Instant Pot Puerto Rican Pernil, or Pork Roast, is not the traditional method of preparing this signature meal centerpiece, but it does not mean that it is any less flavorful. This recipe packs in flavor, resulting in a tender fall-of-the-bone pork roast that you will not believe came from a pressure cooker.
A pig roast is to a Puerto Rican Christmas dinner, like turkey, to a Thanksgiving table. We love it! The table would not be complete without Arroz con Gandules, Guineos en Escabeche, Coquito, Mofongo, and Pasteles.
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What is a traditional Pork Roast? or Cerdo al Carbon
The pork cooked on open flames is tender, moist, and has crispy skin. It's pretty much self-basting in its fat as it turns. Cooking a whole pig can feed a party of up to hundreds of people, depending on the size of a mature pig if it is a suckling, anywhere between 20 to 30 people, depending on size. On average, calculate half a pound serving per person.
Why this recipe works
- Quick for Busy Families: The pressure cooker option of the Instant Pot allows you to cook your roast in half the time of the traditional process. A Pork Roast in the oven can take from four to six hours. In the Instant Pot, it would take between one and a half to two hours, depending on the size of the roast.
- Accessible for those intimidated about cooking a roast in the oven: Many people get intimidated by roasting big items or the idea of roasting a small portion in such a large appliance. The Instant Pot makes it more accessible. Plus, you can set your timing so your food will be ready when you get home.
- Delicious: You will still marinate the pork for the same time as if you were to cook it in the oven. In this recipe, I will show you how to marinate your picnic shoulder to absorb the most flavor while cooking.
Ingredient Notes
- Adobo: By adobo, I mean both powder adobo and garlic paste adobo. Rub the meat with the garlic paste and then sprinkle the meat with the powder. This accentuates the flavors even more.
- Mojo: I also like to use a citrus-based Mojo. I have made this recipe with and without mojo, but the acidity of the mojo is of great aid in tenderizing and marinating the meat.
- Whole Garlic Cloves: Garlic Cloves are inserted into the meat by puncturing the picnic shoulder with a pairing knife. The cuts must be deep and wide enough for the garlic cloves to go in and stay in. Do not fret if some don't as long as most do, you are ok.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Substitutions
- Roast in an Oven: For directions on how to roast pork in the oven, read Cochinita Pibil. This is my version of cooking cochinita pibil inspired by watching Chef Rosalia Chay in the Netflix BBQ show.
- Other significant cuts of meat: Lamb shoulder or Beef Chuck roast, Brisket, Round or Rump Roasts are great substitutions if you do not want to eat pork.
- Spices: I discuss adapting garlic paste into an international seasoning powerhouse in my adobo post. Adding rehydrated chilis and tomatoes can make this paste and dish very flavorful.
- Sofrito: I have also made my pernil with a rub-down of sofrito. This is not the traditional way of making it, but it adds great flavor. Something you may want to consider instead of the garlic paste if you are not big into garlic like I am.
How to make Instant Pot Puerto Rican Pernil
Here are the step-by-step instructions to make pernil in an Instant Pot.
- Using a sharp knife, score the skin of the roast into diagonal long cuts about one to one and a half inches apart. Once you have scored in one direction rotate the roast and score in the opposite direction to create a diamond pattern.
- Begin to puncture the rest of the roast with the knife. Do not pierce through the skin.
- Insert whole garlic cloves into the incisions you make with the knife.
- If the roasts are small enough to fit inside a gallon ziplock bag, place them in them. If it is too large, place the roast in a large bowl or pan.
- Pour enough mojo into the bag to cover. It is best to allow the roast to marinate overnight. If time is of the essence, allow at least one hour before cooking.
- On the day of cooking, remove the roast from the bags or pans, and allow to drain any excess marinade. Once drained sprinkle them with Adobo and Sazon, and let the roasts rest on the counter for 30 minutes to an hour.
- I find searing inside the Instant Pot a bit cumbersome, so I seared my roast on a cast iron skillet or large braiser. Once the fat cap and the roast had a nice golden color (about 30 minutes), I transferred the roasts to the Instant Pot inner pan. I took a cup of broth to deglaze the cast iron and poured the liquid into the Instant Pot with the roast.
- Set the Instant Pot to Pressure cook. On average, I use 16-20 minutes per pound of roast. I cooked an 8-pound roast for 2 hours and 15 minutes. Once the time was up, I let the roast sit for about 20 to 39 minutes as I slowly released the pressure. Remove the roast and reserve the liquid. Using forks shred the meat and incorporate some of the juices back to keep it moist.
The result was tender, juice meat that fell off the bone.
Expert Tips
- Searing the Pork: Depending on the size of your roast, searing your meat in the Instant Pot could be a bit cumbersome. I opted to sear my roast on a skillet instead, deglazed the pan, and poured the deglazed liquid into the Instant Pot with the roast. For smaller roasts, you may choose to sear the meat inside the Instant Pot. For more reference on how to go about adjusting your temperatures for the Instant Pot, check out this post from Pressure Cooking Today.
- Marinating the Meat: For larger pieces of meat, I like to marinate my meat for up to 24 hours if possible. Depending on the size I would marinate a bit longer. Puncturing the meat allows for the marinate to seep into the muscle easier however, it is good practice to turn your meat every four to six hours if possible. If not, at least once in between the allotted time for marination.
