There’s something comforting about a roast that cooks low and slow. This Pork Shoulder Roast turns out incredibly tender on the inside with golden, crispy edges, and every slice is juicy and perfectly seasoned.
It is the kind of satisfying centerpiece that makes everyone excited to gather around the table. If you love pork roasts, my Apple Cider Pork Roast is another great option!
This pork shoulder roast recipe is one of my favorite holiday mains, especially during the busy December season when we have friends and family over. But it fits just as well on a laid back Sunday night when you want a cozy meal with a good side of creamy mashed potatoes!
The secret here is a simple dry brine! Salting the pork shoulder ahead of time and letting it rest overnight not only ensures it stays tender and moist, but also seasons it all the way through. The garlic herb rub makes it even better, creating that beautifully browned exterior as the pork shoulder roast slowly cooks. So good!
If you are building a holiday menu, my Honey Balsamic Chuck Roast is equally wonderful. I love pairing it with Muffin Tin Potato Stacks and Lemon Green Beans!
Quick note: If you want to use a traditional wet brine, try my Apple Cider Brined Pork Loin!
Jump to:
Why I Love This Recipe
- Big flavor. The dry brine combined with a flavorful garlic herb rub ensures our pork shoulder roast is really delicious! The oven does the rest.
- So tender. Slowly roasting at 300ºF in the oven transforms the pork shoulder into fork-tender meat with perfectly crispy edges. Use a meat thermometer to ensure it’s just right!
- Pairs well with everything. Serve this roast with creamy mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, noodles, pasta…you name it!
- Prep-ahead friendly. You can prep the garlic rub and dry brine a day ahead. Leftovers reheat beautifully for lunches throughout the week.
Ingredients Notes
We want to build layers of flavor here. Here are a few notes on the ingredients from our rounds of recipe testing.
- Boneless pork shoulder: I use a 4-pound boneless pork shoulder. If you choose a bone-in cut, it may require braising or using your slow cooker because of the larger size.
- Olive oil: Used to coat the pork before roasting and also for the garlic herb rub.
- Yellow onion: Thickly sliced. These roast alongside the pork to flavor and to create moisture.
- Chicken broth: Keeps everything moist and adds rich, savory depth to the pan juices. Substitute with vegetable broth.
- Kosher salt: Kosher salt is ideal for brining due to the size of the granules, as it prevents oversalting. You also need ground black pepper.
- Light brown sugar: Part of the dry brine. Adds a touch of sweetness to balance the savory herbs. It also helps the meat brown beautifully.
- Fresh herbs: Rosemary, thyme, and sage, but use anything you’d like. You can also use dried herbs, about half the amount of fresh.
- Garlic: Freshly garlic brings incredible flavor. I’d highly recommend using fresh here.
As always, quantities can be found in the recipe card down below!
How to Make Oven Roasted Pork Shoulder
This recipe starts with a brine the day before. After that, it’s all easy peasy!
Step 1 | Dry brine overnight
First things first, we need to make the dry brine the pork shoulder roast! It’s essential to keep it moist and tender. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, Kosher salt, black pepper, and minced fresh herbs. Rub this mixture generously over all sides of the pork. Place it on a pan, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
Step 2 | Initial browning
The next day, preheat your oven to 425°F. Remove the brined pork shoulder from the fridge and discard any excess juices. Let it sit at room temperature while the oven heats, then rub it with olive oil and black pepper (no need to add more salt). Roast uncovered at this high temperature for 20 minutes to get a golden top.
Step 3 | Apply garlic herb rub
In a bowl, combine minced garlic, fresh minced herbs, olive oil, a little bit of salt, and black pepper. This is the garlic rub.
Remove the pork from the oven and reduce the temperature to 300°F. Carefully spread the rub evenly over the pork. Arrange the onions, fresh herb sprigs, and broth around it.
Step 4 | Slow roast in the oven
Once the oven comes back down 300°F, return into the oven and let it roast slowly for 2.5 to 3 hours, uncovered, until the center reaches about 190 to 200 degrees F. We roast the pork uncovered so we get a nice, flavorful golden crust, but if the top starts to brown too fast, loosely tent it with foil.
Once ready, let the roast rest for 15 minutes and slice. Drizzle with any pan juices or your favorite sauces. I think this pork shoulder roast goes really well with chimichurri sauce!
Tips for Success
- Dry brine is key! This is how you keep the pork moist, tender, and flavorful. Let it brine overnight, no more than 18 hours.
- Room temperature start. Let the pork sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes before cooking so it’s not so cold. This ensures it cooks evenly.
- To get that nice crust, start with high heat (425ºF) initially to give it a head start and lock in flavors. Keep the pork uncovered for this step.
- Slowly roast uncovered (300ºF) so the golden brown crust continues developing. The lower heat and the overnight dry brine, but if you get any browned spots too quickly, tent it with foil during the slow roast phase.
