Puerto Rican Christmas Pernil with Citrus, Garlic, and Oregano Adobo

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 300°F / 150°C. Remove the pork shoulder from the refrigerator 30 minutes ahead so it loses some of its chill. Pat the skin very dry with paper towels.

2. 2

   Using a small knife, make 12 to 16 deep slits all over the meat, avoiding piercing too much through the skin. This helps the marinade penetrate the roast.

3. 3

   In a mortar or food processor, mash the garlic with the salt, black pepper, dried oregano, cumin, sweet paprika, and ground annatto into a paste. Add the olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, and apple cider vinegar, then mix until you have a thick but pourable adobo.

4. 4

   Carefully lift the skin where possible without fully removing it. Rub most of the adobo into the slits and all over the meat, including under the skin. Reserve about 3 tablespoons of the adobo for finishing. Do not spread too much over the top of the skin so it can crisp properly.

5. 5

   Place the sliced white onion and bay leaves in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Pour the chicken broth into the pan. Set the pernil on top, skin side up.

6. 6

   Dry the skin again and rub the top with the brown sugar and a small extra pinch of salt. This helps develop color and a crisp texture during roasting.

7. 7

   Cover the pan tightly with foil and roast at 300°F / 150°C for 5 hours. Every 90 minutes, carefully open and lightly baste the exposed meat with the pan juices, without soaking the skin too much.

8. 8

   Remove the foil, raise the oven temperature to 425°F / 220°C, and roast 35 to 45 minutes more, until the skin is deeply browned and crisp. If one area browns too fast, rotate the pan for even coloring.

9. 9

   Remove the pernil from the oven and brush the reserved adobo only over the exposed meat, avoiding the crisp skin. Let it rest for 20 minutes before shredding or slicing.

10. 10

    Serve the pernil with some of the roasted onion and a few spoonfuls of strained pan juices over the meat.