Jerk Pernil (Roast Pork Shoulder)

Horizontal image of a plate with slices of Jerk Pernil, sweet plantains and rice and peas.

Jerk Pernil (Roast Pork Shoulder)

Course: Entree, Main

Cuisine: Afro-Caribbean, Jamaican, Puerto Rican

Keyword: pernil

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 5

Total Time: 5 20

Servings:

Calories: 442kcal

Author: Marta Rivera

Begin this recipe at least 24 hours ahead, but 3 days ahead is recommended.

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Equipment

2 roasting pans (disposable are best)
blender

Ingredients

10 pound (about 4 1/2 kilograms) pork shoulder bone-in, skin-on
1/2 cup (120 milliliters) white vinegar
1 cup (250 milliliters) soy sauce
1/4 cup (60 milliliters) lime juice from 2 large limes
1 large (2 cups or 300 grams) white onion roughly chopped
6 (1 cup or 60 grams) green onions trimmed and roughly sliced
8 cloves garlic peeled and trimmed
3 inch piece ginger peeled and roughly chopped
2 scotch bonnet peppers stems removed and roughly chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme destemmed (or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves)
1 1/2 tablespoons (23 grams) kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice (or 1 tablespoon allspice berries)
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Spice Blend
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 tablespoons molasses (or dark brown sugar)

Instructions

Prep the Pernil for Marinating (Begin Up To 3 Days Ahead)

Use the tip of a sharp knife to pierce deep holes in the bottom and sides of pernil, but not in the skin. Keep the skin intact as much as possible.
Next, use your knife to cut between the meat and the fat cap under the skin, making a pocket between the two. Make more holes in the meat from the top once most of the skin is separated.
Put the meat into a large bowl or roasting pan and pour the white vinegar over the entire pork shoulder and into the pocket you made as well.
Allow the meat to sit in the vinegar while making the jerk marinade.

Prepare the Jerk Marinade

To a large blender, add the soy sauce, lime juice, white onion, green onions, garlic, ginger, scotch bonnets, thyme, salt, pepper, ground allspice, pumpkin spice, coriander, and molasses.
Blend the ingredients on medium speed for 1 minute.
Stop the blender and scrape down the sides.
Blend the marinade again, at medium speed, for another 30 minutes or until the jerk marinade is completely smooth.
Keep the mixture in the blender for now.

Marinate the Pernil

Pour 1 cup (250 milliliters) of the marinade into the bottom of a non-reactive roasting dish.
Place the pernil into the marinade in the dish and pour another 1 1/2 cups of the marinade over the pernil and into the pocket you made between the fat and the meat.
Rub the marinade into the meat a bit and try to push it into those holes you made earlier. Wash your hands once you're done doing this.
Cover the dish with the pernil with plastic wrap and marinate the pernil for 1-3 days in the fridge.

Roast the Jerk Pernil

Remove the pernil from the fridge an hour before you start roasting it to allow the meat time to warm up.
Lower the middle oven rack to the next position down and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
Remove the plastic from the roasting dish and rub off any excess marinade from the skin. This is likely to burn towards the end of roasting, so it's best to remove it now.
Lightly cover the roasting dish with aluminum foil, try to avoid pressing the foil onto the pernil.
Put the pan into the oven and roast it for 4 hours at 350°F (177°C).
Remove the roasting pan from the oven after the jerk pernil has cooked for 4 hours and increase the oven's temp to 425°F (218°C).
Carefully uncover the pernil. Sometimes the release of collagen from the skin causes the foil to stick to it. It's okay if it does. Just be careful when removing the foil, so you don't rip off too much.
Transfer the pernil to a clean, disposable pan if you have it. If you don't, transfer the pernil to a platter and clean out the pan you used to roast it up to this point.
Place the pernil back into the roasting pan and into the 425°F(218°C) oven.
Roast the jerk pernil for another hour, turning the pan every 15 minutes to ensure the skin crisps up evenly all over.
If the skin is still not crisp after 1 hour of roasting at this higher temperature, roast it for an additional 10-15 minutes.
After the roasting time is done, remove the jerk pernil from the oven.
The internal temperature of a shreddable jerk pernil should be 205°F (96°C). If you prefer a sliceable jerk pernil, you want the internal temperature to read 165°F (74°C). Adjust your roasting times to suit your preference. The meat will have a blush pink color (or darker) once you cut into it.
Allow the roast to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into it. Remove the cuero (skin) before pulling or slicing the jerk pernil.

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions:

If you can't find pork shoulder, you can use Boston butt.
Make a gluten-free jerk marinade by replacing the soy sauce with tamari.
Use habaneros if you can't find scotch bonnet peppers.
You can omit the scotch bonnets if you don't like spice at all.
For a spicier jerk pernil, increase the amount of scotch bonnet peppers to 3.
Replace the pumpkin spice blend with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.

Tips and Techniques:

Always be vigilant and wash your hands thoroughly when working with scotch bonnet peppers. Use gloves if you have them and don't wipe your eyes or face before washing your hands if you've handled peppers.
This recipe makes enough jerk marinade for two of these pernil recipes. Store the remainder in a container in the fridge for a week or freeze it for up to 6 months.
The jerk marinade is great on chicken, seafood, or even tofu. The general measurement is: use 1/4 cup of jerk marinade per pound of meat.
Leave a small vent hole in the foil covering for the steam to escape to keep the skin from splitting.
Using a clean pan to crisp the skin prevents the pork grease and jerk marinade from creating smoke.

Storage Instructions:

Shred or cut the meat from the bone after resting it.
Transfer the meat to a container and store it in the fridge for up to a week.
Reheat leftovers in the microwave until warmed through. You can also heat leftover portions of jerk pernil in a covered skillet with a little (1/4 cup) of water.

Freezer Instructions:

To Freeze Raw, Marinated Jerk Pernil:
1. Wrap the marinated pernil in plastic and in a layer of foil.
2. Freeze the pernil for up to 3 months.
3. Thaw it in the fridge for 24-48 hours, and you can proceed with the recipe as instructed.
To Freeze Leftover Jerk Pernil:
1. Pull the meat from the bone and transfer it to a freezer-safe container.
2. Freeze the meat for up to 3 months.
3. Thaw it in the fridge overnight or reheat it from frozen.

Smoked Jerk Pernil:

Set up your smoker as you normally would for smoking large cuts of meat. Smoke the meat with pimento wood if you can, if not, use apple or cherry wood. Heat the smoker to 250°F (121°C).
Place the marinated jerk pernil onto the grates of the smoker and smoke the shoulder for 4 1/2 hours (the internal temp reaches 150°F (65°C)).
After 4 hours, remove the jerk pernil from the smoker and wrap it in peach butcher paper. Return it to the smoker and continue to smoke the jerk pernil for another 4 1/2-5 hours.
Remove the pork from the smoker when the internal temperature reaches 205°F (93°C).
Place the jerk pernil, still wrapped, on a sheetpan in an oven that's not turned on. Allow it to rest for 1 hour in the oven before unwrapping and serving.

Nutrition