Authentic Pernil (Spanish Roasted Pork Shoulder)

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1. 1Step 1: Using a pilón (mortar and pestle) or food processor, mash the garlic with the salt until you have a paste. The salt helps break down the garlic as you mash it.
2. 2Step 2: Add the black pepper, oregano, cumin, onion powder, and allspice and mix to combine. Stir the garlic mixture into the sour orange juice, then add the olive oil and mix well.
3. 3Step 3: Pat the pork shoulder thoroughly dry with paper towels. Place it skin-side up on a clean cutting board.
4. 4Step 4: Using a sharp knife, carefully separate the skin from the meat, leaving one edge attached so that the skin opens like the page of a book.
5. 5Step 5: With the tip of your knife, make deep pockets throughout the exposed meat without cutting all the way through the roast.
6. 6Step 6: Pour and rub the mojo over the exposed pork, working it over the sides, underneath the skin, and especially into the pockets you made in the meat.
7. 7Step 7: Fold the skin back over the pork.
8. 8Step 8: If desired, use a sharp knife to score the skin in a crosshatch or diamond pattern. Cut through the tough skin without cutting deeply into the meat.
9. 9Step 9: Season both sides of the skin flap with approximately 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
10. 10Step 10: Place the pork in an airtight container or food-safe roasting/turkey bag. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 48 hours.
11. 11Step 11: For the best flavor, I like to season my pernil the day before I plan to cook it.
12. 12Step 12: When you're ready to cook, remove the pork from the refrigerator while the oven preheats to 250°F.
13. 13Step 13: Place the pork skin-side up in a heavy, deep roasting pan. Roast for approximately 8 hours, or until the pork is extremely tender.
14. 14Step 14: Don't rely on the clock alone. A fork or temperature probe should slide into the thickest part of the pork with very little resistance, the bone should wiggle easily, and the meat should readily pull apart. For shreddable pork shoulder, the internal temperature will typically be around 195–205°F.
15. 15Step 15: Carefully transfer the tender pork to a clean roasting pan, reserving the cooking juices from the original pan.
16. 16Step 16: Increase the oven temperature to 425°F.
17. 17Step 17: If the surface of the skin is wet, gently pat it dry with a paper towel. Return the pork to the oven uncovered and roast for approximately 30–45 minutes, or until the skin is dried, tight, and crisp.
18. 18Step 18: Here's my favorite test: gently tap the skin with the back of a knife. You should hear it. It should sound firm and crunchy rather than feel soft or soggy.
19. 19Step 19: Keep an eye on it during this final stage. Once the skin begins crisping, it can change quickly.
20. 20Step 20: Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
21. 21Step 21: Don't skip the rest—we've waited this long!
22. 22Step 22: Carefully remove the crispy skin. Your cuero has now become the best part: chicharrón. Break or cut it into pieces for serving.
23. 23Step 23: Remove the bone and pull the pork into bite-size pieces or chunky shreds. Spoon some of the reserved pork juices over the meat to keep it juicy and flavorful.
24. 24Step 24: Just before serving, I love squeezing a little fresh lime juice over the pork. You don't need much. It's not there to make the pork taste like lime—it just wakes everything back up.