This roast pork butt, coated in a simple rub of brown sugar, paprika, cumin, and red pepper flakes, is incredibly easy to make and yields enough to feed a small army. It’s roasted low and slow until falling apart tender. Perfect for Super Bowl, weekend bashes, and weeknight dinners.
4 Truths About Cooking Pork Butt
We’ve learned a thing or three about pork butt (giggle…we said butt) over the years, and so we want to share those tricks with you. Feel free to chime in and add a comment below with any truths you’ve experienced in your pork butt (giggle) escapades.
Pork Butt Truth 1
Pork butt is not actually pork butt. It’s pork shoulder. And you may find either or both of those terms on the label at the store. Confusing, right?! But it’s more fun to say pork butt. If you find a cut that’s labeled “Boston butt,” grab it. As one of our recipe testers, Suzanne Fortier, explains, “I was taught by my French-Canadian grandmother and father to request the butt end of the shoulder, or the Boston butt. The other end is sometimes called the picnic shoulder, and it tends to be gristlier. The Boston butt is the only way to go, according to Grandma Rose. Why mess with a good thing?”
Pork Butt Truth 2
A lot of folks swear by bone-in as opposed to boneless pork butt for the best flavor. Others prefer the convenience of boneless pork butt. Shrug. Suit yourself. Honestly? We feel the same way our recipe tester, Jackie Gorman does. In her words, “With pork butt, I don’t think that the flavor is dependent upon the bone, but the amount of fat it has.” See, pork has been bred to be leaner and leaner over the years, which is not a good thing. Not a good thing at all. Our advice is to get yourself a nice heritage pork butt that’s well-marbled and has an obscenely thick layer of fat on it, just as God intended. Because as the pork roasts, the fat sloooooooowly melts, constantly bathing the underlying meat in what we like to think of as essential fatty acids of a different, porkier, yet still healthful sort. You won’t be sorry.
Pork Butt Truth 3
Size matters. Although exactly how it matters depends on your personal preference. We prefer to roast a couple modestly sized 3- or 4-pound pork butts side by side in the same roasting pan rather than a single 8-pound pork butt, only because they seem to remain more moist. But that’s just us.
Pork Butt Truth 4
Trust thyself. There are hundreds of pork butt recipes out there and each will insist on this cut and that size and this oven temperature and that method. Whatever. We found what works best for us, and you’ll find that below. But only you know what works best for you. We hope you find it here, but if not, don’t hesitate to veer from the below. For example, our editor had a rebellious streak and roasted her pork butt uncovered the entire time, as opposed to smothering it with foil as directed in the recipe. Oh, and she had also omitted any spice rub and opted instead for just salt and pepper. She swears it was the best damn pork butt she ever had. But you may feel differently. See what we mean when we say trust thyself?!
Roast Pork Butt
Special Equipment: Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
Email Grocery ListDirections
In a small bowl, stir together the salt, sugar, paprika, pepper flakes, cumin, and black pepper.
Rub the pork butt all over with the spice mixture. The pork butt should be completely coated on all sides. If you have time, tightly wrap the pork in plastic wrap, place it in on a rimmed plate or container of some sort, and refrigerate overnight to let the flavors mingle.
Heat your oven to 250°F (121°C). Place a wire rack in a roasting pan.Â
Place your pork butt, fatty side up, on the rack. Roast the pork, uncovered, until the exterior of the pork butt is crisp and dryâthis is what’s referred to as “bark” in smoking circles. This will most likely take 4 to 8 hours, depending on your oven and the size of your pork butt. [Editor’s Note: For us, this happened when the pork butt reached an internal temperature of somewhere between 170°F (77°C) and, as professionals and diehards usually recommend, 190° (87°C), although the internal temperature is less important than the undeniable presence of the bark. If you don’t let the bark fully develop, the finished pork will be soft and a touch soggy on the outside rather than crisp.]
Carefully wrap the pork butt in a couple layers heavy-duty aluminum foil and return it to the wire rack in the roasting pan. Continue to roast until the pork reaches an internal temperature of at least 190°F (88°C) and preferably 200°F (93°C). This recipe is almost impossible to pull off without a meat thermometer. You really canât judge the pork by sight or feel. A thermometer is the only way to know. Personally, we prefer a digital probe thermometer that can be left in the pork as it roasts or grills. When you insert the thermometer, stick it into the thickest part of the pork butt, and be sure not to have it next to any bone or youâll get a false reading.) Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest for 30 to 45 minutes before carefully unwrapping the foil.
Shred the pork with a couple forks, making certain to evenly mix the crisp, dry edges with the insanely moist, tender pork within. You’re probably going to want to douse the pulled pork with some barbecue sauce to impart some flavor and sauciness. Use the pulled pork in sandwiches or store it for use in other recipes or just stand there at the counter and nosh on it. (The pulled pork will store well in the fridge for 7 days. If youâre freezing it for later, divvy it into 1-pound servings and freeze it in storage bags.)
Grilled Pork Butt Variation
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Preheat your oven to 250°F (121°C). We highly recommend using an oven thermometer on the grill surface to make sure your temperature is as close to that as possible.
If youâre using a gas grill, this will probably mean turning off all the burners except one and turning that burner on medium-low to low.
If youâre using a charcoal grill, prepare your grill for indirect heat and build a good coal base before adding the pork. You will most likely have to add charcoal a few times throughout the cooking time to maintain a nice even heat. Itâs also not a huge deal if your grill gets hotter or cools off a bit. Just do your best to keep it low and steady.
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Place your pork butt, fatty side up, directly on the grill rack. Cook the pork at 250°F (121°C) until the exterior is crisp and dryâthis is what’s referred to as “bark” in smoking circles. This will most likely take 4 to 6 hours, depending on your grill and the size of your pork butt. Carefully wrap the pork butt in a couple layers heavy-duty aluminum foil and return it to the grill rack. Continue to grill until the pork reaches an internal temperature of at least 190°F (88°C) and preferably 200°F (93°C). You absolutely need a meat thermometer to make sure itâs done. This will most likely take between 7 and 10 hours although weâve had it take up to 14 hours on a finicky charcoal grill. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 30 to 45 minutes before carefully unwrapping the foil.
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Shred the pork as instructed above.
Recipe Testers Reviews
The results were excellent. I rubbed and then refrigerated the pork butt overnight so the flavors would meld properly. The hands-on time is minimalâabout 15 minutes to assemble the spice mixture and rub it all over the pork butt. I used about 1/2 the stated amount of red pepper flakes because I thought 1 tablespoon would give too much heat for my taste.
My bone-in pork butt weighed 4 pounds and took 6 hours in a convection oven set to 225°F. I served the pork with the classic coleslaw recipe and a bit of barbecue sauce on a soft roll. The pork definitely needs some kind of sauce.
