The great PORK butt, it’ll never go away…for good reason AND… pairing it up with a Puerto Rican or Cuban marinade…MUY BIEN!

A long soak in a citrus-, garlic-, cilantro-, and oregano-infused marinade gives this Puerto Rican pork dish from Sofrito restaurant in New York a mellow herby flavor. Cooking it slowly wrapped in banana leaves ensures a juicy, moist roast. Serve it up with some rice, black beans, and sweet plantains.

What to buy: Banana leaves are often kept in the frozen foods section of the grocery store. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.

If you can’t find sour oranges (also known as bitter oranges), use a mixture of half lemon juice and half grapefruit juice.

Game plan: Be sure to start making this a day before you want to serve it, as it needs 12 to 24 hours to marinate.

INGREDIENTS

For the marinade:

• 1/2 cup peeled and coarsely chopped garlic (from about 1 medium head)
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 to 3 medium)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed sour orange juice (from about 2 medium)
• 1/4 cup packed fresh oregano leaves
• 1/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil

For the pork:

• 3 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (4-pound) bone-in pork shoulder (also known as pork butt)
• 1 large banana leaf, about 4 feet long and defrosted in the refrigerator if frozen
• 3/4 cup water

INSTRUCTIONS

For the marinade:

1. 1Place all ingredients except the oils in a blender and process until smooth. With the motor running, add the oils in a slow, steady stream until evenly incorporated; set aside.

For the pork:

1. Combine the salt, oregano, and pepper in a small bowl.
2. Rinse the pork with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Make 3 to 4 horizontal incisions through the fat, cutting until you hit the flesh. Rub the pork all over with the salt mixture. Place in a large resealable plastic bag, add the marinade, and turn the pork to coat. Seal the bag and refrigerate, turning occasionally, for 12 to 24 hours.
3. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
4. Cut the banana leaf in half horizontally and overlap the two pieces of leaf so that they roughly form a rectangle about 2 feet long and 1 foot wide. Remove the pork from the marinade and place it on the banana leaves so that the short and long ends of the pork and the leaves match. Fold in the left and right sides of the leaves and roll up the pork like a burrito to completely encase the meat.
5. Place the wrapped pork seam-side down in a Dutch oven or other large, heavy-bottomed pot with a tightfitting lid. Add the water, cover, and bake until the meat is fork tender, about 2 to 3 hours.
6. Unwrap the pork, place it in a bowl, and, using two forks, shred it into bite-size pieces. If the meat is dry, add pan juices as needed and stir to combine. Serve with rice and beans.

Now … Slow Cooker Version…

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Prep time

24 hours

Cook time

8 hours

Total time

32 hours

Pernil is a traditional Puerto Rican dish that is slow roasted in the oven. This twist takes a pork shoulder and slow-cooks it in a crockpot until tender.

Author: Meseidy

Ingredients

• 4 lb pork shoulder or pork butt
• 6 garlic cloves, pressed
• ¼ teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1½ tablespoons olive oil
• 1½ tablespoons white vinegar
• 4 teaspoons salt

Instructions

1. Combine garlic, pepper, oregano, olive oil, vinegar, and salt. Rub pork with garlic mixture and refrigerate overnight or a minimum of 4 hours.
2. When ready drop into the crockpot on low for 8 hrs.
3. Done! Consume with vigor.

Notes

No liquid needs to be added to the crockpot with the pork. The pork has enough fat to produce needed juices.

Recipe for oven roasted pernil: http://thenoshery.com/roasted-pernil-puerto-rican-roast-pork/