Puerto Rican Pernil - Easy Step-by-Step Recipe 

I followed this recipe for a Pernil I cooked up last night. THE BEST PERNIL I ever made. I was a little suspicious of the simple marinade and didn't think it would be very flavorful. Boy was I wrong! The fresh ingredients make all the difference. Full of flavor and the meat literally fell right off the bone. Jeff and Jo, you guys rock! Thank you for this recipe!

Who else is here to perfect your Pernil skills for the noche buena feast 🇵🇷

Making this as part of a meal of remembrance for our 95 year old Puerto Rican abuela who passed away recently! It's cooking now and smells amazing. She taught me everything I know about puerto rican cooking! Our feast is pernil, arroz con gandules, pan de aqua, spicy ensalada, and a creamy flan for dessert. We miss you Momo!!!

When he bit into the cuerito and I heard that crunch i wanted to put my hand through the video and get me some

Made this for my neighbor last month, which took some chutzpah since I’m Jewish and he’s Cuban. It was AMAZING. In fact, he called it “Epic.” Making it again this Sunday. Can’t wait. P.S. I hope my Rabbi doesn’t see this post! 😜

This is how my mom taught us to make it, simple ingredients but brings so much flavor. 🇵🇷🇵🇷

love the sound of the cuero popping

Mmmmmm! That delicious pernil will go perfect with arroz con gandules! 💖🇵🇷💖🇵🇷💖🇵🇷💖🇵🇷💖🇵🇷💖🇵🇷💖

Today was my first time eating or cooking this. Wow. Some of the best pork I've ever eaten. And most importantly, our Puerto Rican guests absolutely loved it. I added additional seasonings to the marinade and instead of water I used a combination fresh orange, lime juice and a little broth. Thanks!

Ive used this recipe for the pernil. 4xs now to be exact. u have mastered this pernil. your techniques such as taking the skin off and scoring the skin. Genius! Thank u so much for taking ur time to share you skills and knowledge with us.

I must leave a comment to anyone out there second guessing this recipe.. I bought a 9lb pork shoulder, followed the recipe EXACTLY and I marinated the meat for a day and a half… Preparing the skin as instructed is a must! I am also cooking for someone who is very familiar with this dish since they grew up in Puerto Rico and they were concerned from the start there was no orange in this recipe.. let me tell you that not only did this pork taste to die for, it passed extensive scrutiny and is in high demand now! It’s absolutely delicious and I’ll always make it this way from here on out.

Thank you! In over 40 years, this is the best Pernil I have ever made. My son can't stop raving about it!🥰

Came out delicious! Take it from this Irishman and dice up a couple potatoes during that last hour and put them in that flavored water…unbelievable flavor in them

Good, simple recipe! I used fresh oregano and garlic, marinaded for 36hrs... it came out amazing. 8lb Pork Shoulder, 3.5hrs covered 1hr 15min uncovered (non convection) to crisp the skin. The skin was crunchy and then melts in your mouth.

I used this recipe and this was by far the best pernil I ever made! It beats all my aunts' recipes and that is a hard task! Taking the skin off was the game changer for me. Thanks so much, this will forever be a staple for holidays and the recipe/method I will pass on

I made the recipe the way it was explained (just added more garlic cloves). It was PHENOMENAL! The meat fell off the bone. The inside was moist and flavorful while the outside was crunchy. Best pernil that we have ever made and taste! We won't wait until next Christmas to do it again. :)

Just made pernil , following your recipe. I have cooked over a hundred pork shoulders throughout the years, this was hands down the best I’ve ever had and I have never ate Puerto Rican food before. I made y’all arroz con gandules to go with it, also amazing.