Sometimes we either don't have access to a smoker or just can't commit 6 or 8 hours to low and slow cooking on a grill. And while slow cookers can make WONDERFUL pulled pork, one thing will be missing and for me, that's a VERY important part of pulled porkâthe BARK! (When you rub a piece of pork with a spice rub and cook it, low and slow, on a smoker, grill, or in an oven, after several hours, the rub mixes with the hot fat and juices and eventually gets a hard crust called a BARK. For my money, this is the VERY best part of ANY barbecue! Anyone who loves meat surely must LOVE a crisp, spice-rubbed exterior.) This bark can be achieved in your oven and, as long as you have a clock and a thermometer, you can create a fine and crusty bark on your pork butt with this recipe.
The rub mentioned here is fine, but if you have your favorite rub on hand, by all means use it. I recommend checking the pork butt at about 5 hours. If the rub still looks wet, check again in about a half hour. Somewhere between 5 and 6 hours, the bark should set and become crusty. As soon as this happens, pull it from the oven and wrap it TIGHTLY in aluminum foil. Put it back in your pan and pop it back in the oven. Check it in an hour. If the internal temperature is not 190°F, leave it in and check it in another half hour. When the pork hits 190°F, remove it from the oven and let it rest, wrapped in the foil, for at LEAST 30 minutes. From here, shred the roast pork butt by any means necessary (two forks works nicely) and top it with your favorite sauce, coleslaw, or, as I do, both.
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria . We'd love to see your creations on Instagram , Facebook , and Twitter .
We are in the middle of harvest right now, I made this yesterday for the crew’s supper. It was a huge hit! I served it on a kaiser bun with BBQ sauce and coleslaw on top. I am always nervous to try something new when cooking for a crowd, but this did not disappoint. I made sure I got it in the oven early. Followed the recipe exactly. I had a 4.5lb butt roast, it took around 4.5hours to get the bark. I am printing this and adding it to my recipe binder. Will definitely make again. Thanks for sharing.
That’s wonderful, Danielle! I’m so pleased everyone enjoyed it so much and thank you so much for taking the time to let us know.
190* for pork? I guess I am really surprised by this. Thought pork needed to be cooked to 165*?
m, you are correct in that pork can be safely enjoyed at 165°F, however, when slow-roasting a pork shoulder, the real magic happens around 190°F when the connective tissue and collagen breaks down, yielding that tender, pullable meat. You’d likely have some difficulty getting it to shred easily at 165°F.
I have made this recipe a few times. The best was using the Boston Butt cut. MAKE SURE THAT IS WHAT YOU GET!!! You will know it because it has an enormous layer of fat on it. I freaked out thinking I was spending too much money on the fat and that it was not going to help. I was wrong. If you follow this recipe step by step and do not try to cut corners or substitute one ingredient for other (you know who you are!) then you will be amazed. Cook till the highest temperature as specified. Make sure you see the bark. I got rave reviews and I live in the Memphis area where BBQ Pork is a daily event and I don’t even usually like it. All of my friends and family loved it. And we had nothing left over to freeze it was phenomenal. This is the go-to recipe for this cut of meat. Thank you. I would post a picture but we ate it all in record time. Make a nice coleslaw and use some good sauce. AMAZING
Zoe, this is magnificent to hear! I cannot agree enough with your assessment that you absolutely have to use a Boston butt. That fat makes ALL the difference. Thanks so much for letting us know how well this went over! Thrilled to know it.
What a fantastic recipe! My initial attempt to do this resulted in slice-only meat. Didnât cook it long enough, and my fiancée (former restaurant owner, and wonderful cook!) was telling me that, but I powered forward, to our chagrin. Still tasted good, but not âshred-ableâ.
This one was cooked total of 11 hours, and at 6 hours, when bark evident, I did the tight double foil wrap and back into oven. Let sit an hour, and internal temp was 200*. MUST use meat thermometer! I have one that doesnât stay inside meat. Meat just about shreds itself! Will definitely repeat, but may try âjustâ salt and pepper next time. But rub here was scrumptious! Highly recommended recipe, even for novices.
Thanks so much, C! Yes, a meat thermometer is a must for this recipe, but definitely worth the investment. We’re delighted that this worked out so well for you.
Thank you! This worked so well.
You’re welcome, Rea. Thanks so much for taking the time to let us know!
So far so good…Iâve got one in the oven and two on the grill (gas). At 5 hour mark both were barked and internal temp of 170. Just did the foil wrap but Iâm not sure how often to check for when it gets to 200 degrees.
This stage can take a few hours, Holly, depending on the size of your roasts. I’d check it every half hour or so until you get close to 200F, and then you can check it more frequently.
And Holly, in my experience, it’s a lot like cooking a cheap cut of meat in the oven such as pot roast. It will take seemingly forever…and then suddenly it will be tender at the end. So as Angie mentioned, start to check it more frequently as time goes on, because once you reach that sweet place, it happens quickly.
Great Recipe! Iâve made this several times and itâs always a big hit. Just as good, if not better, than BBQ at your favorite BBQ joint! I mix together 1/2 cup Sweet Baby Rays âsweet nâ spicyâ BBQ sauce with 1 cup Sweet Baby Rays âoriginalâ BBQ sauce then mix thoroughly with the shredded pork, pile it onto toasted buns, and serve with crispy onion rings. Delicious!!
If there are leftovers, I freeze portions in freezer bags-easy to thaw and heat up for delicious quick sandwiches.
Thank you, Charlotte! We so appreciate you taking the time to let us know.
Second time making this. Had neighbors over to cool off from the summer heat wave, and it never made it to the leftover containers. Perfect Big hit ! This one… all mine!
We’re delighted to hear that, Rick! Thanks so much for taking the time to let us know.
It’s really delicious. I make it with a party my family really like it. Thank you for your recipe!
Thanks, Katy. We’re so glad this was a hit with your family.
I do not rate recipes but this is one I have to comment on. I cook…a lot. This is absolutely the best pork butt recipe I have ever made. EVER! I used 2 roasts and this took over 10 hours but those are 10 hours I will gladly give up time and time again. Must try and donât be daunted by the directions, it is easier than you think.
Thanks, Erika! We’re delighted that you’ve found a keeper. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience.
This recipe is a keeper! Exactly what I was hoping for…fall off the bone tender, and moist.
Thanks, Teresa! We’re delighted that you enjoyed it so much.
Not bad, I think, it’s still not done – but definitely not for a beginner. Started 13 hours ago and it’s still at a 185 internal temperature after wrapping it in foil. We roasted it for 5 1/2 hours for the bark but then panicked after two hours in foil because the internal temperature went down and thought the thermometer had busted batteries or the stove was out of gas so we opened up the foil and tried to figure out what was happening. Hence… 13 hours from starting – because we thought it was only supposed to take 10 at the most. And… still not even out of the oven.