- If you prefer to roast covered, you can do that too. At the end, broil for a few minutes to get that golden crust.
How Long to Roast Pork Shoulder
For a 4-pound pork shoulder cut, plan for 2.5 to 3 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 190 to 200°F. An instant read meat thermometer is very helpful here.
How To Make Pork Shoulder Roast in the Slow Cooker
If you’d like, you can make this pork shoulder roast in your slow cooker! First things first, dry brine overnight as directed. The next day, pat it dry and sear on the stovetop first, then add everything else into the slow cooker. Cook for 8 hours on LOW. Once ready, remove it from the slow cooker and broil in the oven for a few minutes until the exterior is golden brown.
Recipe FAQs
Boneless pork shoulder or boneless butt is ideal. They are usually 3 to 4 pounds. Avoid pork loin or tenderloin for this recipe; they require different cooking times. If you want to use a pork loin, try my Apple Cider Brined Pork Loin recipe!
For a roast that is tender but still sliceable, aim for an internal temperature of 190 to 200°F, or a little higher.
Roast uncovered to get crispy edges. If it browns too quickly, loosely tent it with foil. However, if you prefer to cook it covered, you can do that too. At the end, broil for a few minutes to get that golden crust.
Prep and Make Ahead Tips
Prep ahead: Mince the herbs and slice the onions; store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Make the garlic herb rub and store it chilled. Dry brine the pork shoulder overnight.
Make ahead: Follow the recipe completely. Store the cooked pork refrigerated and covered.
Reheating: Warm slices with a splash of broth in the oven until warmed thro, covered, until warmed through.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
While the pork shoulder roast cooks in the oven, you can try making these easy stovetop side recipes to time it perfectly!
Need sauces to serve with the pork? Try this easy herby chimichurri sauce, romesco sauce, or my apple cider BBQ sauce.
More Showstopper Holiday Mains
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Pork Shoulder Roast
Ingredients
- 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder - excess fat trimmed
- Olive oil - as needed
- 1 large yellow onion - cut into thick slices
- 6 sprigs fresh herbs - rosemary, thyme, sage
- Chicken broth for the pan - as needed, I used about ½ cup total
Dry brine:
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoons light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh herbs - rosemary, thyme, sage
Garlic herb rub:
- 6 cloves fresh garlic - minced
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh herbs - rosemary, thyme, sage
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Dry brine pork overnight: In a small bowl, mix the dry brine ingredients (Kosher salt, brown sugar, ground black pepper, and minced fresh herbs). Rub the mixture all over the pork on all sides. Place on a baking pan, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
- Prep oven: The next day, preheat the oven to 425°F. Remove the pork from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes, so it comes closer to room temperature (helps with even cooking). Discard any juices that may have pooled at the bottom of the pan.
- Initial roast: Pat dry the pork, the rub with a few drizzles of olive oil and season with ground black pepper. Roast uncovered for an initial 20 minutes so it gets a nice start and a golden crust forms on top.
- Make the garlic herb rub: Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the minced garlic, fresh minced herbs, ¼ cup of olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Set aside.
- Lower oven temperature: Remove the pork from the oven, then reduce temperature to 300°F. We’re going to finish cooking the pork low and slow.
- Add garlic herb rub and onions: Spread the garlic herb rub over the pork. Then, add the onions and fresh sprigs of herbs around the pork, Then, add a few generous splashes of broth around the sides of the pan to prevent burning. Note: It may seem like a lot of onions, but they will reduce.
- Roast low and slow: Return the pork into the oven, and continue roasting, still uncovered, at a low oven temperature of 300ºF for another 2.5 to 3 hours. The pork is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 190-200ºF. Note: If there are spots that browning too fast, tent with foil.
- Let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
- At what temperature to roast: Start with 425ºF for the first 20 minutes, then bring it down to 300ºF for 2.5 to 3 hours.
- Pork internal temperature: The pork is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 190-200ºF.
- Dry brining time: Since the pork is only 3-4 pounds approximately, overnight for 10-12 hours will be enough in the fridge. No more than 18 hours though.
- Bring the pork up to room temperature before roasting so it cooks more evenly.
- Roast covered or uncovered? Ideally uncovered so it gets a nice crust, but if you prefer to roast covered, that’s fine. At the end, broil for a few minutes to get that golden crust.
- Prep ahead: The pork needs to brine overnight. You can also prep the garlic herb rub and the sliced onions ahead.
- Storage: Place leftovers in an airtight container with a little broth between the pieces to help it not dry out and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat the pork shoulder slices in the oven at 325F with a splash of broth until warmed through.
- Freezing: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the oven with extra broth.
- Fresh herbs: If using dried, used half the amount.
- Slow cooker option: Brine as directed. Sear on the stovetop first, then add everything in, including ¾ cup chicken broth to the slow cooker. Cook for 8 hours on LOW.
Cris says
Loved how tender it was! The longer it cooks, the better and more tender it is. I made a blueberry sauce to go with it.