I tried this technique for Thanksgiving. What a hit.. everyone loved it. Even the skin people were amazed of how good it came out.. thanks for your tip. 👍

Hi there, great looking cuerito! I learned to make pernil with my Mom, who learned from her mom, who in turn, learned from her mom and so on. Her ingredients for the Adobo were 2-3 garlic cloves per pound, salt, black pepper, oregano, a bit of oil, all mashed in a pilon; as I still do. The pilon is important because it helps the garlic release its oils and the flavors are better distributed. She would always tell me "if you want the authentic Puerto Rican flavor you have to make the pernil the way I'm showing you". I've always done it that way because I love the wonderful boricua flavor. A few years ago, I went to the Island with my Sons and we went to eat at a place famous for their lechon and my son said to me "Mom this lechon rivals yours" he meant my pernil because I don't make lechon but ok. I felt so proud and I immediately thought of my Mom. The only thing I've added has been a tad of good sofrito, and a bit of recao and that's it. I noticed you didn't add any black pepper to your beautiful pernil. Is there a particular reason why?

White guy from California cooking for his Puerto Rican wife from New Jersey. My rub became rather complicated over the years, now I'm inspired to go back to basics. Also removing the skin is something I've never heard of. Time for a Summertime Pernil.

Cooked this for my PR in-laws. It impressed my in-laws pride because it was better than most Pernil they’ve had! For the marinade, I just used my homemade sofrito and added extra garlic, salt, and adobo blended into it. Amazing!

I made this for Christmas this year. It was one of the best things I've ever cooked in my life! I absolutely recommend this recipe to anyone interested in pernil!

Holy Boricua! I've done this recipe two times in the last month. Every other time I tried a YT pernil recipe, it was a disaster, but this is as foolproof as it gets. My only deviation from the recipe is adding a bit of homemade sofrito and, instead of water in the pan, I rinsed out the blender and seasoning left on the cutting board into a jar and added a few spoons of sofrito to make a garlic / sofrito mixture to add more flavor. Thank you Jeff for the great video!

I cant thank you enough for emphasizing the importance of the pork skin. Wepa!👍❤

I've been cooking pernils since my mother taught me years ago and I must say you cook it just like I do. Keep up the great service.

I never thought I'd be able to make a pernil - seemed complicated! But with your recipe, I've made pernil several times already, and it's always a hit with guests!! I also make Puerto Rican-style cauliflower rice to go with it (to keep it low carb). Awesome, awesome!! Thank you so much for demystifying this wonderful, traditional dish! 😋

When you cracked that skin I had the same reaction🤣🥰

I did it!!!!!! I don't cook often! I was nervous! I am so proud that I did this!! It was SOOOOO good! Now I want to know what else I can make!! I wish I could add a picture here! Wow!! It came out PERFECTLY!! Thank you for this. I added a bit more garlic... but otherwise, I cooked it exactly the same! Thank you! Thank you! ❤Thank you!!!! 😊 🥰😁

It's Pernil! What more can one say! Looking Good!

I am puertorrican and this makes my mouth so watery. It looks perfect ❤

Omg….i remember when my mom would cook this pork shoulder. Deliciousness 😋 the best part was the crunchy skin.

By far the best pernil recipe!

This is the ultimate pernil recipe. My husband who is Cuban says that PR is the best at making pernil

I followed your recipe exactly, and my pernil came out delicious. Flavors were more less the same as before, but the crispy skin and overall juiciness was truly amazing. Now I'm the designated pernil cook of the family. Thanks for sharing your secrets.

Hands down the best pernil I’ve ever had. Following this amazingly easy recipe. Thanks Jeff. 🙏🏻

Made this last year it was perfect !!! Here again for a refresher course 👌🏼cause we making this perfect pernil again !! Happy holidays everyone 🤎🧡🧡

My wife has made pernil for Christmas every year. She has tried getting that crispy skin but hasn’t been able to achieve this until she tried this recipe. Wow! My stomach and tastebuds were so happy! Everyone was impressed and happy. The recipe was a couple of steps but pretty simple and as long as you follow the steps you achieve the amazing flavor and crunchy skin. Thanks so much! My wife said she will be making this recipe every Christmas from now on :)

Best pernil recipe out here! Everyone loved this version. Thank you for the detailed directions. 😊

So glad i came across your video. I have been cooking for over 50 years and never knew i was cooking my pernil wrong. Thank you so very much.

I’m definitely cooking this for New Year’s Eve dinner! 🤤🤤

O-M-G! 🤯🤤🤤🤤. You guys are Thee Best!!! Thank you for the great recipe. You guys should be in the Pernil Hall of Fame. Your recipes are awesome. Thanks 👍

😂 love how you’re not afraid to brag about your own cooking.

