Puerto Rican Slow-Roasted Pork (Pérnil al Horno)
How to get tender, slow-roasted pork that's juicy on the inside, with shatteringly crisp skin? We found a two-step method.
- Makes8 servings
- Cook Time7 hours
- Active time plus cooling45 minutes active, plus refrigeration
Puerto Rico native and now resident of Miami, Teryluz Andreu had fond memories of her mother’s pérnil al caldero, a classic Puerto Rican dish of pork roast seasoned with adobo—a garlicky, vinegary, oregano-spiced marinade—that’s slow-cooked on the stovetop until succulent and fall-apart tender. She had her mother’s recipe for adobo but no method for cooking the roast, and she hadn’t had success in recreating the dish. We assisted her with that and, in doing so, learned of pérnil al horno, a similar preparation that cooks in the oven. This recipe melds Andreu’s mother’s adobo with a simple, hands-off oven-roasting method. The pork slow-cooks at 350°F for hours, then finishes for a few minutes at 500°F to get the golden, crackling-crisp skin that’s characteristic of the dish. The cut to use for this is a bone-in, skin-on pork butt roast; you may need to order it from the butcher in advance. For this recipe, you will need a large roasting pan, one that measures about 13 by 16 inches, as well as extra-wide heavy-duty foil. The adobo provides tart, herbal notes that nicely balance the richness of the meat, but if you'd also like a burst of tangy citrus, serve lime wedges alongside.
Don’t leave the roast in the roasting pan for the 500°F finish; make sure to transfer it to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. If left in the roasting pan, the accumulated juices will create a humid environment that will prevent the skin from crisping. Also, be sure to pat dry the skin before finishing at 500°F. Any extra moisture will prevent crisping.
Step 1
In a food processor, combine the oil, 10 of the garlic cloves, the cilantro stems, 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, 1 tablespoon oregano, 4 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper. Process until a smooth paste forms, scraping the bowl as needed, about 30 seconds.
Step 2
Using your hands, rub the garlic-herb paste all over the roast. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and set on a large plate. Refrigerate at least 4 hours but preferably longer (up to 24 hours).
Step 3
Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350°F. In a large roasting pan, combine 8 cups water, the remaining 5 garlic cloves, remaining 1 tablespoon oregano and the bay. Unwrap the pork and pat dry with paper towels. Set it skin side down in the pan. Cover tightly with extra-wide, heavy-duty foil; if the pan has fixed raised handles, be sure to get a good seal around the base of the handles. Transfer to the oven and cook for 5 hours.
Step 4
Remove the roasting pan from the oven and carefully remove the foil, allowing the steam to vent away from you. Using 2 pairs of tongs or tongs and a meat fork, flip the pork skin side up. Pat the skin dry with paper towels and return the roast, uncovered, to the oven. Cook until the thickest part of the pork reaches 210°F to 215°F, or a skewer inserted into the meat meets no resistance, another 1½ to 2 hours.
Step 5
Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Increase the oven to 500°F. Place a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet and transfer the roast to the rack; reserve the roasting pan with the juices from the pork. Using paper towels, pat the skin as dry as possible.
Step 6
When the oven comes up to temperature, return the pork to the oven and cook until the skin is deeply browned and crisped, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for about 30 minutes.
Step 7
Meanwhile, remove and discard the bay from the juices in the roasting pan, then pour the liquid into a 1-quart liquid measuring cup or a medium bowl. Let settle for a few minutes. Using a large spoon, skim off and discard the fat from the surface of the liquid, then stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar and the cilantro leaves. Taste and season with salt and pepper, adding more vinegar, if desired.
Step 8
Using a sharp, slender knife, cut the skin free from the roast and place it fatty side up on a cutting board. With a soupspoon, carefully scrape off and discard as much fat as possible. Flip the skin browned side up and set aside.
Step 9
Remove and discard the bone from the pork. Slice the pork or cut it into chunks. Arrange on a platter and pour some of the juices over the pork. Using kitchen shears, snip the crisped skin into pieces and scatter over the pork. Serve with the remaining juices on the side.