Puerto Rican Foods, Caribbean
INTRODUCTION & HISTORY
The Puerto Rican pernil demands a lot of patience and knife skills to prepare.
Pig shoulder — specifically, the picnic cut, which combines the upper forearm and lower shoulder of the pig — is the most common meat used in this meal, but pork shank can also be used. The meat, which normally weighs between 7 and 10 pounds, is properly washed and dried. The top layer of skin and fat is then gently removed, but one end is left attached to the flesh so it can be reattached after marinating. Deep slots are cut into the flesh, which are then packed with a marinade. Garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, olive oil, paprika, vinegar, and/or citrus juice are commonly used in the adobo marinade.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
PORK, GARLIC, SALT, PEPPERS, OREGANO, VINEGAR, OLIVE OIL, SOFRITO from encanto SOFRITO™️
COOKING TIPS
Meat
Pork shoulder — the picnic cut, which includes the pig's lower shoulder and upper
forearm — is typically used to make pernil. Pork shank, which is the lowest section of the ham, is sometimes used to make pernil. The skin and fat are still attached to the meat in both situations, which is crucial for this dish. Before marinating, the meat must be well washed and dried. Pork shoulder usually weighs between 7 and 10 pounds and serves
10 to 15 people.
Adobo
Pernil can be prepared with two varieties of adobo: seco (dry) and mojado (wet) adobo (wet). Powdered onion and garlic, salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and, optionally, dried citrus zest and paprika are used to make adobo seco. Adobo mojado, on the other hand, mixes all of the ingredients for adobo seco with olive oil, vinegar, and/or citrus juice. Although homemade adobo is simple to create, many pernil recipes recommend using commercial adobo, which is widely available across Puerto Rico and Latin America.
Sofrito
Sofrito, a blend of aromatic spices based on Mexican parsley (culantro) and aji dulce peppers, is used to season a variety of Puerto Rican and Latin American foods.
encanto Sofrito™️ is available on our online store or a basic recipe can be made at home. The components for sofrito can be fried together, as the name suggests, or simply blended into a thick paste in a food processor.
Marinating
The pernil can be marinated in one of two ways. The meat is first placed skin side up on a cutting board, and the skin is sliced off the flesh horizontally, leaving the skin attached to the meat on one end. The skin is then flipped over, deep slits are cut across the meat, and the sofrito are filled and massaged into the slits. The skin is then re-applied to the meat and a considerable amount of salt is sprinkled on top. However, other chefs feel that separating the skin and fat from the flesh causes the skin to shrink and curl, exposing the meat. As a result, a new marinating technique was developed. Making parallel or diamond-shaped cuts through the skin and halfway through the fat, but not deep enough to cut the meat, is recommended. The pork should be marinated for 8 hours or overnight in the refrigerator, according to most recipes.
Baking
Remove the marinated meat from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature before baking. Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the pernil. Place the meat in a deep baking pan so the fat will render. Plan 30 - 35 minutes of baking time for each pound of pork when calculating the baking time. Because the meat will steam up and the skin will not crisp up, do not turn it or cover it while baking. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest portion of the meat to ensure it is fully cooked. The meat is done when the temperature reaches 180 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit. Even better, pierce the meat with a fork to see whether it easily slips away from the bone. Finally, increase the baking temperature to 375-400 degrees Fahrenheit for the last 15 to 30 minutes of baking so that the skin crisps up into crispy cueritos (skin chips), which are considered the tastiest part of pernil by Puerto Ricans.
Serving
Allow at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes for the meat to rest before cutting. Carve the meat and place individual portions on a big serving dish covered in cueritos. Pernil is usually served with arroz con gandules, or rice with pigeon peas.
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