Roasted Pork Shoulder

Roasted pork shoulder is one of the easiest meals to make. My kids love it and I make it every few weeks during the winter. I try and switch up the spices and sauces I serve with it and that keeps it interesting. Winter is a perfect time to enjoy this recipe. It’s a perfect meal to serve during the dark, cold days when the body is looking for something warm and comforting.

The Ingredients for Roasted Pork Recipe

A couple of different spices and lots of garlic is all it takes to get this going.

The Ingredients List:

• 2 lbs pork shoulder – bone-in
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne (or paprika for a milder version)

---

More Meat Recipes you will Like:

---

The Marinating Process:

Let’s start with the pork shoulder itself.

• I like to trim off the extra fatty bits from the raw meat before I do anything. That way, there is no extra fat in the gravy when I make it with the jus leftover in the pan.
• Once that is done, I make the spice blend.
• Wash and dry the fresh rosemary and thyme.
• Peel the garlic cloves.
• Using a mortar and pestle or a small blender, blend the spices.
• Add the rosemary, thyme, garlic, oil, and salt into the mortar and pestle and grind everything so it’s almost smooth.

• Add the salt and the paprika (or cayenne) to spice rub and combine so everything is evenly distributed.
• Using your hands, rub half the spice mixture all over the top of the pork shoulder.
• Then turn it around and rub the rest of the mixture on the bottom side.
• Place the pork shoulder into a baking dish, cover it with a clean tea towel, and set it in the fridge to marinate for about an hour to so.

The Roasting Process:

Remove the pan from the fridge and allow it to sit on the counter for about 20 minutes.

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and place the baking dish on the middle rack and
• Bake it for about 20 minutes. This will help brown the meat and seal in the moisture.
• Lower the temperature to 300 degrees, and add half a cup of water to the baking dish.
• Allow it to cook for at least 3-4 hours on this low heat. The baking time will depend on the size of your pork shoulder.

Alternative Method

Another way of sealing the moister is by searing it.

• To do this, heat a cast iron pan so it’s really hot – to the point of smoking.
• Drop your marinated pork shoulder onto the cast iron pan and let it cook on one side for about 2 minutes.
• Keep the heat really high and then turn and cook the other side for about 2 or so minutes.
• Do the same on all sides. This helps it brown very quickly from all sides and helps keep the juices in.
• You can then use the cast iron pan in the oven. Heat the oven to 300 degrees and bake.

Resting Process:

• Remove it from the oven and let it sit in the baking dish for at least 5-10 minutes.
• Allowing the cooked meat to rest helps the juices to be reabsorbed into it and keeps it tender.
• Once it’s rested, you can slice it how you like.

The Gravy for Roasted Pork Shoulder:

I use the jus that is left over in the baking dish to make gravy.

• If you used a cast iron pan, you can remove the roasted pork shoulder from the pan and just add some flour to it.
• Place the pan onto a low heat stove and using a whisk, mix the flour in.
• Once it’s incorporated, add a little water – a few tablespoons at a time, until you have the consistency you desire.
• Cook the gravy for a few minutes and serve it hot with your food.

Serving Suggestions:

There are so many things one can have with this recipe:

• Try it with my warm potato salad. Potatoes and meat always go hand in hand.
• Try it with my cauliflower mash in place of mashed potatoes.
• I love to serve it with my cauliflower and Brussels sprout rice. It is a much healthier option than rice or potatoes.
• And another one of my favourite sides is salads. There are so many options for that. Try my heirloom carrot and radish salad.

What to do with Leftovers:

I love having leftovers. It always makes for a second delicious meal such as:

• Sandwiches
• Tacos
• Burritos
• Adding it to salads.

Tried and Liked the Recipe?

Scroll to the bottom of the page, and past the recipe to find the comment form. Please fill out details of what you liked and what you would like to see improved. Comments are loved! I look forward to hearing how much you enjoyed the recipe!

Stay Connected

Don’t forget to sign up for the free newsletter and be the first to learn about all my new recipes. And, don’t forget to follow me on my social media accounts: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and Twitter.

---

---

Don’t forget to follow me: Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube.