Pernil

By Toni Chapman

Updated January 5, 2026

Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Ready In
13 hr 35 min
(15 min prepping; 8 hr marinating; 5 hr 20 min roasting)
Rating
4(218)
Comments
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Pernil is everything to me. It was the heart of the table at most family gatherings, the beautifully roasted pork shoulder that everyone waited for. This version, from my cookbook, “Everything Good” (Clarkson Potter, 2025), is exactly how it should be —­ juicy, full of flavor, with that perfect cuerito, the crispy skin. But to nail it, there are a few things you need to know: 1. Marinate it overnight. There’s no getting around this —­ some dishes just take time. 2. Be generous with the marinade and make sure every part of the pork is covered. 3. Don’t rush cooking it —­ no shortcuts. (Watch Toni make this recipe on Instagram.)

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Ingredients

Yield:10 to 12 servings

For Abuela’s Green Sofrito

  • 1 bunch of cilantro (the freshest you can find!)

  • 1 bunch of culantro (the freshest you can find!), see Tip

  • 1 medium Spanish onion, roughly chopped

  • 5 green ají dulce peppers, roughly chopped, see Tip

  • 1 medium green bell pepper, roughly chopped

  • 12 garlic cloves

  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano

  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

For the Pork

  • ⅔ cup vegetable oil or extra-­virgin olive oil 

  • 16 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

  • 2 teaspoons adobo seasoning

  • 2 teaspoons Maggi seasoning

  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano

  • 3 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • 2½ teaspoons sazón (culantro y achiote)

  • 1 bone-­in pork shoulder roast (8 to 10 pounds)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 to 12 servings)

7 grams carbs; 242 milligrams cholesterol; 944 calories; 36 grams monosaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 22 grams saturated fat; 74 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 936 milligrams sodium; 60 grams protein; 2 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Make the sofrito:

    1. Step 1

      In a blender or food processor, combine the herbs, chopped vegetables, garlic, oregano and salt and blend until smooth. You should have about 2 cups. Set aside ¼ cup for the pork. Store the remainder in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week or place in an ice cube tray and freeze.

  2. Marinate the pork:

    1. Step 2

      In a large bowl, whisk the ¼ cup sofrito with the oil, garlic, adobo seasoning, Maggi seasoning, oregano, 2 teaspoons of the salt and 2 teaspoons of the sazón.

    2. Step 3

      Use a sharp knife to carefully peel back the skin of the pork, leaving it partially attached on one side. Use the knife to evenly poke 8 holes all over the top of the meat (deep enough to insert garlic cloves). Flip the pork over and evenly poke 8 holes all over the bottom of the meat. Rub the marinade all over the pork, including underneath the skin, then place the large chunks of garlic inside the holes.

    3. Step 4

      Pat the top of the skin dry with a paper towel. Season the top of the skin with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon sazón.

    4. Step 5

      Place the pork in a large roasting pan and cover it with aluminum foil. Transfer to the refrigerator and marinate overnight.

  3. Roast the pork:

    1. Step 6

      Heat the oven to 325 degrees. 

    2. Step 7

      Remove the meat from the refrigerator and pat the skin dry with a paper towel. Cover the pork with aluminum foil, tenting it so that it doesn’t touch the surface of the pork, and bake for 4 to 5 hours, until the meat is knife-­tender.

    3. Step 8

      Uncover the meat, increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees, and continue roasting for 1 hour, until the skin is crispy and the meat is fork-tender. (If the skin is not as crispy as you’d like, you can broil on low to crisp it up.)

    4. Step 9

      Remove the pork from the oven. Let it rest for 15 minutes, then use ovenproof gloves or tongs to pull the meat off the bone into large chunks and juicy shreds. Serve each portion with a piece of skin on top.

Tips

  • Culantro, also known as recao, is an herb commonly used in Caribbean and Latin American cuisine. It has a long and rich history dating back to the Indigenous Taíno people, who used it for its medicinal properties. If you can’t find culantro, you can substitute it with more cilantro or with parsley, but keep in mind that the flavor profile will be different.

  • Ají dulce peppers are small, sweet peppers, often described as having a slightly smoky flavor. They are sold in Caribbean and Latino markets but if you can’t find them you can use mini bell peppers or other small sweet peppers.

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218 user ratings
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Comments

William Wroblicka

There are two cuts of the pork shoulder that are generally available, at least some of the time, in most supermarkets: the butt (upper portion) and the picnic (lower portion). A "Boston butt" roast seldom comes with the skin on and is perhaps a little more common, but a picnic roast almost always has skin attached. So ask the guy in the meat department to get you a picnic shoulder roast and you should be all set.

Joe

For an authentic Puerto Rican holiday meal, be sure to serve the pernil with arroz con gandules & pasteles. Bonus points if you also decide to serve arroz con dulce (rice pudding) or tembleque for dessert!

Jaye

@Joe and plátanos maduros, oh and coquito of course.

R.S.

Just my experience, but you don’t need to marinade so long. Just a couple of hours works fine. I use the oven bag for most of the bake time. Then remove the bag to roast at the end to get the crunch (chicharron). Doesn’t take as much planning and comes out good cause the seasonings in the bag really take.

Music Fan

@Liz, I keep a (solely for the purpose) 5-gallon bucket (and lid) for just such occasions! I used to have a recipe for the mojo marinade. Thanks for the reminder, my mouth is watering as I type. Minimum of five days in the bath, weather permitting. Turning the leg in the bucket is a wonderful mix of self-restraint and the promise of yum to come. Keeping the bucket clean keeps it real. Or, at least, serious business.

David Morris

I don’t get it. I’ve never seen a recipe for pernil that didn’t use a citrus-based (preferably naranjas ágrias(sour oranges-or a mix of orange and lime juice) marinade.

Richard X

Maybe you don't get it because you haven't seen every pernil recipe. Our family uses vinegar and green olives.

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