This slow-cooked pork roast, usually a shoulder, butt or leg, has been typically enjoyed by many Puerto Ricans during the holidays. It’s a classic Puerto Rican dish, and has many variations throughout the Caribbean, Dominican Republic, and Cuba.

Puerto Rican Pork Shoulder
Roasted pork shoulder bliss, here you come. All it takes are a handful of spices and a few simple techniques to make this authentic Puerto Rican dish more delicious than ever!
Ingredients
- 1 bone-in skin-on pork shoulder (8 – 9 lbs.)
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 2 tsp Adobo Seasoning
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice
- 2 packets Sazón
- 1 tsp Oregano
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together the olive oil, garlic, Adobo, lemon juice, sazon, oregano and black pepper; set aside.
- Using a small, sharp knife, make a cut on the side of the roast where the skin meets the flesh. Continue cutting, separating the skin from the flesh, leaving one end of the skin attached. Using the knife, make ½” deep incisions in the flesh, under the skin. Place the pork on a tray. Using your hands, rub the spice mixture over the flesh, pushing some of the mixture into the cuts. Place the skin on top of the meat; wipe the skin clean. Rub skin with salt. Cover tray with plastic wrap; transfer to the refrigerator to marinate at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Heat oven to 350°F. Transfer pork, skin side-up, to roasting pan; bring to room temperature, about 1 hour. Pat skin dry. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil. Cook pork until meat is fork-tender and internal temperature registers 145°F, 3 – 3½ hours; discard foil. Increase oven to 450°F. Cook pork, uncovered, adding water in ¼ cup measures if pan becomes dry, until skin is brown and crisp, 20 – 35 minutes, checking pan every 10 minutes.
- Transfer pork to cutting board; let rest 20 minutes. Remove skin and cut into pieces. Drain fat from drippings. Cut meat from bone. Serve with skin and pan juices.
Notes
Recipe from our Amigos at Goya
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