- A note on acid: Acids can cook and over-tenderize the meat if allowed to marinate too long. If you think you will need to marinate your pork for longer than 24 hours, consider using a brine or mojo for the first half of the marinating process, draining it, and then rubbing it down with spices for the second half.
- Excess Liquid: If you find that you have excess liquid, save some aside to use when making rice, especially beans. This liquid will bring your beans an enormous amount of flavor. You can also use it as a base in sauces. Make sure to remove any excess fat.
Recipe FAQs
Why is my Pork Shoulder Still tough in an Instant Pot?
When I cook my roast I allow it to sit for a few minutes before I start releasing the pressure. I have found that releasing the pressure too fast can create a mess, so I slowly start to release the pressure. Once released, I open the pot and see if my calculations were correct, or to see if it needs longer by pulling into the meat and see if the bones have released.
Is it better to Slow Cook or Pressure Cook Pork Shoulder?
Traditionally, Slow Cooked Pernil in an oven is far better. Plus, you can crisp the skin if you would like. For those, like me who have very little time, cooking Pernil in an Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker is a great option and solution.
How many hours does it take to cook Pernil?
To cook Pernil or a Pork Roast in the oven can take 30 minutes per pound of meat. An eight-pound roast for up to 4 hours. I also round up the pounds instead of down. 7.95 lbs would be 8 lbs.
How many minutes per pound to cook a roast in an Instant Pot?
To cook a Pernil on an Instant Pot is 15 minutes per pound. So an eight-pound roast would take an average of 2 hours. I cooked my 8-pound roast for 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Do you cook your Pernil Fat Cap side Up or Down?
Whether in the oven or on the Instant Pot, I always place the fat cap on the upside of the pan. And I do not elevate the roast from the drippings. Once I shred it I will shred it into the liquids.
More Puerto Rican Christmas Recipes
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Puerto Rican Pernil (Pork Roast)
Instant Pot Puerto Rican Pernil is not the traditional method of preparing this signature meal centerpiece. This recipe packs in flavor and a fall-of-the-bone pork roast that you will not believe came from a pressure cooker.
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 12 L Picnic-cut Pork Shoulder
- 10 Cloves Garlic
- ¼ Cup Mojo
- 1 tablespoon Adobo
- 1 tablespoon Sazon
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, score the skin of the roast into diagonal long cuts about one to one and a half inches apart. Once you have scored in one direction rotate the roast and score in the opposite direction to create a diamond pattern.
- Begin to puncture the rest of the roast with the knife. Do not pierce through the skin.
- Insert whole garlic cloves into the incisions you make with the knife.
- If the roasts are small enough to fit inside a gallon ziplock bag, place them in them. If it is too large, place the roast in a large bowl or pan.
- Pour enough mojo into the bag to cover. It is best to allow the roast to marinate overnight. If time is of the essence, allow at least one hour before cooking.
- On the day of cooking, remove the roast from the bags or pans, and allow to drain any excess marinade. Once drained sprinkle them with Adobo and Sazon, and let the roasts rest on the counter for 30 minutes to an hour.
- I find searing inside the Instant Pot a bit cumbersome, so I seared my roast on a cast iron skillet or large braiser. Once the fat cap and the roast had a nice golden color (about 30 minutes) I transferred the roasts to the instant pot inner pan. I took a cup of broth to deglaze the cast iron and pour the liquid into the Instant Pot with the roast.
- Set the Instant Pot to Pressure cook. On average, I use 16-20 minutes per pound of roast. I cooked an 8-pound roast for 2 hours and 15 minutes. Once the time was up, I let the roast sit for about 20 to 39 minutes as I slowly released the pressure. Remove the roast and reserve the liquid. Using forks shred the meat and incorporate some of the juices back to keep it moist.
Notes
Searing the Pork: Depending on the size of your roast, searing your meat in the Instant Pot could be a bit cumbersome. I opted to sear my roast on a skillet instead, deglazed the pan, and poured the deglazed liquid into the Instant Pot with the roast. For smaller roasts, you may choose to sear the meat inside the Instant Pot. For more reference on how to go about adjusting your temperatures for the Instant Pot, check out this post from Pressure Cooking Today.
Marinating the Meat: For larger pieces of meat, I like to marinate my meat for up to 24 hours if possible. Depending on the size I would marinate a bit longer. Puncturing the meat allows for the marinate to seep into the muscle easier however, it is good practice to turn your meat every four to six hours if possible. If not, at least once in between the allotted time for marination.
A Note on Acid: Acids can cook and over-tenderize the meat if allowed to marinate too long. If you think you will need to marinate your pork for longer than 24 hours, consider using a brine or mojo for the first half of the marinating process, draining it, and then rubbing it down with spices for the second half.
Excess Liquid: If you find that you have excess liquid, save some aside to use when making rice, especially beans. This liquid will bring your beans an enormous amount of flavor. You can also use it as a base in sauces. Make sure to remove any excess fat.
Nutrition
Serving: 8OzCalories: 6559kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 851gFat: 313gSaturated Fat: 108gPolyunsaturated Fat: 34gMonounsaturated Fat: 143gCholesterol: 2902mgSodium: 6390mgPotassium: 15144mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 426IUVitamin C: 76mgCalcium: 696mgIron: 55mg
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