Annalisa Esposito Bluhm (Michigan, United States) shares this recipe from her Italian and Brazilian heritage. Read more about the strong family ties behind this dish.
Pernil-Style Slow-Roasted Pork
Ingredients
- 4-5 lb. boneless pork shoulder (can also be made with beef or lamb)
Brine
- 1-2 Tbsp. kosher salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp. peppercorns (whole)
- 1-1.5 bottles white wine (red if using beef or lamb)
- 5 cloves garlic (peeled, whole)
- red chili flakes (optional, as desired)
Meat preparation
- 10-12 cloves (peeled, whole)
- 2 Tbsp. oregano (dried)
- 1 Tbsp. cumin
- 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp. black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 Tbsp. lemon zest (optional)
- 1 tsp. cider vinegar or lemon juice
Vegetables
- 28 oz. San Marzano tomatoes (canned, peeled)
- 4-5 cubanelle peppers (or other thin-skinned, mild peppers)
- 1 large white onion (cut into quarters)
Instructions
Brining the pork (10-12 hours in advance of roasting)
- Pat pork shoulder dry. Rub kosher salt on all sides.
- Place in large bowl or non-metallic container. Add bay leaves, peppercorns and five cloves of garlic.
- Pour one bottle of white wine over meat until totally submerged (can use red if using beef or lamb).
- Cover bowl and let meat marinade in the brine for 10-12 hours or overnight.
Roasting the pork and vegetables
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Take pork out of brine and pat dry. Take a knife and score any fat on top. Then, stab the pork in five places, about 1 inch deep. Insert one whole clove into each cut.
- In a food processor, pulse 5-6 cloves of garlic, oregano, cumin, kosher salt, ground pepper and lemon zest (if using). Add enough olive oil, along with cider vinegar and/lemon juice (if using) to make a thick paste.
- Rub the paste all over the pork. Place the pork in a roasting pan and roast until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit (about 3 hours).
- Take the pork out of the oven and let it rest on a plate for about 20 minutes. Turn up the oven to 345 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While pork is resting, deglaze the roasting pan with 1 cup of wine, the canned tomatoes, cubanelle peppers and onion. Mix it together in the pan and put it in the oven for about 20 minutes.
- Slice the pork into thin slices, against the grain. Remove pan from the oven, add the pork back in, making sure the sauce covers the pork.
- Cook for about an hour, checking periodically to make sure the meat does not dry out.
- Serve in Portuguese rolls or over rice.