepare this beloved dish without spending the entire day tending to the oven.
How to Make Dominican Pernil
Step 1: Prepare the seasoning and marinate the pork
In a food processor, combine the cilantro, garlic, dried oregano, cumin, salt, black pepper, apple cider vinegar, and fresh lime juice. Pulse until you have a coarse seasoning paste.
Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. Using a small, sharp knife, make deep slits throughout the meat, especially around the bone. Rub the seasoning mixture all over the pork, making sure to press it into the slits so the flavors penetrate the meat.
Cover and refrigerate overnight for the best flavor, or for at least 2 hours if you’re short on time.
Step 2: Slow-cook the pork until tender
Place the marinated pork shoulder in your slow cooker and add enough water to cover about three-quarters of the meat.
Cover and cook on LOW for approximately 8 hours, or until the pork is very tender and pulls apart easily with a fork.
Step 3: Roast the pork for crispy skin
Carefully transfer the cooked pork shoulder to a roasting pan, positioning it skin-side up. Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C).
Gently pat the exposed skin dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This helps the skin brown and crisp during roasting.
Place the pork in the preheated oven and roast for approximately 1 hour, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Keep an eye on it toward the end of cooking to prevent burning.
Step 4: Rest, shred, and serve
Remove the pernil from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Using two forks, pull or shred the tender pork into serving pieces. Serve with the crispy skin (cuerito) alongside the meat.
Enjoy your Dominican pernil with your favorite rice, beans, and side dishes.
What to Serve With Dominican Pernil
Pernil is the centerpiece of many Dominican holiday dinners, but it’s also delicious with everyday sides. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it:
- For a traditional Dominican Christmas dinner: Pair your pernil with moro de guandules con coco, Dominican Potato Salad (ensalada rusa), and pasteles en hoja for a delicious Nochebuena feast. Find more ideas in my Dominican Holiday Recipes collection.
- For a classic Dominican meal: Serve it with white rice (arroz blanco), Dominican Beans (habichuelas guisadas), and a simple ensalada verde (Dominican Garden Salad).
- For a little extra crunch: Add tostones or maduros to your plate.
- For delicious leftovers: Use the shredded pork to make my Dominican pulled pork sandwich (Sandwich de Pierna), or turn it into flavorful tacos inspired by my pulled pork tacos recipe (tacos de carnitas). You can also add leftover pernil to rice bowls for another easy meal.
How to Store and Reheat Pernil
Refrigerate: Allow leftover pernil to cool slightly, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If possible, keep the crispy skin separate from the shredded pork to help preserve its texture.
Freeze: Place the shredded pork in a freezer-safe container or resealable bag, removing as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months for the best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat: Place the pork in an oven-safe dish with a splash of broth or water. Cover with foil and warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven until heated through to 165°F (74°C). To crisp up the skin, place it under the broiler for 1–2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
Tips for Making the Best Dominican Pernil
- Choose the right cut of pork. Bone-in, skin-on pork shoulder is ideal for this recipe. The fat helps keep the meat tender during cooking, while the skin becomes deliciously crispy when roasted.
- Don’t skip the marinating time. For the best flavor, season the pork and refrigerate it overnight. If you’re short on time, allow at least 2 hours for the seasonings to penetrate the meat.
- Season inside the slits. Make deep cuts throughout the pork shoulder and press the garlic-citrus seasoning into them. This helps flavor the meat beyond the surface.
- Cook until fork-tender. Slow cookers vary, so use the 8-hour cooking time as a guide. The pork should be tender enough to pull apart easily before transferring it to the oven.
- Dry the skin before roasting. Gently pat the skin dry with paper towels after removing the pork from the slow cooker. Excess moisture can prevent the skin from crisping properly.
- Use a fully preheated oven. Make sure your oven reaches 450°F (232°C) before roasting the pork. Keep an eye on the skin as it browns, especially toward the end of cooking.
- Let the pork rest before shredding. Allow the pernil to rest for about 15 minutes after roasting. This makes it easier to handle and serve.
Pernil Dominicano (Puerco Asado)
Author:Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 lb 2.27 kg pork shoulder, bone-in, skin-on
- 1/2 cup 8 g cilantro, roughly chopped (packed)
- 12 cloves 36 g garlic
- 1 tsp 1 g dried oregano
- 1 tsp 2.5 g ground cumin
- 1 tsp 6 g salt
- 1 tsp 2 g ground black pepper
- 1 tsp 5 mL apple cider vinegar
- Juice of 1 lime 30 mL
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse together the cilantro, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, black pepper, apple cider vinegar, and lime juice until a coarse seasoning paste forms.
- Using a small, sharp knife, make deep slits throughout the pork shoulder. Rub the seasoning paste all over the pork, pressing some into the slits. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 2 hours.
- Place the marinated pork shoulder in a slow cooker and add enough water to cover about three-quarters of the meat. Cover and cook on LOW for approximately 8 hours, or until the pork is fork-tender.
- Carefully transfer the pork to a roasting pan, skin-side up. Gently pat the exposed skin dry with paper towels. Roast in a preheated 450°F (232°C) oven for approximately 1 hour, or until the skin is browned and crispy. Watch carefully toward the end to prevent burning.
- Remove the pernil from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes. Shred the pork using two forks and serve with the crispy skin.
Notes
- Use bone-in, skin-on pork shoulder for tender meat and crispy skin (cuerito).
- Marinate overnight for the best flavor, or for at least 2 hours.
- Pat the skin dry before roasting and make sure the oven is fully preheated to 450°F (232°C).
- Slow-cooker cooking times may vary. The pork should be fork-tender before roasting.
Nutrition
The nutritional information of this recipe and all recipes on mydominicankitchen.com is only an estimate. The accuracy of any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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Argi says
Tasty and so easy!
Marissa says
I JUST put my pernil in the crockpot at 11am. Obviously, I’m not going to have time to cook it for 9 hours and have a reasonable dinner time. Would I be able to cook it on high for a couple hours then switch it to low for another few hours to cut down the crock pot cook time a bit? I fully intend to roast it at 450 for the full hour. I look forward to your response!
My Dominican Kitchen says
Great question—and totally get wanting to speed things up!
You can start it on high for a couple of hours, then switch to low, but keep in mind it may not get quite as tender as the full low cook time. If you can, aim for at least 6–7 hours total. The final roast at 450°F will still help you get that crispy skin you’re looking for.
Regina says
The meat was super tender but no flavor. All my seasoning basically rinsed away with the water in the slow cooker. And I always use lots of garlic and sofrito. I was disappointed
My Dominican Kitchen says
I’m sorry to hear that, I know how disappointing that can be. Pernil should be really flavorful, so it sounds like too much liquid may have diluted the seasoning. Next time, you can reduce the added liquid or let it roast uncovered longer so the flavors concentrate more.
I’m glad it turned out tender though, and I appreciate you giving it a try.