Pernil Arepas with Mango Slaw

Ingredients

• For the Pernil (Roast Pork):
• 1 lb pork shoulder (boneless, with some fat) 🐷
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 🧄
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp cumin
• 0.5 tsp paprika
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 0.25 tsp black pepper
• 0.5 cup orange juice 🍊
• 0.25 cup lime juice 🍋
• For the Arepas:
• 1 ½ cups precooked cornmeal (masarepa) 🌽
• 1 ¼ cups warm water 💧
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp butter (melted) 🧈
• For the Mango Slaw:
• 1 mango, julienned 🥭
• 0.5 cup shredded cabbage 🥬
• 0.25 red onion, thinly sliced 🧅
• 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped 🌿
• Juice of 1 lime 🍋
• 0.5 tsp honey 🍯
• Pinch of salt & pepper

Instructions

1. 11️⃣ Prepare the Pernil
2. 2Marinate pork with garlic, olive oil, oregano, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, orange juice, and lime juice. Let sit for at least 1 hour (or overnight for deeper flavor).
3. 3Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
4. 4Place the pork in a roasting pan, cover with foil, and bake for 3 hours, basting occasionally.
5. 5Remove foil and broil for 5 minutes to get crispy edges. Let rest, then shred with forks.
6. 62️⃣ Make the Arepas
7. 7In a bowl, mix masarepa, warm water, salt, and melted butter. Let sit for 5 minutes.
8. 8Form dough into small patties about ½ inch thick.
9. 9Heat a griddle or pan over medium heat and cook arepas for 5 minutes per side until crispy.
10. 103️⃣ Prepare the Mango Slaw
11. 11In a bowl, mix mango, cabbage, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Toss well and let flavors meld.
12. 124️⃣ Assemble the Arepas
13. 13Slice open the warm arepas and fill them with shredded pernil.
14. 14Top with a generous amount of mango slaw.
15. 155️⃣ Serve & Enjoy!
16. 16Serve hot with extra lime wedges and enjoy a burst of sweet, smoky, and savory flavors! 🌮✨