Published September 26, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This tasty, tender, flavorful Pork Shoulder Roast is golden brown and served with a delicious herb and garlic sauce. You will love this value cut of pork loaded with incredible flavors.
If you love larger tender cuts of roasted meat to serve to friends or family, try my delicious Pot Roast Recipe or Roast Turkey.
Pork Shoulder Roast
Pork Shoulder roast is a cut of pork from the shoulder area that is oven-roasted. There are many ways to enhance the flavor of the pork, like dry brining, wet brining, or coating it in herbs and spices. I went a more traditional route by coating it with herbs, garlic, and oil and roasting it until golden brown.
This is a larger cut of meat, so it makes the most sense to prepare it if you want to serve it to a larger number of people or if you’d like leftovers. If you’re interested in trying another variation of this cut, check out my Smoked Pork Shoulder.
How Long Does It Take to Cook?
I believe a pork shoulder roast is best when it’s served right before being able to shred it with forks easily. Cooking it to this stage allows maximum flavor and tenderness while maintaining its juiciness, roughly around 185° internally.
This can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours, depending on the shoulder size. If you are preparing this with a bone-in shoulder or butt, then I recommend adding 45 minutes to my cooking time.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pork – A boneless picnic pork shoulder is what I used, but a boneless pork butt or pork butt/shoulder will also work.
- Herbs — I used fresh parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme. You can use any combination of these herbs, such as only parsley and thyme or all of them, as I did. Unfortunately, you cannot substitute with dry herbs.
- Onion — A white, yellow, sweet, or red onion will work. A shallot can also be used. I used whole garlic cloves. Both of these ingredients are for the herb-oil sauce that goes on when baking.
- Oil – I prefer to use olive oil, but any neutral-flavored oil like avocado will work.
- Vinegar – Red wine, white wine, or distilled vinegar in the herb-oil sauce helps to tenderize and flavor the pork.
- Seasonings – Only coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper were used. You could use an Italian Seasoning blend or any preferable spice rub if you’d like.
How to Make a Pork Shoulder Roast
Start by trussing the boneless pork shoulder with butcher’s twine. If you’re unfamiliar with how to do this, watch my Pork Loin recipe video.
Coat the pork in 3 tablespoons of olive oil on all sides.
Season the pork on all sides with coarse salt and pepper. You will use roughly 2 tablespoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of black pepper. Remember this is a large cut of meat and will require a good amount of seasoning.
Transfer the pork to a roasting rack in a pan or baking dish and bake on a middle rack in the oven at 450° for 45 minutes to help begin browning it.Next, turn the heat down to 350° and cook for 75 to 90 minutes or until it reaches roughly 160° internally.
While the pork is cooking, mix the parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary, onion, garlic, vinegar, 1/3 cup olive oil, salt and pepper.
Once the pork hits 160°, spread 2/3 of the herb, garlic, and oil sauce all over the top and sides or the pork shoulder roast and return it to the oven and cook for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour or until it reaches 185° internally.
If you notice the herbs turning brown too quickly, tent it with foil and continue cooking it.
Once the pork is done cooking, let it rest at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. It does not matter if you cover the pork or leave it exposed while resting.
Remove the butcher’s twine and slice the pork shoulder roast.
Serve it with the remaining herb, garlic, and oil sauce.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten as soon as it rests. However, cover it and keep it warm in the oven at low temperatures (<200°) for up to 60 minutes before serving.
How to Store: Cover the pork and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze it covered for up to 6 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day or until thawed before reheating.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of pork shoulder to a baking dish along with 1 cup of chicken stock or water, cover it, and bake in the oven at 350° for 40 to 50 minutes or until hot. Try chopping or shredding it and using it in my Pork Pozole.
Chef Notes + Tips
- Trussing the pork will help it keep its shape and allow for even cooking and a plumper, juicier roast.
- When using a bone-in shoulder, I advise trussing it as well. Carve around the bone or altogether remove it before slicing.
- You can ask the butcher to remove the bone from the shoulder.
- Anytime I roast in the oven, it is always on the middle rack for even cooking and browning.
- To cook this recipe on convection, reduce the heat by 25°.
- I prefer to cook this on a rack to help brown all sides of the pork for maximum flavor. However, it can also be roasted in a baking dish without a rack.
- The sauce’s consistency and flavors are similar to a chimichurri sauce.
- The fresh herb stems are good to use as long as they are tender.
More Pork Recipes
Pork Shoulder Roast Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 7-8 pound boneless pork picnic shoulder
- 1/3 cup + 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons finely minced yellow onion
- 3 finely minced garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°.
- Start by trussing the boneless pork shoulder with butcher’s twine. If you’re unfamiliar with how to do this, watch my Pork Loin recipe video.
- Coat the pork in 4 tablespoons of olive oil on all sides.
- Season the pork on all sides with coarse salt and pepper. You will use roughly 2 tablespoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of black pepper. Remember this is a large cut of meat and will require a good amount of seasoning.
- Transfer the pork to a roasting rack in a pan or baking dish and bake on a middle rack in the oven at 450° for 45 minutes to help it begin browning.
- Next, turn the heat down to 350° and cook for 75 to 90 minutes or until it reaches roughly 160° internally.
- While the pork is cooking, mix the parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary, onion, garlic, vinegar, 1/3 cup olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Once the pork reaches 160°, spread 2/3 of the herb, garlic, and oil sauce all over the top and sides or the pork shoulder roast, return it to the oven, and cook for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour or until it reaches 185° internally.
- If you notice the herbs turning brown too quickly, tent it with foil and continue cooking it.
- Once the pork is done cooking, let it rest at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. It does not matter if you cover the pork or leave it exposed while resting.
- Remove the butcher’s twine and slice the pork shoulder roast.
- Serve it with the remaining herb, garlic, and oil sauce.
Pork Shoulder Roast Recipe