Crockpot Pork Pernil

This crockpot pork pernil, Puerto Rican pork roast, is an incredibly flavorful and juicy dish. The pork marinates in an amazing mixture and then is slow cooked to perfection!

This crockpot pork pernil is an amazingly juicy and delicious pork roast dish. Pork pernil is a Puerto Rican dish that combines fresh and vibrant ingredients which create an awesomely flavorful dish! Making this in the crockpot ensures this roast will be juicy and tender every time you make it. This roast can be served cut into chunks or shredded.

What is pork pernil?

Pork pernil is a Puerto Rican pork roast which is marinated and then slow roasted. It is a dish most often made with a pork shoulder, but you’ll see some recipes using pork butt. In Puerto Rico, this dish is often served for holidays or special occasion meals. One of the things that sets this dish apart is that this pork roast is marinated in a delicious marinade which is garlicky and salty, along with containing vinegar and citrus elements. Although traditionally slow roasted in the oven to give the skin a good crunch, this dish can also be made in a slow cooker. It doesn’t get a crunchy skin, but the roast turns out amazingly flavorful and amazingly juicy!

How do I make this crockpot pork pernil?

This is a fun and easy dish to make. I like to let my roast marinate overnight or for 24 hours, so I plan ahead accordingly. I used a mortar and pestle to make my marinade, but you can use a food processor or blender if you’d like. You’ll start by cutting slits all over your pork roast, then set it aside. If using a mortar and pestle, combine your garlic cloves, salt, oregano, and pepper and smash them together to form a paste. Then add the olive oil, lime juice, and vinegar and mix until combined. If using a blender or food processor, just add all the ingredients and blend or process to combine. If you’d like, you can even mix this in a bowl and just use a spoon to smash your garlic and mix the ingredients together.

You’ll then want to rub your entire roast with the marinade, making sure to get it into the slits you made in the roast. After marinating in the refrigerator, simply add your roast to the crockpot, fat side up, and cook on low for 8-10 hours. When done cooking, discard the bone and either chop the roast into pieces or shred it with two forks.

How can I serve this crockpot pork pernil?

You have some great keto options for serving this incredible roast. It can be served as is for an awesome main dish either by serving in cut up chunks or as shredded pork. I like to add a little of the leftover juice to my mixture after I shred it, or serve a side of the drippings to dip the meat in. You can strain the fat from the drippings or just serve as is. Although probably not traditional, you can also serve this with your favorite barbecue sauce. You can serve this dish atop some lettuce or your favorite greens. It can also be served with some keto bread to make a delicious sandwich or with some lettuce to make a lettuce wrap. It pairs nicely with keto coleslaw, salads, or vegetables. Pretty much any way you would serve traditional pulled pork works great with this dish!

Here are some more delicious keto crockpot recipes I think you’ll enjoy!

Crockpot Keto Bacon Wrapped Drumsticks

Crockpot Keto Rotisserie Chicken

Easy Keto Crockpot Pulled Pork

Low Carb Crockpot Buffalo Pulled Pork

Helpful Hints:

*I like to let my pork marinate overnight or for 24 hours; but you can marinate for 4 hours and then cook if you’d like.

*You can cut this up into chunks and serve it that way, or you can shred the meat with 2 forks for shredded pork.

Main Kitchen Equipment and Utensils:

• Mortar and pestle, blender, or food processor
• Crockpot

Splash of Encouragement:

***It’s exciting to learn about and to make foods from other parts of the world***