Roast Pork

(BASED ON PUERTO RICAN PERNIL)

Source: All Recipes

Click here to read about my experience making this recipe for my state meal challenge!

Servings: 6

Total time: 5 hours + overnight refrigeration

INGREDIENTS

• 5-lb bone-in pork shoulder, trimmed
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 Tbs white vinegar
• 10 cloves garlic
• 2 Tbs dried oregano
• 1 Tbs salt
• 1 ½ tsp ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

• With a mortar and pestle, or just the back of a spoon, mash together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper, until it forms a thick paste.
• Use a small knife to cut deep slits into the pork, and stuff the paste into the slits, rubbing the remainder onto the surface of the pork.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
• Before roasting, take the pork out of the refrigerator and let it rest until it comes to room temperature, about 1 hour. 
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• In a shallow roasting pan or aluminum-lined baking sheet with a wire rack, roast the pork uncovered, fat-side up, until the temperature is 180 degrees F, about 3 hours.
• Let the pork rest for about 30 minutes. 
• In the meantime, increase the temperature of the oven to 475 degrees F. Roast for an additional 15 minutes to get it crispy, rotating if desired.
• Serve warm with rice and pigeon peas!

NOTES

• If you have a larger pork shoulder, increase the ingredients and cooking time proportionately.