The cook time can vary significantly on this Jesse, especially depending on the size of roast you have. If your roast is on the larger side, definitely consider cutting it into two pieces to help shorten the cooking time.
Jesse, sorry that this wasn’t a hit for you. May I ask how big was your piece of pork?
Iâve loved every recipe that Iâve tried from your site and this one looks amazing. I have a small shoulder that I plan to make tonight – it is just under 3lbs with bone in. The only problem is that the fat cap is on the skinny side and I canât place it on the rack facing up. Will the recipe still work or will the roast dry out?
Susan, it’s not an ideal situation, but as long as you’ve got decent marbling through your shoulder, it should be ok. Just keep a close eye on the temperature. Because it’s on the smaller side, you may not even need to cover it at the end.
We cooked a 5 pound butt roast about 5 1/2 hours. 4 1/2 Hours to get the bark. However, we didnât go quite long enough to keep the bark from getting soggy on the bottomð£. Our thermometer made it up to 170 but then it began to go down again in spite of the roast being left in the oven an additional half hour and then hour. We finally decided the thermometer was probably not reading properly. I have used Montreal steak seasoning on 1/3 of the roast, and this recipe on the other 2/3. I think this is a little bit spicy for our tastes.
It looks great, Linda! But yes, an accurate thermometer is critical for the success of this recipe, and definitely play around with the seasoning to find what works best for you.
I am THRILLED that I found your site and recipe! I am not a native Southerner and grew up not eating pork at all, but that has all changed. Typically, I have cooked my Boston butt in the CrockPot, but I really wanted that slow-roasted flavor and texture, so I sought recipes on how best to cook the butt in the oven. I used my own rub seasoning blend, but I followed all of your steps (almost) to a T. The result was/is amazing! I tried to upload multiple photos but was unable to. Thanks so much!!!
It looks perfect, Cece! Thanks so much for sharing this with us. We can’t wait to hear what recipe you try next.
Outstanding pork roast! Did the overnight spices on an 8 lb. piece. Roasted at 250 for 5 hours, beautiful bark!, and another 5 hours tightly wrapped in foil. Very moist and flavorful! I didnât have meat thermometer so had to guess. Yummy!
Pic is after 5 hours uncovered
Thank you, Laura
Laura, I just went wobbly in the knees at your photo. Love the bark! And yeah, I guess too sometimes and it always turns out magnificent. Low and slow never goes wrong. Really magnificent to hear you love this recipe so much! You’re welcome and thanks for taking the time to share this!
Could you use this same method with a different cut of meat- for examle, a leg of lamb? I’ve seen recipes for Mechoui- could this same treatment (cover in rub, cook uncovered until bark forms, wrap tight in foil to finish) work with lamb?
Jess, as long as you have a piece of meat with decent fat content and good marbling, slow roasting will always yield a tender, tasty result. However, the cook times and temperature will vary from protein to protein, as will the best choice of spices to enhance the meat’s natural flavor. I’d recommend you follow a recipe specifically designed for slow-roasting lamb, to achieve the best results.
Made this and it is the real deal. And I live in Memphis. These people pride themselves on this type of cooking. This recipe is a homerun. Thank you. They are right you can vary ingredients. Just don’t get an enormous one unless you like to cook for a day. Delicious, impressive, wonderful.
Thanks, Zoe! We’re delighted that you love this as much as we do. Thanks for taking the time to let us know.
Thia is my all time favorite pork butt recipe. My 12 pound butt took about 17 hours to reach the perfect temp. In a couple of hours it will be served on top of rice with a dollop of both tazeki and a vinegary bbq sauce, alongside a chopped brocolli salad and corn on the cob.
I think the recipients of today’s meals will be quite satisfied.
It looks fantastic, tc. Thanks so much for sharing this with us!
I am about to put my pork butt in the oven as instructed. I know you won’t be able to answer in time, but for next time: Do you put the Butt in the pan in the oven immediately out of the refrigerator or do you let it come to room temp? It seems like it would make a difference. As it is, I’m going for it pretty much right out of the frig!
Kathy, either way is fine. Given the long slow cooking process, the amount of time saved by bringing your roast up to room temperature is going to be fairly minimal in comparison to the overall cooking time. Do let us know how it turns out!
Well, the pork butt came out incredibly delicious. I think my husband was a little put out because we usually smoke a butt his way and they are most always a wonderful success. Your recipe is the best! It was a little four pounder and I was surprised at how long it took to reach the desired temperature of 190 – 8 hours! But there are perhaps explanations: Our oven cooks hot, so I put temp to 225 and I put butt in oven only 1/2 hour from refrigerator. Maybe 225 was too low. We brought butt to 180, took it out and wrapped it as you directed and cooked another hour. It was perfect bark and flavor and juicy. Made a sweet vinegar & oil cole slaw for over top in between buns. Did not need BBQ sauce because the meat was so tasty. Yum yum! Sorry we did not take a picture and you don’t want to see it now! lol
Hah! Kathy, this sounds incredible, and we would’ve loved a picture, both of the pork butt and your husband’s expression! (Kidding.) Love that this sounds like it’s going to be a keeper for you…
Why wrap it in foil?
Good question, Elizabeth. Once the pork butt has developed it’s bark, wrapping it in foil will help to keep the interior meat moist and tender. For a smaller roast, you may not have to have it covered for very long (and for some of our readers, the bark finished developing at the same time the pork reached its finished temperature, so covering was not required at all), however, if you have a larger pork butt, this step is important to ensure juicy, tender meat.
Delicious and super tender.
Thanks, Kon! We’re delighted that you enjoyed it so much.
Excellent. I followed the directions exactly and I was very satisfied. I appreciated the comments about what would happen if X was done, such as soggy outside if bark was not formed.
Christina, really pleased and thankful you loved not just the recipe but the notes we added. That’s why we test all our recipes, not just to make certain the recipe itself is spectacular, but to give you enough pointers along the way to help ensure that spectacularness no matter what. Appreciate your kind words!
I cannot wait to try this method! It sounds so good! Thank you for sharing this!
You’re so very welcome, Diya! It IS so good…and we can’t wait for you to experience it!
Great recipe, thanks! I used it as a stepping off place, but made some adjustments. For the rub, I went a bit more Levant and used the following:
Coriander
Cumin
Cinnamon
Paprika
Calabrian hot peppers
minced garlic
salt
5 pepper blend
brown sugar
All spices were whole except the paprika, and ground in a spice mill, not too fine.
Your instructions are perfect and I’m making it a second time tonight! Thanks for the great prose and instructions.
I love all your additional seasonings, Peter, it sounds fabulous!
My family loves this. I have now made it several times successfully – the flavor is great and the meat is so tender and juicy.
I couldn’t agree more, Erika! Really lovely to hear that you had the same magnificent experience. Repeatedly! We really appreciate you taking the time to let us know. Wishing you many more memorable meals from this recipe…
Roast-ed….maybe?
