Pernil (pernil asado, pernil al horno, roast pork butt) is a slow-roasted marinated pork leg or

pork shoulder A Boston butt is the slightly wedged shaped portion of the pork shoulder above the standard picnic cut which includes the blade bone and the "lean butt" (which is boneless), both extensions of the tenderloin cut and can be used in place of the te ...

. In Latin American countries the dish is commonly shared during Christmas. It is a typically accompanied by

arroz Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticated ...

. The pork shoulder is used as a whole piece, with skin and bone. It is marinated the day prior to roasting with

sofrito (Spanish, ), ( Catalan), (Italian, ), or (Portuguese, ) is a basic preparation in Mediterranean, Latin American, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese cooking. It typically consists of aromatic ingredients cut into small pieces and sautéed o ...

, salt and pepper, plus possibly additional spices ( oregano and

adobo or (Spanish: marinade, sauce, or seasoning) is the immersion of cooked food in a stock (or sauce) composed variously of paprika, oregano, salt, garlic, and vinegar to preserve and enhance its flavor. The Portuguese variant is known as . ...

). Sofrito is placed deep within the meat through small cuts. After

marination Marinating is the process of soaking foods in a seasoned, often acidic, liquid before cooking. The origin of the word alludes to the use of brine (''aqua marina'' or sea water) in the pickling process, which led to the technique of adding flav ...

the covered meat is slowly roasted initially in the oven for several hours, and, in the final phase, at a higher temperature with the cover off to get the skin crisp. When finished, the meat falls off the bone, and the crisp skin (cuero) is separated, cleared of fat, and can be served separately as cueritos (skin chips).

References

Pork Cuban cuisine Ecuadorian cuisine Dominican Republic cuisine Puerto Rican cuisine Venezuelan cuisine Christmas food {{caribbean-cuisine-stub

See also

References