Easy Mojo-Marinated Pernil (Latin Style Roast Pork)

🍖 Easy Mojo-Marinated Pernil (Latin Style Roast Pork)

If you’ve ever had pernil before, you know it’s one of the most flavorful dishes to come out of Latin cuisine. Juicy, garlicky, citrusy, and full of slow-roasted goodness, pernil (Latin-style roast pork shoulder) is a centerpiece dish for holidays, family dinners, and special celebrations.

In this recipe, I’m showing you how to make an easy version using store-bought mojo marinade — so you get all the flavor with almost none of the prep work. The result? Tender, fall-apart pork with a crispy golden crust that’ll have everyone going back for seconds!

Watch the video version of this recipe here: 

🛒 Ingredients

For the Pernil:

• 1 bone-in pork shoulder, about 6–8 pounds (skin-on preferred)

• 1 large bottle of store-bought mojo marinade

To Serve or Garnish:

• Diced fresh avocado tossed with lime juice (see my Avocado Salad recipe [HERE])

• White rice and beans (try my Beans with Calabaza Squash recipe [HERE])

• Garlic Butter Yuca (cassava) recipe [HERE])

• Pickled red onions (recipe [HERE])

• Fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish

👩🍳 Directions

Step 1: Prep the Pork

Start with a bone-in pork shoulder that still has the outer layer of skin and fat. This layer is key—it adds incredible flavor and helps create that crispy skin everyone loves. You can use boneless pork shoulder if you prefer, but it usually comes with the fat and skin removed, and trust me, that’s the best part!

Wash the pork shoulder, then pat it dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, make deep cuts across the fat cap to help the marinade soak in. Flip it over and pierce several holes into the meat side. Place the pork, skin side up, into a deep container or roasting pan.

Step 2: Marinate with Mojo

Pour the mojo marinade all over the pork shoulder, making sure it seeps into all the cuts and crevices. Submerge it as much as possible for maximum flavor.

Cover the pan tightly and refrigerate to marinate overnight for 24 hours — or at least 6–8 hours if you’re short on time. The longer the pork sits in the mojo, the more flavorful and tender it will be.

Step 3: Roast Low and Slow

When you’re ready to cook, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Cover the pork with aluminum foil and roast for 3–6 hours, depending on the size of your pork shoulder.

Every hour or so, baste the pork with its pan juices to keep it moist and flavorful. You’ll know it’s ready when the meat is fork-tender and starting to fall apart.

Step 4: Crisp Up the Skin

Once the pork is tender, uncover it and increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C).
Roast for another 20–30 minutes, or until the skin turns golden and crispy. This is the magic step that gives you that irresistible crunch!

Step 5: Rest, Shred, and Serve 🍽️

When the pernil is done, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 15–20 minutes before shredding.

Toss the shredded meat with some of the crispy skin and pan juices for the ultimate bite. Serve it hot with your favorite sides like white rice, beans, yuca, or avocado salad. I like to use left overs to make BBQ pulled pork sandwiches. 

🌿 Tips for the Best Pernil

• Choose bone-in, skin-on pork shoulder for the most flavor.

• Marinate longer for deeper flavor (24 hours is ideal).

• Baste often during roasting to keep the meat juicy.

• Save the crispy skin—it’s the best part! Chop it and mix into the pulled pork for texture.

This Easy Mojo-Marinated Pernil is my go-to dish for holidays and family gatherings — and it’s guaranteed to impress without the stress. Using a store-bought mojo marinade makes it super convenient, yet the flavor is still rich, garlicky, and authentically Latin.

Or you can make your own fresh mojo marindae with my recipe [HERE]).

Serve it up with rice and beans, yuca, and a squeeze of lime for that true Caribbean comfort food experience.

If you try this recipe, let me know how it turned out in the comments!