Sure. Either works. Thanks, Steve.
I have 2 butts about 7lbs each and want to do side by side in same pan- how would I estimate the cooking time?? By the weight of 1 or both or 1 plus add a little?
Deanna, they will likely take a little longer than one 7-pound roast would, as long as they are not touching each other. I’d plan on 10 to 12 hours. Do let us know how it turns out!
Thank you! Will definitely update – they are going in the oven shortly :)
Great! I can’t wait to hear how they turned out.
Just about 12 hours and itâs amazing
That looks absolutely amazing, Deanna! Thanks so much for letting us know.
Great recipe. One question…mine hit 200 on the inside before it had much bark, so I skipped the foil part. Does that mean I need to lower my oven temp next time? I cooked it fat side up as suggested.
We’re so happy you enjoyed this, David. What size was your roast? If it was on the smaller side, that may have caused the roast to reach temperature before the bark could really form. It’s possible that your oven runs a little warm too, so you could try dropping the temperature a little next time.
Help me out here! I’ve done this recipe with 6-8 lb. pork butts before — always delicious, but this time I have a biggie. The store was selling 20 lb. pork boston butts and I snagged one up, but now I’m worrying about how to cook this big boy. How much time am I looking at?
Wow, Kristy, that is one big butt! You might try cutting it in half to decrease cooking time, or just plan to let it go overnight as it might take up to 12 hours. Be sure and use your thermometer to gauge doneness.
This is truly phenomenal! Patience is truly a virtue with this. I was drooling for hours as my apartment smelled so incredibly delicious! The outcome, perfection! I will never make pork butt any other way! Thank you so much for this recipe! You cannot get better than perfect!! I wish I could post more than one picture…I made homemade coleslaw as well! Whew, what a meal!
That pork butt is GORGEOUS, Lora! And it has me thinking I need to make this again this weekend. So incredibly pleased to hear that you love this as much as we do! And it looks like you found a nice cut with some fat on top, which makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE as it melts and drips down into the meat and makes it as knee-wobblingly lovely as anything can be. And look at that crust (or, I guess I should say, bark). Thanks so much for reporting back to us. Looking forward to hearing which recipe on the site you try next…be well and safe!
I donât have a rack to put in my roasting pan…is it a must?? Or can I skip it??
It will still work without it, Liane. A rack simply elevates the pork and ensures air can circulate beneath it to 1. cook it evenly and 2. get you more of that crisped texture on the bottom. What I sometimes do is make a jury-rigged rack using forks turned tine side down alternating the tine side with the handle side as I make a row in the roasting pan OR I crumple up small wads of aluminum foil to elevate the pork off the bottom of the pan. Good luck!
So I followed directions for an oven roasted pork butt. My husband is raving about how good it is. Savory, falling off the bone…..
Becca, few things make us happier than a perfectly cooked pork butt…and that one in your photo is a beauty! Thrilled that you both love this so much and so appreciate you letting us know!
I had an 8.5 pound roast. It’s been in the oven for 9 hours, and has still not even reached 180 degrees. I am starting to doubt that it ever will, at a roasting temp of only 250.
Liz, donât give up hope! I can assure you it will reach the proper temperature. Every oven is different, some run colder some run hotter.
You will notice at some point thereâs a jump in temperature. Thatâs normal.
But the most important thing: donât skimp on the time. You will be rewarded.
Wow…just wow. Turned out perfect! Pulled it at 200°F and it pulled apart super easy. No need for sauce, itâs super moist and the rub is perfect. Really think the overnight rest with the rub was the winner!
Dale, this is exactly why we do what we do! Love this! Many, many thanks for taking the time to type up your experience!
What are your thoughts on skin-on or off?
I’m a skin off kinda girl, Andrew. Just because I always love to pick at that crispy bark covered in spices.
Me, too. Andrew. Skin on!!!
Fantastic Recipe. I made it today and it was tender, juicy, and delicious. It took 5 hours at 250 degrees for my 4 lb Boston Butt to reach 190 degrees, then, once foil wrapped & returned to the oven it took 30 minutes to reach 200 degrees. After resting 45 mins I shredded it and added our favorite BBQ sauce. Piling the pork on lightly toasted buns and adding some coleslaw, we had the most delicious BBQ sandwich Iâve ever made. Thanks so much for showing the âRight Wayâ to make Perfect BBQ!
You’re so very welcome, Charlotte! There is nothing in the world quite like proper pulled pork. (I’m from Iowa. It’s a truth indoctrinated in us when we are young.)
I am excited to make this today! I have done hickory wood chips for the gas grill I like to use. Any suggestions on when/how long to use them for this long cooking recipe?
Debra, for something this long, you want to add the chips sporadically, otherwise it will be too intensely smoked. Perhaps add some every 45 to an hour for the duration.
Yep that was an awesome post for step by step. Tried a 5lbs butt in the oven instead of the grill. It barked like the neighbors dog! Flavors were amazing! Rubbed it with dreamlands dry rub sat it in the fridge for 24 hours then let the oven work for about 10 hours on 250. Covered in foil at 185 until 200 with an in oven thermometer in it the whole time to monitor. I have to admit, this might be the new go to. A vinegar based marinated slaw with purple cabbage, lime/avocado sauce with sour cream base and a spicy Alabama Style bbq white sauce and the pork tacos were better than most of the local southern Alabama bbq joints here on the gulf coast. Thanks again for this effortless technique!
Hah, Trey, love the bark on that pork butt! Gorgeous photo and I envy you those sides. It all sounds perfect. Thrilled to hear you’ve found a new go-to! You are so very welcome…
Hey there! Trying out the recipe today! I have a 3.6 lb butt ð and I was wondering including the barking roast and the tin foil how long would that be? And when wrapping in tin foil is it the entire roast being wrapped or just the top?
Victoria, because we didn’t test it that way, it’s hard to say exactly. The meat needs sufficient time for the connective tissue to soften and break down. I’d use a thermometer. If you don’t have one, go by the sensory cue in the recipe. And the whole butt is wrapped in foil.
I have a 10 pound Boston Butt in the oven right now. How long to cook at 250? I am very confused after reading so many blog posts about this. Your post made the most sense to me. Help!
Lindsay, you want an internal temp of 190°F/88°C. It will probably take 8 to 10 hours.
After 17 hours, I got an internal temp of just under 200°F for my 10-pound piece of pork. It was at 160 at 13 hours which was when I did the foil (it was now 1 am.)
After very little sleep I began shredding it at 5am. I figured it was ok as the bone just pulled out. The dog was very interested too! The pork was quite tasty and I had lots of bark.
My first mistake: The piece of meat too large for crockpot and not noticing it would not fit until an hour before I was going to cook it! Then learning the best way to cook this would take 12 hours or more after finding this site. I have company coming and just had to move forward with the all day and night cooking regardless of lack of sleep.
