Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder
A good pork shoulder doesn't need a complex marinade or a complicated spice rub. When you give it enough time, the fat renders into the muscle, leaving you with meat that falls apart on the plate.
Mind the temperature, not the clock.
Pork shoulder is forgiving, but don't rush the transition from firm to melting. If the meat resists when you poke it, give it another thirty minutes.
- Heavy roasting pan or Dutch oven
- Sharp paring knife
- Meat thermometer
- Aluminum foil
What goes in.
- 5-6 lbbone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt)
- 3 tbspkosher salt
- 1 tbspfreshly cracked black pepper
- 2yellow onions, thickly sliced
Cross-hatching the fat cap
Use your knife to cut a diamond pattern into the fat cap, reaching just to the meat. This allows the fat to escape and baste the roast while creating more surface area for crisping.
The method.
Prep the oven
Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C).
Score and season
Pat the meat dry. Score the fat in a diamond pattern. Rub the salt and pepper into the crevices of the fat and over the bottom of the meat.
Bed the onions
Place the onion slices in the bottom of your roasting pan to create a rack. Set the pork on top, fat side up.
Slow roast
Place in the oven uncovered for 5 to 6 hours. Check it at the 4-hour mark; if the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil.
Check for doneness
The internal temperature should reach at least 195°F. You are looking for a dark, mahogany crust and a bone that twists easily when turned.
Rest
Transfer to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before pulling the meat apart with two forks.
Other turns to take.
Citrus Infused
Tuck orange slices and smashed garlic cloves under the pork before roasting.
Herb Crusted
Mix chopped rosemary and thyme with the salt and pepper rub.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Don't trim the fat cap too thin; that fat is what keeps the shoulder moist through the long cook time.
Save the rendered fat and onions from the bottom of the pan to mix back into the shredded meat.
If you want a crispier bark, turn the oven up to 425°F for the final 15 minutes of cooking.
The ones that keep coming up.
Do I need to sear the meat first?
No. At this temperature and time, the oven does all the work of browning the exterior.
Can I cook this in a slow cooker?
You can, but you will lose the crusty exterior texture that oven-roasting provides.
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