Holiday Baked Pork Shoulder

Baked pork or oven-roasted pork around the holidays is a must. This pork is seasoned with a flavorful blend of dried and fresh oregano, adobo, black pepper, a generous amount of minced garlic, green seasoning, onion, and hot pepper. After days of marinating, it is roasted low and slow. The result is succulent pork, which is sliced to perfection.

While pork in Trinidad is not cooked as long as pernil and shredded at the end of cooking, this baked pork recipe has the base flavors that will go that extra mile if you wish. Just cook it longer and shred it apart after baking.

Delicious Meal Ideas with baked pork or oven roasted pork:

• Serve with stewed red beans, callaloo, macaroni pie and possibly a potato salad or beet potato salad.
• Serve with homemade hops bread, loaf bread or challah bread(plait bread)
• Serve with rice and peas and fried plantain –as seen above and on the corresponding video
• Serve with stewed red beans, or easy stewed canned red beans with coconut milk, coleslaw and rice
• Serve with stewed lentils or stewed black eye peas, stir fry cabbage and tomatoes, rice
• Serve with Trini fried rice, lo mein, chunky veggie stir fry or weekly veggie stir fry
• Serve with rice and beans or seasoning rice with mixed veggies,  macaroni salad

You may also love:

A Trini Holiday Menu-A link to all the holiday recipes

Oven-Roasted Pork Shoulder with Crispy Skin

Baked pork around the holidays is a must. This pork is seasoned with a flavorful blend of dried and fresh oregano, adobo, black pepper, a generous amount of minced garlic, green seasoning, onion and hot pepper. After days of marinating it is roasted low and slow. The result is succulent pork which is sliced to perfection. While pork in Trinidad is not cooked as long as pernil and shredded at the end of cooking, this recipe has a the base flavors that will go that extra mile if you wish. Just cook it longer and shred it a apart after baking.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Breakfast, dinner, lunch

Cuisine: American, Caribbean, Spanish, Trinidadian

Keyword: baked pork, pernil, roast pork, Roasted Pork Shoulder

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours hours

Servings: 15

Calories: 170kcal

Ingredients

• 5 to 10 pounds 2.3 to 4.5 kg pork shoulder or pork butt
• 3 tablespoons dried oregano
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon adobo seasoning
• Handful of fresh oregano minced
• 3 large Cuban oregano leaves minced, optional
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tbs green seasoning
• Hot pepper to taste
• Half onion peeled
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 3 tablespoons vinegar

Instructions

Preparation of the Pork Shoulder:

• a. Submerge the pork shoulder in a large container with 1 cup of vinegar and sufficient water for complete immersion. Allow it to soak for 30 minutes.
• b. Use the edge of a knife blade to scrape the skin and eliminate any hair or residual debris.
• c. Rinse the pork shoulder thoroughly and pat it dry with paper towels.
• d. Using a sharp knife, create a criss-cross pattern on the skin, with the cuts spaced approximately 1 inch apart. This scoring process is intended to facilitate the development of a crispy skin.
• e. Separate the skin and fat from the meat using a sharp knife, and set them aside.
• f. Tenderize the pork shoulder by piercing it with small holes, allowing the seasonings to permeate the meat.

Seasoning the Pork:

• a. In a small bowl, combine all listed ingredients and thoroughly mix to create a paste. Alternatively, you can place in a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth.
• b. Apply the spice paste evenly over the entire surface of the pork shoulder, ensuring that it enters the incisions and covers the entire meat.

Marination:

• Place the seasoned pork shoulder in a sizable zip-top bag or a covered container. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, preferably overnight, or extend the marination period up to 3 days. This marination period enhances the infusion of flavors into the meat.

Preheating the Oven:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).

Roasting:

• a. Position the marinated pork shoulder on a roasting rack within a roasting pan, ensuring that the skin side faces upwards. If a roasting rack is unavailable, an arrangement of chopped onions, carrots, and celery can serve to elevate the pork.
• b. Place the mentioned vegetables in the roasting pan, along with 2 cups of water, to enhance the flavor of the gravy and maintain moisture during the roasting process.
• c. Carefully wipe off any excess seasonings from the skin and apply a light layer of salt to enhance crispiness.
• d. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest section of the pork, avoiding contact with the bone.

Slow Roasting:

• Roast the pork in the preheated oven for 4 to 5 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches190°F (88°C). At this stage, the meat should be tender.

Skin Crisping:

• After achieving the desired level of doneness, raise the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C).
• Roast the pork for an additional 10-30 minutes, or until the skin is golden-brown and crispy. Keep a close eye on it to prevent any risk of burning.

Resting:

• Remove the pork shoulder from the oven and allow it to rest for approximately 15-20 minutes. This allows the redistribution of juices within the meat, enhancing its succulence.

Serving:

• Carve the pork shoulder into slices or use forks to shred it into desirable portions.

Enjoyment:

• Serve the oven-roasted pork shoulder with its delectably crispy skin and flavorful gravy, accompanied by your preferred side dishes.
• This preparation pairs wonderfully with rice and peas, fried plantains, sliced avocado or a refreshing salad. It can also be used in tacos, tortillas, wraps, pita bread or sandwich bread to make delicious sandwiches.
• Indulge in the pleasure of your delectable and crispy-skinned oven-roasted pork shoulder

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 691mg | Potassium: 348mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 33IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg

Did You Love This Recipe – Leave a Rating and Comment

I hope this Holiday Baked Pork Shoulder recipe brings as much joy and flavor to your table as it does to mine. Whether it’s for a holiday celebration or a special family dinner, this Caribbean classic is bound to impress. Don’t forget to give this recipe a 5-star rating and leave a comment below sharing your experience or any unique twists you tried.

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Questions or Concerns–Write me!

If you have any questions, concerns, issues, or suggestions about this recipe or any other recipes, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below or reach out via email at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you and am here to help make your cooking experience as enjoyable and successful as possible. Happy cooking!