Pernil Dominicano (Puerco Asado)
Garlic-and-citrus marinated pork shoulder cooked low and slow, then roasted until the skin is crisp and the meat is pull-apart tender—a Dominican pernil you can serve with everything.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 355kcal
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 cilantro, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, vinegar, and lime juice into a coarse paste.
- Using a small, sharp knife, poke holes all over the pork shoulder. Rub the paste over the entire surface, pressing some into the holes. Cover and refrigerate to marinate overnight (or at least 2 hours).
- Place the pork shoulder in a slow cooker and add enough water to cover at least 3/4 of the meat. Cook on LOW for about 8 hours, until very tender.
- Carefully transfer the pork to a roasting pan, skin side up. Roast in a preheated 450°F (232°C) oven until the skin is browned and crispy, about 1 hour.
- Remove from the oven and rest 15 minutes. Shred with two forks and serve.
Notes
- Bone-in, skin-on pork shoulder yields the juiciest meat and crispy skin.
- For the crispiest finish, make sure the oven is fully preheated before roasting.
- Marinating overnight develops the deepest sabor.
Nutrition
Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 565mg | Potassium: 838mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 119IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3mg