Garlic and herb-crusted, roasted pork shoulder is a craveable delight that effortlessly feeds a crowd or provides multiple delicious meals. The low and slow roasting method gives a heavenly combination of crispy, flavorful crackling on the outside and meltingly tender, juicy meat on the inside.
6 to 12poundBone-In Pork Shoulder(this one is 11.6 lbs)
Garlic & Herb Rub
4Chopped Garlic Cloves
2tbspChopped Fresh Rosemary
1tbspChopped Fresh Thyme
1tbspOlive Oil
2tbspDiamond Kosher Salt
2tspSugar
2tspGround Black Pepper
Instructions
Make the rub by combining the ingredients in a small bowl or use a mortar and pestle to make it into a paste.
Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels and trim off any excess fat. With a very sharp knife, score the fat side with a 1/2" crosshatch pattern going all the way through the fat, but not into the flesh.
Make the garlic and herb rub by combining all the rub ingredients in a small bowl.
Apply the rub evenly over the pork shoulder. For best flavor, refrigerate overnight uncovered or let it marinate at room temperature for a few hours.
Preheat the oven to a low 275° F / 135° C.
Cook the roast: Place the pork roast on a double foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan and then into the oven. You can also use a wire rack to set the roast on so the air circulates all the way around.
When the internal temperature of the roast reaches 175° F, remove it from the oven. Use an instant-read probe thermometer to verify doneness.
Rest uncovered for at least 30 minutes. The temperature will rise another 5 to 10 degrees.
Optional sear for even crispier skin: If your roast didn't get super crispy, you can sear it in a hot oven for a short period of time. After resting the pork shoulder for 30 minutes, preheat your oven to 450° F. Place the roast back in the oven to sear. This will require rotating every 5 minutes or so until it is seared on all sides: 10 to 20 minutes total depending on your oven.
Serve it by slicing it against the grain or shredding it. Serve warm.
Notes
Temper the meat (bring to room temperature) before roasting. This will promote even cooking.
Either a bone-in or boneless pork shoulder will work.
Cook time will be approx 35 to 60 minutes per pound in a 275° F oven (yes, there are a lot of variables of cook time). This 11.6 pound shoulder took 6.5 hours.
For pulled pork, cook until the internal temperature reaches 200°F-205°F.
Rest uncovered and unwrapped to preserve the crispy skin.