This is hands down the best way to make this!!! I came across your video late last night. I just made it today for my family, and they all loved it!! THE SKIN!!! Super crunchy all around! The pernil came out really moist. Just perfect! Thank you soo much for this! I’ll never make it the regular way again!!🙏🏼💃🏼

I haven't had Pernil for many years. Glad I found your channel. You made an old man happy, It brings back many memories.

Made this tonight for New Year’s Eve Dinner and it was delicious! Everyone loved it! Thank you so much for such a detailed explanation and fantastic recipe! It’s going in my Collection as a must have! 😊

Very well presented, clear and easy to follow instructions, just as important as enjoying a great recipe! I will be making this one for Christmas. Felicidades y Feliz Navidad!

I made this yesterday and my husband couldn’t stop eating it. This was so easy, crazy flavorful, family favorite.

You made this first time pernil cooker get alot of praise at my family Thanksgiving dinner now they want it again for Christmas

I just cooked it again. 2xs in 2 weeks! The hard skin has me hooked! Perfect recipe 🥳🥳🥳

Very well made. Many people out there change the marínate and makes a big difference. This is the best and simplest marinade. The way mommy used to make it. I’m glad people outside the circle enjoy this authentic dish from back home. Thank you!!

I just made this recipe. Taste is off the charts. Thanks so Much for sharing. I’ll definitely make this many more times in the future.

Made it for Thanksgiving celebration! The best pernil I've ever prepared in my life. Thank you!

One of my favorite dishes! Definitely making this week!

Looks delicious and the crispy skin...mmmm. I use the juice from the pernil to make my arroz con gandules, it gives it a lot of flavor.

I tried this recipe this past weekend and I can confirm that it's AWESOME! The marinade is simple to make and the finished product is delicious. Highly recommend. Just a note, when you're baking the pork at 450 just keep an eye on your pan. I destroyed mine because the fat burned haha. I should have kept adding more water. I will be using this recipe from now on to make pernil.

Wow! What a beautiful looking pernil. I’m definitely making this on Christmas. You can’t forget arroz with gandules and pasteles with potato salad on the side!😀 Thanks Jeff for the post!

Delicious! The crispy skin is my favorite favorite part...yum!! 😋🤗❤️

Great tips for a well seasoned pernil and a crispy skin!🤤

I made this a few days after Christmas and it was a major hit! Over the years I’ve cooked lots of Mexican dishes but this was my first Puerto Rican food. I plan to do it again soon. Thank you much,.

Thank you so much, my first time making a Pernil and I followed your recipe and instructions and it came out great, my family loved it.

That is how my mom used to cooked it, and I do the samething. Love it! For Christmas that is the main plate, no Pernil, no Christmas.

It looks delish! I will definitely do it this way for Christmas. Thank you for the video.

Trying this cooking method for Noche Buena.......the cuerito looks amazing. Thank you for sharing this reci[e.

Wow, listening to that crunch makes my mouth watering 😋 Thank you!!

Very ,very well made. Thank you Jeff🇵🇷

Thank you so much, you have a very user friendly show and i very much appreciate it, not to mention your camera persona is great! ¡Wepaa mi gente! 🇵🇷

Coming from New York growing up this was all the rave to Puerto Rican friends. It wud be the first meat gone, I mean not a trace left. I love it it's delicious! It like Ham to the American family.

As white as milk Irish here and I love me some Pernil. And I make it great too!

Watching this video made my mouth water hearing the crunch on that bite..lol! I will definitely try this recipe for the holiday. Thank you!

Thank you! I followed this method for cooking Pernil on Thanksgiving and it was so delicious!! I got compliments 😄 The skin was nice and crispy like yours and the meat was so flavorful. I will be making this again for Christmas! (All I added was Sazon & sofrito)

I followed this for Thanksgiving and it came out delicious 😋. Here we are again at Christmas 🎄 thank you🇵🇷

we’ve followed this recipe for the second year in a row to cook the best pernil ever. bravo jeff and jo!

