Roasted Puerto Rican Pernil

By James Llorens III
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Garlic-Studded, Crispy-Skinned Perfection

This isn't just pork shoulder—this is Puerto Rican pernil done the Certified Creole Chicago way. Garlic-studded bone-in pork shoulder marinated overnight in sofrito, sazón, oregano, cumin, and bitter orange, then roasted low and finished hot on the Masterbuilt XT for that crackling, crunchy skin everyone fights over.

Basted with achiote oil and cooked to tender, pull-apart perfection, this pernil is the centerpiece of any celebration. Serve it with arroz con gandules, alcapurria, and crispy tostones for the full experience—just how it's supposed to be.

Master It with the Masterbuilt XT

The Masterbuilt XT is built for a cook like this. Load the GravityFed™ hopper with Masterbuilt lump charcoal, set it to 300°F, and let it ride for hours with zero babysitting. The DigitalFan™ control maintains consistent heat while the charcoal grill delivers authentic smoke and the high-heat finish (400°F) needed to crisp that skin.

This smoker grill combo handles the entire cook—low and slow roasting, then a hot finish—all in one unit. That's the power of the Gravity Series.

James Llorens III

Roasted Puerto Rican Pernil

Serves: 16 people
Cook Time: 5 - 6 hours
Skill:
Advanced
Roasted Puerto Rican Pernil

Ingredients

  • Main

Instructions

    Marinade Prep

  1. 01

    Prep the pork shoulder: Rinse and pat the pork shoulder completely dry with paper towels.

  2. 02

    Score the skin: Using a sharp knife, score the fat cap in a diagonal crosshatch pattern, cutting deep enough to reach the meat.

  3. 03

    Inject the pork: Fill a meat injector with bitter orange juice and inject the pork shoulder in multiple spots throughout the meat, working from different angles to distribute flavor evenly.

  4. 04

    Stud with garlic: Slice garlic cloves into slivers. Push garlic pieces deep into the scored cuts all over the pork shoulder.

  5. 05

    Apply achiote oil: Generously coat all sides of the pork with achiote oil, working it into the scores and around the garlic.

  6. 06

    Season heavily: Combine the oregano, Certified Sazón blend, and cumin. Season all sides of the pork liberally with the spice mixture.

  7. 07

    Add sofrito: Spread the sofrito mixture over all sides of the pork, working it into the scores.

  8. 08

    Marinate overnight: Cover tightly and refrigerate for 12 hours (or overnight).

  9. 09

    Fire up the grill: Load the Masterbuilt XT GravityFed™ hopper with Masterbuilt lump charcoal. Use 2 fire starters to ignite. Set the temperature to 300°F and let it preheat.

  10. 10

    Prep the pernil: Remove the pork from the fridge. Using paper towels, wipe off the excess sofrito from the surface (the flavor is already in the meat—this prevents burning).

  11. 11

    Set up the pan: Place a baking rack inside a foil pan. Add the remaining bitter orange juice to the bottom of the pan along with a few garlic cloves. Place the pernil on the rack.

  12. 12

    Start the roast: Place the foil pan with the pernil on the smoker grill grates. Close the lid and roast at 300°F for 3 hours.

  13. 13

    Baste and rotate: Every 35-40 minutes, open the grill and baste the pernil with achiote oil. Rotate the pan for even cooking.

  14. 14

    Increase heat: After 3 hours, increase the grill temperature to 400°F. Continue cooking for an additional 2 hours, basting and rotating every 35-40 minutes.

  15. 15

    Check for doneness: The pernil is done when the internal temperature reaches 209°F in the thickest part of the meat. The skin should be deeply golden and crackling crispy.

  16. 16

    Rest: Remove the pernil from the grill and let rest for 30 minutes before slicing or pulling.

  17. 17

    Serve: Slice or pull the pernil, making sure everyone gets some of that crispy skin. Serve with arroz con gandules, habichuelas guisadas, alcapurria, crispy tostones, and salad.

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