My pork shoulder butt roast is an ultra-tender, melt-in-your-mouth dinner that is sure to satisfy all of your guests. It only takes a few minutes of active work while the rest of the time is spent in the oven. This impressive dinner is so delicious and juicy that it will become your new go-to roast for entertaining!
Serve with honey-roasted acorn squash, brussel sprouts, potato wedges, or roasted red potatoes.
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This roasted boneless pork shoulder butt roast is a hands-off meal that requires little prep work. You'll only need about 5 minutes to prep this roast, and then you can let the oven do the work.
You'll be amazed at how tender and flavorful this roast dinner is. It is perfect for a special occasion. Discover my easy pork shoulder roast, the ideal go-to recipe for a hearty family dinner.
🥘 Ingredients
- Pork Shoulder Butt Roast (with or without fat cap) - 5-pound boneless pork shoulder butt roast. This roast also goes by picnic roast, pork picnic shoulder, pork butt, Boston butt, and blade roast.
- Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Dijon, stone ground, or German mustard can also coat the roast.
- Pork Roast Seasoning - 2 tablespoons of pork roast seasoning (try my recipe or use your favorite brand).
Note that pork shoulder and pork butt are two different cuts of meat, both from the shoulder section. The names are sometimes used interchangeably by stores.
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
🔪 How To Roast Pork Shoulder
While this roast spends some time in the oven, the prep work is super quick. Grab your roasting pan and knife, and you're ready to start.
A 5-pound roast will feed about 10 people, depending on how hungry everyone is. Servings are based on half-pound portions.
Preheat & Prep
Step 1: Preheat. Start by preheating your oven to 400°F (205°C/Gas Mark 6).
(Optional) Step 2: Clean. Rinse your 5-pound pork roast with cool water and pat it dry with paper towels.
Season The Meat
Step 3: Season the roast. Place your pork onto a roasting rack and coat it with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO or mustard). Generously season the meat with 2 tablespoons of pork roast seasoning.
Roast, Rest & Serve
Step 4: Roast. Roast the pork fat side up for 1 hour (it should appear lightly browned). Then, reduce the temperature to 300°F (150°C/Gas Mark 3) and continue to roast for 4 more hours, or until the pork is tender and the fat cap (if you have one) is crispy.
Step 5: Rest. Transfer the roast to a large platter or cutting board and loosely cover it with aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
🍽️ What To Serve With Pork Roast
I have more great side dish ideas for your pork shoulder butt roast here on my page for pork side dishes!
You can also add on a wedge salad if everyone's really hungry! Don't forget a tasty Greek yogurt fruit salad or ambrosia salad for dessert! Enjoy!
>>>See All Of My Tasty Recipes Here!<<<
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Meat Selection: Choose a pork shoulder butt roast with or without a fat cap based on your preference. Both cuts are suitable for this recipe and yield delicious results.
- Seasoning the Roast: Coat the pork roast with extra virgin olive oil or mustard before generously seasoning it with pork roast seasoning. This adds flavor and helps to create a delicious crust.
- Roasting Process: Start by roasting the pork fat side up at a higher temperature (400°F) for the first hour, then reduce the temperature to 300°F and continue roasting until the pork is tender and the fat cap is crispy.
- Resting the Meat: Transfer the pork to a platter or cutting board and loosely cover it with aluminum foil after roasting. Let it rest for 30 minutes before slicing. This resting period allows the juices to be redistributed, ensuring a moist and flavorful roast.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Place your roast leftovers into a sealed container and keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To freeze, let your roast cool completely, wrap it tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil, and place it into a freezer storage bag. You can freeze it for up to 6 months. Allow frozen leftovers to fully defrost before reheating.
To reheat, place your leftovers onto a rimmed baking sheet, splash it with water or broth, and cover it with aluminum foil. Bake it in the oven at 300°F (150°C) until heated thoroughly.
❓ Recipe FAQs
This roast was cooked at a higher temperature to start (400°F/205°C/Gas Mark 6) and then finished at 300°F (150°C/Gas Mark 2) for approximately 1 hour per pound. Cook until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. Alternatively, roast pork at 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) for 35-40 minutes per pound.
Nope! If you add water to the pan, it will steam the pork rather than roast it. This is perfect if you intend to pull the pork roast, but it is unnecessary for sliced roasts. *Add 1 cup water or broth for pulled pork if desired.
Nope! Use a higher temperature first and leave the roast uncovered to develop a nice and crispy outside. Then, reduce the temperature to finish cooking. *Cover with a sheet of aluminum foil if the roast starts browning too deeply.
🍖 More Delicious Roasts
- Venison Tenderloin Roast
- Oven Roasted Prime Rib
- Pork Ribeye Roast
- Smoked Pork Roast
- Smoked Beef Roast
- Prime Rib Roast
See all my roast dinners here.
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📖 Recipe Card
Pork Shoulder Butt Roast
Ingredients
- 5 lbs boneless pork shoulder butt roast (with or without fat cap)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin, or use Dijon or German mustard)
- 2 tablespoon pork roast seasoning (see recipe, or use your favorite brand)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- To begin, preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C/Gas Mark 6). Rinse your 5 lbs boneless pork shoulder butt roast with cool water and pat it dry.
- Place your pork onto a roasting rack and coat it with 2 tablespoon olive oil (or your choice of mustard). Generously season the meat with 2 tablespoon pork roast seasoning.
- Roast the pork fat side up for 1 hour (it should appear lightly browned). Then, reduce the temperature to 300°F (150°C) and continue to roast for 4 more hours, or until the pork is tender and the fat cap (if you have one) is crispy.
