Have you invited family over for Thanksgiving and wondered what to make? Puerto Ricans have perfected a beautiful five star dish called Pernil! Originating from pork shoulder, butt or leg, Pernil has been changed and accustomed to the culture it is in. It has been a sign of a good life and can bring families together. 

In order to make Pernil- the ingredients include: pork limb of your choosing, vinegar, garlic, olive oil and salt. Though simple to put together, the curating and mixing of ingredients is very important to the recipe! Once the pork has been unfrozen and prepped with vinegar, take the garlic, olive oil and salt to a blender until paste like. Then, cut small incisions into the pork to bathe the paste all around. This will give the Pernil true flavor and it will melt in your mouth once cooked in the oven for three hours!

Pernil is traditionally for the holidays but will be tossed together for family during other celebrations! Melissa Alvarado, of Puerto Rican descent infers, “Our familia, our values and our traditions all come together as part of our culture and are expressed in our delicioso dishes!”  Pernil changes the meaning of a good meal- it is not just heart healthy but invites families from around the world to share their side dishes and enjoy a warm dinner together. Will you be trying Pernil for your next family dinner?