This post is half recipe and half story. I’m actually NOT tweaking this one at all because it really doesn’t need to be healthified. As with all good things, moderation is key, but the ingredients are just fine! My mom’s famous roast pork is also known as Pernil. It’s a holiday tradition in any Hispanic household and it is definitely a good one!
In December of 1996, my mother and this recipe were featured in an article called Festive Flavors. I won’t share the entire piece here but I do want to introduce this recipe with an excerpt from the article.
“Seventy-five years ago, when Apolina Martinez came to New York City from Puerto Rico, she brought with her a cast iron pot, a wooden spoon and all her family recipes. One was a very special dish that was the centerpiece of every Christmas dinner. Called the pernil, it is a pork shoulder studded with a mixture of garlic, oregano, and olive oil and roasted until it is tender, then served with fried plantain slices and a platter of Spanish rice and green pigeon peas.”
Earlier in the year that the article was shared, Apolina Martineze, my great grandmother, passed away at the age of 95 years old. The article goes on to explain that she passed on the recipe, the pot and the spoon to Aida McKinney … my mother. This recipe has been a staple in my family’s history since well before 1996 and it continues to be a holiday staple today.
“Like many good cooks, Apolina did not measure. Instead, she ‘eyed’ things. ‘She’d lay the spoon in the pot, put the rice in, and say, When the water reaches the top of the spoon, that’s how you know you have enough.'”
Lucky for you … and for me … my mother was able to write down a recipe for the pork itself, which is what I will share with you here shortly.
My mom grew up cooking with her grandmother and so not only is this recipe special because of the tradition it represents, but it reflects the bond they shared in the kitchen together. And it remind me of how much I loved and still love to share a meal, prep included, with my family. May the sharing of a cherished family tradition help you remember and reflect on family traditions of your own.
Pernil: Mom’s Famous Roast Pork
- One pork shoulder – 8-10 lbs.
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground dried oregano
- 6-8 garlic cloves, chopped
Combine oil, salt, pepper, oregano and garlic in small bowl and let sit for 1/2 hour. With a sharp knife, make small inch-deep “x” incisions all over both sides of the pork shoulder. Widen each opening with your fingers and stuff with oil/herb mixture. Rub the leftover mixture on surface of the meat. Put pork in roasting pan and season with additional garlic powder, salt, pepper and oregano. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put pork in roasting pan skin side up and cook approximately 20 minutes per pound. With occasional basting, the skin will become very crispy*. Before slicing, remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes.
*The crispy skin is VERY important. It’s my favorite part of the entire dish and I often received a gently and swift slap on the wrist for trying to grab pieces before the pork was served to the family.
Rebecca McKinney
I wanted to create this blog for a few reasons. First and foremost, to share tips, tricks, and knowledge about the food and beverage industry in general but also to help people see a different side of the restaurant world. Every restaurant has a totally unique culture and world within it. I want to help open people’s eyes to more than how fast the service is or how easy or hard it is to secure a reservation.
So, thanks for stopping by! I welcome your ideas, input, and feedback and hope you enjoy!
Eat well & travel often,
Becky McKinney
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