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Nico's Pork Butt

Nico Aponte
yum
Prep Time 1 day
Cook Time 12 hours
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 day 12 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Puerto Rican
Servings 6 people

Equipment

  • Instant Read Meat Thermometer
  • Smoker Optional, oven works as well

Ingredients
  

  • 1 7-pound bone in or boneless pork shoulder
  • 1/4 cup ▢¼ cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 12 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Oregano substitute more dried if no fresh
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • 3 tbsp Adobe seasoning
  • 1 tbsp Paprika
  • 1 tsp Salt plus more for seasoning at the end
  • 1 Lemon
  • 1 Orange

Instructions
 

  • Score the fat on the pork shoulder in a criss-cross hatch fashion. Then, cut deeply once in each direction across the pork, like you are going to cut it into four quarters, but then leave them attached at the bottom. Use a sharp knife to make about 20 slits, about 1 inch deep, all over the meat. Place the meat in a 13 x 9 baking pan or another shallow baking pan large enough to comfortably hold the meat with some space around it.
  • Combine the oil, garlic, fresh and dried oregano, Adobo, paprika, salt and pepper. Rub the mixture all over the meat, working it all over the surface and into the slits. Cover the pork with foil and refrigerate overnight.
  • Bring the pork to room temperature, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300 F. Bake the pork, covered for 3 hours, then remove the foil and bake for another 3 to 4 hours at the same temperature, until the pork is fall-apart tender.
  • The internal temperature should be at least 165 F, but it may be higher, which is fine — it’s most important that the meat is super tender. If you would like a crustier exterior, turn the heat to 375 F and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the outside of the pork has a nice browned crust.
  • Let the pernil sit for at least 20 minutes, then use your fingers (if it’s not too hot; some people like to wear kitchen gloves to protect their fingers from the heat) or two forks to pull the meat into chunks. Sprinkle the meat with the lemon and orange juice, season with additional salt and pepper, and serve hot or warm.
Keyword Nico, Pork, Smoker