This really is delicious but I do miss the smoke flavor of the local BBQ place but I can fix that with liquid smoke.
Will I make this again? Yes but with a much smaller piece of meat. Right now we need to purchase what is available in the market and this huge Boston Butt was all I could get. If I need to feed a lot of people and get a huge roast I will just the cooking differently.
Lindsy, it looks incredible. And I think other readers can benefit from your comments, so thanks!
I did come back because it could help others (and you are so nice with your comments and help!) The timing is terribly important here. I have a new fancy gas range (after converting from electric) and I didn’t want to just leave it to cook overnight due to paranoia so I just kept an eye on it. I got 5 degrees per hour once it got up to 150-160. Your advice here is spot-on.
Another takeaway: big strong pan with a rack (I used my metal turkey roasting pan), heavy-duty foil (not the regular stuff), and the all-important thermometer. I also did fat-cap down because of what I read about the internal fat in the meat melting into the fibers. I was really surprised that I did not have puddles of grease in my roasting pan while this was cooking. When I was a kid, my grandma called this a “Fresh Ham” and I remember lots of fat. Shredding this when warm was very easy too.
I don’t know how I have never heard of Leite’s Culinaria but I am now a fan and will start here for meal ideas, and I’m telling all my friends about you!
Thank you!
Thank you again, Lindsy, for sharing your insights and valuable feedback. And I’m delighted you enjoyed the recipes so much. And, welcome to Leite’s Culinaria! We’ve been here for 22 years, but we always like making new friends.
Eight hours in oven for a 4.5 pounder. The result: one of the, if not THE , greatest-tasting pieces of meat Iâve ever cooked. Thank you thank you thank you thank you. So AMAZING.
Brett, you are more than welcome!!
Cut it in half next time and have 2 five pound roasts. Cooks much quicker and more bark.
Thanks, Mike.
I bought a pork butt because it was on sale. I only have a countertop convection toaster oven. I had just received my Lodge Enameled Dutch Oven and wanted to try it out. Preheated oven to 400°, simply placed pork butt in Dutch oven, pressed butt with brown sugar, added 1/2 cup pork broth, placed lid on Dutch oven, and baked. Took 2 hours to get to 165° internal temp. OMG! It was so juicy and tender. Making pulled pork tacos tonight with leftovers!
Jami, ok, I’m coming over to your house!
Ok. I just tried this and it is over over-the-top fantastic. I had no idea what I was gonna do with 8 lbs of pork butt shoulder that I got only because it was on sale. This is so good I will definitely make it again.
John E Hobbs, MAGNIFICENT! I’m laughing out of envy at your 8 pounds of pork butt! And so grateful that you found this recipe. We’re incredibly grateful to you for taking the time to let us know how spectacularly this recipe turned out! This is exactly why we test recipes in our home kitchens time and again so we can perfect them before sharing the recipes on the site. Be well and safe!
This recipe was excellent. Made it exactly as written turned out amazing. I didnât quite get the full bark effect likely due to a very large fat cap but the pork was meltingly delicious and not nearly as spicy as I expected from the rub. My two children 3 and 2 both ate it with zeal. Would definitely make again.
Bryan, that’s magnificent! All of it! Especially pleased to hear that your kids loved it…we kept it on the mild side especially with that in mind. And that fat cap, as you intimated, is SUCH a gift! Laughs. (Hard to find a decent amount of fat on pork these days!) Thanks SO much for taking the time to let us know!
My shopping delivery service delivered a boneless Boston butt with NO FAT CAP!! Iâm aghast! Iâve cooked this similar recipe a dozen times but never with such a âbareâ butt. Usually I score the fat cap down to the lean. No pun intended. Will this recipe still work?
Incredibly sorry to hear about your situation, T McL, although laughing at your bare butt crack! Something you may want to consider it draping some slices of bacon on top of roast, both to shield it from the heat of the oven so it doesn’t dry out AND to impart a little flavor that it will miss from the fat not dripping down into it. Sort like in this recipe .
T McL, do you have bacon? If so, cover the top with a layer or two, that will allow the fat to drip down and do its work. If not, there are some pulled-pork fans who say they cut off the cap. There’s plenty of fat in the butt to keep it moist. I say go for it–just be mindful. Occasionally brush the top with the rendered fat to help.
Thanks to you both for the bacon tip. I was at a loss.
Of course, T McL. We’re here for you!
I have mine in the refrigerator now! I can’t wait to make this! Ya’ll have me drooling! I took the string thing off of the roast, I hope that was ok…I got all the dry rub all over! ð
Lora, magnificent! Can’t wait to hear what you think! And the string is there simply to help hold the roast together as it becomes tender so it cooks more evenly, but I think it’ll be perfectly fine. I envy you that pork butt and may need to make it this weekend…
OH POO! I should have left it on! I thought the crust would break off taking it off after it cooked…oh well…I’ll squeeze it together and pray! LOL….GONNA PUT IT IN SOON!! YEAH!
Laughs! You’re fine, Lora. And you’re right, the crust would break apart if you left had left the string on and removed it after roasting instead…but that just means more crusty ends of pork for the cook (just to give you a sense of how things roll in my kitchen). It’s gonna taste magnificent, either way…!
This was AMAZING!!! I was a little hesitant because the ingredients looked too simple, but the rub was perfect. We did an 8.3 pound Boston pork butt (shoulder). Since it was so large; I increased the rub ingredients by 50% of 1.5Tbsp of each of the ingredients. The only thing I didn’t expect is that it took a full 12 hours to finish, and that’s with me increasing the oven temp from 250 to 300 about 6 hours in. I went to 190F with the lid off and instead of wrapping it in tinfoil at that point, I simply put the roasting lid on. Turned out fantastic! Made pork tacos with homemade salsa and WOW it was a hit!
Corey, I couldn’t be happier!! Any photos to share?
I just wanted to say that I thought this recipe was literally the best Iâve ever followed/made. Sometimes I like to change it up but this was my first pork shoulder roast and I wanted to follow everything. It came out absolutely AMAZING. Thank you so much for the perfect recipe to follow with perfect instructions. Will be saving this forever.
Sarah, now that’s the kind of review I love to see! You are more than welcome.
Only had a 5lb pork butt but (couldn’t resist, ha!) I used the full amount of rub. Otherwise, followed the recipe to a T and our family of 5 were all extremely happy with the results. Will definitely be putting this into our meal rotation.
Excellent, Stephen. Glad you enjoyed it.
I roast a lot of pork butts. Iâm trying this recipe tomorrow. Low and slow. Iâm going to let the rub stay on for 34 to 36 hours. I have added powder garlic.
Walt, let us know how it turns out.
I’m wanting to make this recipe tomorrow, but I don’t have a wire rack. Will the pork end up with a soggy bottom if I put it directly into the roasting pan?