Everything here makes sense. I make a very delicious pernil mine’s is similar but I love the new tips with the water and fat. I will be trying this way on my next one. This video is great! Thank you and Happy Holidays!

Thank you for sharing the recipe with us, it looks delicious! I will try your technique for Xmas!🎄❤

Who taught you guys how to cook deserves a medal. I had lost my zeal for cooking,but since watching your cooking shows, I am back in business. Thank you all.

God, when he cut that piece I could swear I smelled it and tasted it. Plan on making this when I visit my family on the west coast.

Thank you Jeff and Jo for this recipe! I made it for the first time using your instructions and it was super delicious! The flavors were spot on and my skin came out like yours super crispy! The skin was definitely the hardest to separate because I used a sharp scissor versus sharp knife but it worked! Keep up the great work as I will use your channel to make more Puerto Rican dishes. Subscribed!

The best pernil video ! Wow 👏 Definitely I'm going to make it

Thank You! i tried this recipe and my pernil came out perfect, just like yours did and it tasted amazing. I honestly had my doubts due to the simplicity of the ingredients but i was pleasantly amazed.

Thank you Jeff and Joe's kitchen for making it easy for individuals like myself who are first-timers I will be back to tell you how it turns out again thank you hope everyone has a prosperous and healthy New Year.

That was an amazing video. I'm doing this from now on. That crunch was everything. 😛

Omg! Se me hace la boca agua! Thanks for sharing!

I just tried this recipe today and it was the BEST pernil I ever made! My kids were amazed at how amazing it was. Thank goodness for leftovers.

Thank you for showing real Puerto Rican love Pernil is a great start

This is the best recipe I have come across,Thanksgiving here we come.Thanks!🙋🏽‍♀️

“If you had it you know” 🙌 I know! 😋

I just made this tonight and it was FABULOUS! Thank you for this easy to follow recipe!

Jeff thank you for sharing your amazing recipe. I made my first official Pernil today for Christmas Eve, it turned out amazing. The meat was tender and juicy. My family had a delicious meal. Merry Christmas 🎄

Made this Penil recipe for the family, and they said I absolutely knocked it out of the park in terms of flavor and texture, but with a few variations, For the steaming phase, I lined the bottom of the roasting pan with banana leaves I cleaned earlier before adding water; This ensured no tin foil would stick and it adds flavor. Also draped the top part with leaves as well. The actual cooking time turned out longer than in this video, the final 450 degree roasting with the foil and leaves off took about 1 hour and 45 minutes, I also used a bakers torch to really crisp up the skin. Results were super crispy skin with fork tender meat. And also, guests loved that it wasn't overly salty!. definitely make your own Adobo, his recipe is great, but add rosemary and thyme to the spice mix.

Looks delicious & seems like a very easy doable recepie to follow. I LOVE pernil, but my bf does not eat anything pork-related but next time I visit my family in Brooklyn I'm def going to try this. Yes please! Omg I want some pernil right now.... 💃 Thank you for sharing, I appreciate this recepie/technique 👍

That's what I was waiting for. You to take a big bite of that crispy skin. CRUNCH. Great video

Simple recipe. Excellent results. I have one in the oven right now!

I used this recipe for Thanksgivings and it came out super delicious and super crispy. Everyone was fighting for the crunchy skin or chicharron. Moving forward i am making it this way all the time. Excellent job Joe. Keep posting new recipes!!!

Genius, I make the bomb pernil but this my friend is Genious💯🇵🇷❤

What I liked about your video is the information that was given based off the different lbs. Very helpful and it turned out amazingly

By far the best technique I have tried. Moist on the inside, crispy on the outside. Thank you!

I had one of those abuelitas that told me everything I wanted to get a recipe for was "complicated" so I'm super thankful for this. My father taught me how to make the version I've been making and it was always delicious, but now I'm armed with some tricks! 😉 All I need to know is; is there a pasteles recipe on this channel, cuz that would complete my life.

I am planning to make this beautiful pernil recepie for xmas this year 2020 THANKS

truly that everyone has their way of making this delicious recipe. First time on your channel and I truly chose your technique to marinate.

Your video is a winner! I’ve used your recipe for my son’s birthday and Christmas and my family loves it! Thank you very much 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