Ingredients Pork Pernil Asado (Garlicky Roast Pork Shoulder) 5.0 (3,237) 24 Reviews This ultraflavorful Puerto Rican classic roast pork shoulder marinates overnight in a blend of citrus, garlic, and herbs, then cooks slowly in the oven until it's deeply caramelized. By Jose Enrique Jose Enrique Won Best New Chef At Jose Enrique, San Juan, Puerto Rico Why He’s Amazing Because he’s elevating Puerto Rican cooking, using ingredients from the vast market across the street from his restaurant. The chalkboard menu changes frequently during the evening, based on what the purveyors might bring in during dinner service. Born 1977; San Juan, Puerto Rico Culinary School The Culinary Institute of America (Hyde Park, NY) Background Riche (New Orleans), Bili (Vieques, Puerto Rico), San Juan Water Beach Club (San Juan, Puerto Rico), Café Centro (New York City) Quintessential Dish Crispy fried yellowtail snapper with mashed batata (sweet potato) and papaya-avocado salsa How He Got Into Cooking “A lot of people cook in my family. My grandmothers, my dad, my mom; everyone does a couple of great dishes. My uncle would make Thanksgiving—huge turkeys stuffed with blood sausage. It was always fun.” Beloved Cooking Equipment “My dad made his own Caja China. Picture a metal square oven with the heat coming from the top. He’d cook pork. The first few hours the pork is belly up, so all the fat drips down and confits the belly. Then he flips it over and the skin gets blown up and crispy. Kids fight over it. My dad’s Caja China is on wheels, it’s portable, he’ll set it up anywhere.” Bringing It Home Enrique cooked around the world, in Belgium, France and the US, before returning to the neighborhood where he was born, to open his flagship restaurant. Other Projects In San Juan, Enrique also runs Capital, a popular brasserie, and the coffeehouse Miel. In late 2013, he’ll open a restaurant in the eco-minded El Blok hotel in Vieques.Story of Discovery “Until recently, I’d never been blown away by Puerto Rican food; the dishes I’d tried were always a little heavy and a little bland. But Jose Enrique and his bright, sharp, fresh flavors have changed my mind. At his restaurant—a casual place in an old house where weekend parties erupt on the street outside—he writes his menu on white boards, which allows him to add dishes in the middle of service. When I was there, he listed grilled thin swordfish steaks, from a fish that had been delivered just hours before, pairing it with his outstanding hot sauce made from chiles that he confits in oil for hours with garlic and tomatoes. Blood sausage also appeared on the menu. It was deep black and porky, speckled with chunks of delicious fat. Even better were the blood sausage spring rolls I had another night, baked in crisp spring roll wrappers with a serious swath of cream cheese, which melts into a rich sauce. That’s what a Best New Chef does: takes a cuisine you don’t think you like and turns you into a convert.”—Kate Krader Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 29, 2023 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 15 hrs Yield: 10 servings Chef Jose Enrique’s version of the Puerto Rican classic pernil asado is extra flavorful because he marinates the pork in lime and orange juices, as well as plenty of garlic, before roasting until the meat is caramelized and crispy. It can be carved, shredded, or pulled into large pieces for serving. It’s no wonder that pernil is a traditional Christmas dish that’s ideal for family gatherings. You'll want to start preparing this pork shoulder roast a day in advance since the meat needs to marinate overnight. The next day, take it out of the fridge and remove from the marinade about six and a half hours before you plan to serve the dish — the pork roasts at a higher temperature for an hour to brown, then stays in the oven an additional four hours at a reduced temperature to cook all the way through. Ingredients 1 cup cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed 1/2 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed 9 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more to season 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to season 1 boneless pork shoulder roast with fat cap (5 pounds) Lime wedges, for serving Directions In a large, sturdy resealable plastic bag, combine the cilantro, orange and lime juices, garlic, oregano, olive oil, 2 tablespoons of kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Add the pork shoulder, seal the bag, and turn to coat. Transfer the bag to a large baking dish and refrigerate the pork overnight, turning the bag once or twice. Remove the pork from the marinade and scrape off the garlic and herbs; discard the marinade. Season the pork all over with salt and pepper and transfer to a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Roast the pork fat side up for 1 hour, until lightly browned. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F and roast for 4 hours longer, until the pork is very tender and the fat cap is crispy; transfer to a carving board and let rest for 30 minutes. Chop the fat cap into bite-size pieces. Carve, shred, or pull apart the pork and garnish with the crispy cap pieces. Serve with lime wedges. © Con Poulos Make ahead The roast pork can be refrigerated overnight; rewarm in a 300°F oven. Serve with Black beans and rice. Suggested pairing Try a tangy beer from Belgium or a fruity saison with this vibrant pork. Rate it Print