Linda, it will because of the fat. Do you have anything oven-safe that you could put in the pan and place the pork on top? Even a row of large spoons would help.
I’ve had success with using celery ribs or carrots as an improvised rack.
Great suggestion, Linda!
I am trying your recipe today on a bone-in pork butt weighing approximately 7.4 lbs, in a conventional electric oven. I used smoked paprika (it’s what I had) and added 1 Tbsp orange zest to the rub (it sounded like a good idea). Other than that, I intend to follow your instructions verbatim. Wrapped and marinated in the refrigerator for 24 hours. I started roasting at 5:00 this AM. I will follow up with the results within 24 hours of the reveal if a pork-induced coma does not thoroughly incapacitate me.
Looking forward to it, Whisperin Pints.
Thank you for posting such a great and easy recipe, David. I couldn’t have hoped for better results. It was very moist, tender and flavorful. The ‘smoked’ paprika and orange zest worked great, although the next time I will make it precisely as the recipe instructs.
It smelled and looked so delicious that I ate 2 wraps before getting half of it shredded. It was the first time I’ve cooked pork butt, and the ease of preparation and amazing results assure I will make it again.
Merci beaucoup, et bon appetit!
De rien, Whisperin Pints!
Any advice on where to buy a roasting pan with a rack? Or more apptly, what is a good one? This is on sale at the grocery store this week but I didn’t want to buy it unless I knew what to do with it. Alternatively, any alternatives to the rack in the roasting pan? I’m assuming it will be soggy on the bottom without it. Would cooking it in the slow cooker change things? Thank you in advance
Hi Robin, I love my all-clad roasting pan It’s a workhorse of a pan and can be used for so many different uses with the removable rack.
So good! I did add 1/2 tablespoon onion powder and 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder.
Michelle, excellent!!
I saw your recipe when I was in search of times and temperature to cook a pork roast. I had to laugh at your description of a finely cooked pork roast. I am a farm girl and cook pork roast any time I can get away with it. It’s wonderful to see someone else who loves a fatty pork roast with crispy fat as much as I do. As a matter of fact, I was just skimming the recipe for times and temperature when I saw the part about your grandmother. I had to go back and read the whole article after that. Your recipe looks good but I prefer my meat without seasoning, so I didn’t try your recipe. It does look good, though.
Debbie, yes, we’re lovers of a fatty piece of pork roast!
Iâm doing two 9 lb bone in butt roasts. I hope it doesnât take forever. I wonât let them touch. Iâll check back in.
Carl, love the way you’re thinking! Kindly let us know how it works and how long it takes…greatly appreciate it!
Just made this today and turned out perfect! I had a 4 pound butt and ended up taking close to 8 hours for the âbarkâ to develop and finish in foil at 200°. Kept a close eye with the thermometer. Thanks!
Susan, I am so delighted it came out well!! It’s a massively great recipe.
In the original recipe, are you using roaster oven or a regular oven? Iâm wanting to use my roaster oven that I use for turkey, but will use my regular oven if that is recommended as being better.
I look forward to trying this recipe!
Mary, it’s a traditional oven. Best of luck!
Great! Iâll use the regular oven. Will put it in in the morning. Thanks for the quick response.
Happy weekend to you!
And to you, too, Mary!
Hi Dave. Cooking a large butt…..two 7.5. following instructions. SB party. Starting tonight!
maree, how did it come out? ð¨ ð¨ ð¨
Hi! During the coronavirus outbreak, we’ve been relegated to ordering our groceries for delivery and sometimes things get substituted. We ordered a pound and a half of skin on pork belly so I could make chicharronnes and we ended up with a 1.3lb pork butt shoulder (from Whole Foods). Will this recipe still work for a much smaller butt (giggle)? What adjustments would you recommend to the original recipe?
Brandon, yes, that is quite a small butt ;). Because of the long cooking time required for the pork to breakdown, I think it won’t work. Anything that adds moisture, such as a braise would work. I’d suggest ha;f recipes of slow-cooker shredded pork , Portuguese pork and clams , or pork tinga .
Hi,
I have a 4.5 lb pork butt that I plan to roast tomorrow; I’m rubbing it with the marinade now! :) I was wondering that the time estimates would be for each step, uncovered and covered, so I can gauge when to get it started.
Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks!
Leah, Iâm so excited that youâre making this recipe! Itâs one of the most popular on the site. Because your pork roast isnât the same as the recipe (and itâs not always a simple matter of adjusting for size and time), the best thing I can advise is use an instant-read thermometer. That way, youâll be 100% assured perfect results!
Was wondering once the pork butt reaches 170 -190 and you wrap It with aluminum foil . How long do you leave It in the oven until it reaches 200 degrees? I have a 9.5 pound pork butt
Stephanie, it will depend on several factors. The absolute best way is to use your thermometer.
H Stephanie,
Our cooking time for a 9.5 lb. pork butt was 13.5 hours in total. It seemed to take a long time from 180 to 200. But ohhhh, so very worth the time! Enjoy!!
As someone who has made 3 of these, all different sizes, I would say you are looking at close to 11-12 hours of roasting. So as you are making coffee in the morning, take the roast out of the fridge, preheat the oven, and when the oven is hot, pop in the roast to enjoy, all day, a smell better than any candle can provide! Plus goodies that will make your heart melt at the end of the day! Good Luck! It is SOOO worth it!
Delicious! We used your recipe for the 9.5 pork butt we roasted today. 13.5 hours in the oven. Incredible!
Ali, that’s a heaping pile of pork perfection!!
Do you think Toneâs Chicken Base (mixed with olive oil) rubbed all over first then have the spice rubbed on it work?
Kheon, Iâm not familiar with the product, but I wouldnât recommend it. This is one of our most popular dishes of all time. I think the flavor profile in the recipe is perfect.
Thank you, I was just curious on your input! I have a 2.50lb boneless pork butt roast (Only cooking for 2 people). Would 4 hours roasting work?
Kheon, that sounds about right, but it’s always best to go by temperature. Timing is relative, temperature is absolute.
Hi guys, I am starting the seasoning and rubbing the butt now(not as I type). I am using a cheapo oven that has some years on it. I am cooking the “Big Butt” 9.23 lbs. I will keep you updated.
Looking forward to hearing what you think, Bryan!
14 hrs @ 230F and I have a beautiful crisp âBarkâ layer. I am now wrapping and taking the temp to 260F.
(swoons)
Hello,
I have a 6 pounder in the oven now. I let it marinate overnight and in the spices per the recipe. The oven temperature is 250 and the internal temperature after eight hours is 180 but I donât have a lot of bark. Can I just let it continue to cook until I get more bark or 200°? I am cooking it fat side up.
Sure, Jewell. Personally, I prefer to let it in until at least 195°F…
Thank you for this wonderfully delicious recipe – best roasted pork Iâve had or made! Excellent recipe!