- Transfer the roast to a large platter or cutting board and loosely cover it with aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- To store: Place your roast into a sealed container and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: Let your roast cool completely and then wrap it tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil and place it into a freezer storage bag. You can freeze it for up to 6 months, just allow it to fully defrost before reheating.
- To reheat: Place your leftovers onto a rimmed baking sheet, splash it with some water or broth, and cover it with aluminum foil. Bake it in the oven at 300°F (150°C) until heated thoroughly.
Becky says
The name of this recipe says it all, so delicious!
Laura says
Best pork roast I’ve ever made and I’ve made tons of them!!! Tender, juicy and so flavorful!!! Thank you!🥰🥰
Michele Stoddard says
I had over a six pound Boston butt shoulder roast. I tripled the seasoning rub and used all of it. Roasted the pork on a rack in a Dutch oven at 400 without the lid, then for 1.5 hours at 300. Let it rest. Drained all the juice out minus the fat and made gravy.
The pork was extremely moist and flavorful. Definitely will make again
Kristine S says
Wow! I’m so glad I checked this early. I think it took about two hours at the most for this to be done. I always get nervous making a roast because I live with the best roast maker . This was perfect 👍! I used Dijon and it was a bit salty, but I just ordered the powdered. Excellent!!!
Mary Gentner says
I, like many home cooks, struggle with being able to have the perfect finished product when it comes to roasts.
I used the homemade seasoning recipe offered in the ingredients list. Yesterday before I went to work, I lathered the 3.77 lb pork butt with stoneground mustard and applied the seasoning. Covered with foil and put in the fridge to marinade overnight. I work nights so I left detailed instructions for my hubby to get the cooking process started and I could finish when I got up.
After 2 hours on 300°, I checked the temperature and it was a perfect 170° internal temp.
This was by far my best pork roast ever, and I have been experimenting for a lot of years. This is definitely a keeper!!!!
Alison says
My husband hates going out to dinner so I've been a "home chef" for more than thirty years. Pork roasts have fooled me many times, ending up with a fall-apart when I want something to slice, turning out dry, or just flavorless and "flabby." I had a smaller roast (2.33 lbs) and I nervously followed the instruction to start with the 400 degree oven for an hour then went for the 300 degrees for another 2hrs, 20 minutes and let rest in the warm oven for another half hour. My husband declared it the best pork roast he's ever eaten. I was also totally thrilled with the result. Thanks for saving my bacon (well, pork roast.) Our new pork favorite!
paula says
Easy to prepare and excellent flavor!
John W says
Tried this today and boy oh boy was it good! I added 1/2 teaspoon of cardamon to the spices and used thyme instead of oregano (didn’t have any). Used Dijon mustard as my base rather than olive oil. Mine was done in 3 hours though, 145 internal temperature. After the initial one hour at 400 I reduced to 300 and added a cup of water to the bottom of the roasting pan. While the roast was resting I added another cup of water to the drippings to make gravy. I know that taste is subjective but boy oh boy this one is definitely delicious.
Stephen R Boyer says
I have made port butt roast this way several times and the cooking methods has become by go-to for both beef and pork roasts. There are other sear-and-slow cook recipes on the Internet but this one is the best I've found. It's so easy and it's really delicious.
Noting that this was my dinner for New Year's Day. (German tradition)
Amy B Byrne says
This was delicious! I used the suggested pork roast seasoning, but my cooking time was much less than noted in the recipe. I followed the instructions for the first one-hour, but my 8# roast was done after another 1.5-2 hours cooking at at 300 degrees F. My oven tends to cook foods faster in general, so just watch your roast (using a meat thermometer) so you don't overcook the pork.
We let it rest for 30 minutes and then loved every bite! Great recipe!
Nancy Martin says
I cooked a roast this weekend and used your guide. The only change I made was that I used an oven cooking bag because I didn't want to have to clean the roasting pan. Also my husband had to go the ER in the middle of the cooking so had to have the neighbor remove it from the oven when it was done, so it had 2 hours of resting time before we got to it. The roast was delicious and he's fine.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I'm glad to read that all is well! Thanks for sharing your success!
cheryl says
can i just put the roast in the roasting pan without a rack> i will be cooking a 6 pound pork shoulder. what would be the temp and how many hours
thanks
Cheryl
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Yes you can skip the roasting pan. I would say the perfect no fail roast would be to roast the pork at 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) for 35-40 minutes per pound. Hope that helps!
TL says
If I wanted to roast russet potatoes and carrots with this, do I put them in from the get go? Or should I make them separately from the roast? 5 hours seems like a long time for potatoes and carrots in the oven.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
It is a bit long to be able to add the veggies from the beginning. Add the potatoes and carrots (as well as celery, onion, and garlic if desired) when the roast has about 2 hours cooking time remaining. Just arrange them around the sides of the roast and it will finish wonderfully. Enjoy!
Anonymous says
This was such an easy dinner to make and my whole family ate it up, even the kids which is saying alot.
Carla says
I have an 8lb roast, bone in. When I see 1 hr per pound how long do I cook it after the first hour is on the high temp? My first time cooking a pork shoulder butt roast 😬 thank you.. btw is in the oven with 40 minutes left on high temp. I so excited..
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I would check your internal temperature at 4-5 hours anyway, and base your cook time off the meat temperature. Once you hit 145F at the deepest center point of the pork roast, the roast is done. Remove it from the oven to rest and serve as instructed.