Trae, you are more than welcome!
I have a 7 1/2 pound pork shoulder roast. I followed all the steps exactly so far. It has been roasting for 5 hours now, and although it has gotten darker, it is not crispy yet. I actually turned my oven up to 350 for the last hour now and hopefully, I will get a crusty bark eventually. Should I turn it back down to 325? How much longer should I wait. I need to go to bed soon. Can I turn it off once the bark occurs and wrap it in the aluminum foil and start cooking it again in the morning?
Nancy, sorry, I was offline last night. How did it turn out in the end?
Hi David…unfortunately, it didn’t turn out with crispy bark, and even the bottom was soggy??? I’m sure it was me…or my oven (conventional gas)??? I don’t know. The flavor was awesome though and the meat was very tender but not mushy. But I was really looking forward to the crispy bark. I cooked it for 12 hours…and still no crispy. Can you think of what I might have done wrong??? I can’t…I really want to get the crispy bark…I am now getting obsessed…LOL!!!
Hey, Nancy. How is your oven? Is it calibrated correctly? If it took so much longer, my feeling is it’s running cool. You can purchase inexpensive oven thermometers (I use 4 at a time) to make sure it’s correct.
Hi David. Thank you. I had a feeling it might be my oven. I will definitely get the thermometer(s) for my oven. I love to cook and I want to make sure that my oven is working correctly. I will be trying your recipe again as it was delicious even without the crisp.
Nancy, excellent. And let me know what you discover. We’re here for you.
Nancy, did you leave it covered or uncovered? Even though it says to cover it, I left my 7-8 pound roast uncovered the whole time. It took close to 10 hours to cook, maybe longer, I was going by internal temp. I hope you try the recipe again and don’t be discouraged! Good Luck!
Julia, thank you!! We don’t get a lot of reader-to-reader help. I’m delighted you jumped in. You get the Reader of the Day Award!
Thanks David!! I will carry it around today with pride!ð
Wonderful!!!!
Made this in the oven according to the recipe and it turned out perfect! I had a 6.5 lb roast and left it uncovered for six hours and then wrapped it in foil for another 3 hours. So tender and delicious. Definitely get a bone-in with a nice layer of fat on it. Thanks so much!
Alisha! Today you get the Reader of the Day Award! Thanks for helping out.
Iâve made many different versions of roast pork, including an authentic Puerto Rican pernil that takes 3 days to make. This is by far the easiest way to get the most succulent pork and incredible flavor ever.
I used my old trick of slicing up an entire head of garlic and making slits in the meat and stuffing in the slivers of garlic. Then I simply seasoned the pork with the rub in the recipe with a few minor adjustments (e.g. using pre-blended creole seasoning in place of some of the other seasonings).
Big win! An 8-lb pork shoulder usually lasts us a couple weeks in leftovers (I freeze 1/2 of it and take it out the following week or so). I doubt this one will last that long!
Lisa, that’s wonderful to hear!
The best pork butt roast I ever made. My adult kids could not get enough! A few adaptations. I did not have paprika, but sprinkled an overall seasoning on in addition to the listed ingredients. Also I started it at 4pm at 400 degrees for an hour, then turned it down to 325, at which point I covered in foil. Left to pick up daughter at airport. Came back and feasted around 8:30. No need for barbeque sauce and the juices it naturally made were amazing ! Going down as a classic fave for our family.
Kathy, superb, superb, superb!
First time making it, delicious!
Q: cooked uncovered to an internal temperature of 175 degrees using a convection oven @ 250 degrees. When I wrapped it in aluminum foil and placed it back in the oven I couldn’t get the temperature up much past the 175 degrees. I then uncovered it and proceeded to 190 degrees. Did I miss something in the directions?
Pat, first, I’m delighted you enjoyed the recipe! About the temperature problem, we’re wondering if it was the foil. The instructions were written for a conventional oven, which is radiant heat. Convection gets much of its oomph from the hot air. If you’re preventing it from reaching the meat with foil, it could interfere.
Thank you, David, for your timely response. I will try it using the conventional gas setting. I have been making sandwiches for my neighbors and not one complaint yet. I use them with any new recipe as my testing ground. What temperature should I reach before I cover the pork with aluminum foil?
You bet, Pat. There is no hard, fast temperature for that, but I’d say 170 to 175 degrees.
I have cooked this 2 times and I am making it now for a 4th of July ð party. It’s the best home cooked pull pork ever. My husband and parents love it. Just follow the directions. You will not regret. I use 2. 3lb pork butt and its juice and the taste is unbelievable. I have used it for sandwiches and for nacho chips. Looking to see what else I can do with it. Thank you for the recipe.
You are so very welcome, Tammy. So pleased to hear that you like the recipe as much as we do. And we REALLY appreciate you taking the time to let us know that.
Hi Tammy,
What temp and how long did you do 2 smaller ones? I have (2) 3.5 lb boston butts.
Try pulled pork shepherdâs pie.
Great idea, Pat!
Yes! I am making it toDAY! I have a small 3.60 butt in my freezer that I thawed out all during the day and come evening I did as you instructed and rubbed the mix in well. I had no garlic powder but fresh garlic, so I roasted it up and made a paste-y type rub. I mmmmust have garlic! Also added chives as well as onion powder. Used smoked paprika because it is Divinity!
This being the end of the month and on disability, sides are scarce, but I found a recipe for Syracuse salt potatoes, as I have a friend who adores potatoes and mine are the small red ones. And for myself and others, I am stewing cannellini beans with diced tomatoes, sautéed onions and garlic, fresh herbs from my garden! and I have pushed a rind of real Parm-Reg down into them.
Waiting for roast to hit 170 as you said and then will wrap in foil and return to oven till it hits 190-200. My apt smells heavenly! Thank YOU!
Kim, how did it turn out?
Sorry it took so long for me to reply. It was Wonderful!!!ð Making tomorrow and friends are happy…thank you!
Excellent, Kim!
Ok, yesterday I made two 8-pound pork butts for family visiting this weekend. My kitchen smelled SO GOOD all day! But you are correct, it is so delicious that you just want to nosh on it, which it turns out my family, plus a neighbor who just happened to stop by, did last night as I was shredding it! Long story short, another 7-pound butt (I got to say “butt” again!) is in my oven as I write this to make SURE we have enough for this weekend! Thanks for posting such a fantastic recipe!!
And I “trusted thyself” and left them uncovered the entire cooking time (10 hours) until they reached 200°. They were perfect!
Oh, and I just ran into said neighbor. He is headed to the store to buy a pork butt and asked me how I did mine! Good recipes spread fast!
Julia, yours may be my favorite reader comment EVER! Properly roasted pork butt (I love saying it, too) tends to have that sort of effect on people. And we’re grateful it had that effect on you and everyone who could catch a whiff of that shredded pork! Thank you, thank you, thank you for taking the time to share your experience. Means the world to us. Appreciate you sharing this recipe and these kind words. And your photo has us want to drop everything and go make us a couple 8-pounders ourselves…
Wow, this recipe turned out great! I used the oven method and everyone was impressed with the results. I would like to try the grill method next time just to compare. Served this on buns with corn and coleslaw for a family get together with strawberry pie for dessert. Yum!
That, Leanne, sounds like the ideal summer supper. Thrilled that you love this as much as we do and greatly appreciate you taking the time to let us know! Looking forward to hearing which recipe on the site you try next…
Can I put this in a slow cooker
Diana, in theory you could do that, although part of what we most ADORE about this recipe is its crisp exterior, or “bark” (as it’s known in the smoking world) that contrasts so spectacularly with the juicy and fall-apart-tender interior. You would lose that in the slow cooker because everything would end up the same texture.
Hello, wow I just found pork butt here in Australia and my family is giggling with excitement. Itâs our baptism this Easter and I plan on making your recipe but have a few questions. Our pork butt is 4 kilos and comes boneless. I would like to cook it in our family’s Q Webber (Gas BBQ). I want to serve this for lunch on Easter Sunday, when do I start cooking? I definitely want that bark you have all got me salivating over! Do I cook in twice? For example start the process on today, with the rub and refrigerate then cook the bark on Saturday afternoon then refrigerate then cook long, low and slow on sunday morning for a 12:30 lunch? Canât wait and Iâll be sure to post my results.
Happy Easter!
Lisa
Lisa, so happy you found this recipe! I would suggest that, rather than try to rejigger the recipe for a smoker, you can simply use the smoking instructions for our Smoked Pork Shoulder recipe . (Pork shoulder is simply another name for pork butt.) Since yours is boneless, it would be wise to keep an oven-safe thermometer inserted in the pork during the smoking process so you can monitor its internal temperature. But the timing should be fairly similar to what you find in the recipe. Happy Easter, Happy Baptism, Happy Smoked Pork Butt Lunch! And do let us know how it goes!
Magnificent, Mariya! Love hearing this. It truly is spectacular. And spectacularly easy!
We couldn’t agree more, Alina! Perfect for cold nights. And, when dressed up with avocado and diced onions and cooling cilantro and soft tortillas, perfect for hot nights as well! Looking forward to hearing what you and your family thinks! We so appreciate you taking the time to let us know your thoughts…
Made this last night so quick, easy and tasty!
Lovely, Anna! So glad that this turned out magnificently for you, too! And we so appreciate you taking the time to let us know. Looking forward to hearing which recipe on the site you try next…
Thanks! Very tasty pork butt, it turned out. Very cool photos!
Thanks, Alyssa, so glad you liked it.
This was very helpful , Im an 14 year old that likes to cook for my family .
Nanilena, we love that you’re cooking for your family! And with such an obviously discerning palate! Grateful to hear that this recipe was helpful. Would love to hear which recipe on our site you try next…! Thanks so much for taking the time to let us know…
I make it the English way. Make parallel incisions on the rind (skin) with an exacto knife just through the skin. Rub with oil and salt. Cook at 425 for an hour or so until the skin is crisp and then cover in foil and cook at 300 for several hours, depending on the size of the roast (the bigger the better has my vote). Remove the foil for an hour at the end so that the crackling (what you term the bark) gets crisp again. Rest for 20 minutes before carving; the crackling will come away from the roast and is divided amongst the diners. Fights have been known to break out over who gets the best pieces.
I believe I still have scars from one of those very fights you mention, Roger! Love the English versionâespecially the time to crisp partâand greatly appreciate you sharing it here. Will be trying your version very soon…
Pouring a box of stock (whatever kind you want, beef, chicken, vegetable, etc.) in the bottom of the roasting pan helps to make sure your pork will be as moist as possible….try it, you’ll like it!
Love that tip, Melissa. I’ve also been known to add balsamic vinegar to my butt. Pork butt, that is.
This is a great recipe to play with. I added a tablespoon of onion and garlic powder. I also added 7 cloves of garlic into slits in the meat.
I had to cook it at a lower temperature because of the small apartment I live in. 200° in a gas stove for approximately 16 hours. Because I was asleep I never had the chance to take it out and put it in tinfoil. It turned out remarkable! It is the juiciest, delicious and exceptional pork roast I’ve ever cooked.
Theresa, I couldnât be more delighted! I love your additions, and the fact that you freelanced for 16 hours is amazing. I hope others follow suit, and have a superb pork dinner.
We always inject the pork butt with our favorite Cajun flavor (the stuff you use to inject turkey for a fried turkey). This gets flavor inside the roast, too, and we’ve never had a dry roast. Works well, too, when we smoke the meat after its cooked.
Darlene, greatly appreciate you sharing your tricks, thank you!
I made this last Sunday as a trial run for our annual labor day party (30+ people). I was able to make the rub and let the pork sit overnight in the refrigerator. I followed Larry’s advice on how to achieve that nice bark on the outside. It did take about 5 – 6 hours or so before I was able to wrap it in the foil (approximately 170). Because I started so late in the day, when the pork reached the 190 mark, I simply took the roast out of the oven, let it rest for an hour and then refrigerated it (it was after midnight at this point). To serve, I put it in my small counter top oven at 250 for about an hour or so still wrapped in foil until it was heated through. The crust on the roast was tasty with a variety of heat, sweetness and spice and the meat shredded beautifully. You could serve this roast many different ways. A 3.75 lb. shoulder with a small bone will serve a plenty. For Labor day, I plan on cooking 3 roasts for pulled pork sandwiches. Great to know this can be frozen.
Terrific on all counts, cheriede. Many thanks for taking the time to let us know. And your approach is exactly how I served it this past Memorial Day. It was a dream. And the frozen leftovers warmed up very nicely over low heat in a covered pan, then I uncovered slightly and added a little lard and took the heat up a few notches just to crisp some of the edges. Have a lovely long weekend!
Reads like Larry has it right. In my opinion, if you want to learn about pork, anything on the grill or in a smoker, go to amazing ribs.com. Meathead is amazing. No, I do not work for him, but he has a HUGE site covering grilling, smoking, etc. Me, I have become so lazy that I do not fire up my smoker/grill much any more. Approaching 85. I can get good steaks, etc. and a great sear on my cast iron skillet. So be it. And oven roasting after a sear or a reverse sear is how I do it now. Mostly. This is a great site. I love all the recipes and the commentary. David’s Appalachian cider-baked beans are my all time favorite.
jimbobadger, agreed. Meathead is a great guy and his site is terrific. And, thanks for the compliment!
Just ordered his book, “Love your leftovers”.
Really think you’re going to love it. I know I do. And I typically don’t like that kind of book, but I think the author does a terrific job of taking something very personalâleftovers, that isâand making the proposed solutions really speak to everyone.