If you’ve been wondering how to cook a pork shoulder that’s fall-apart tender on the inside with irresistibly crispy skin, this simple oven-roasted recipe delivers every time.
With just a handful of pantry spices and mostly hands-off cooking, you’ll have enough flavorful pork for dinner plus leftovers for meal prep all week. Naturally high protein, low carb, keto, Whole30, SCKC friendly, and gluten free.
There’s a reason pork shoulder has been one of my favorite cuts of meat for years. It’s one of the most forgiving roasts you can make, and with a little patience, it transforms into incredibly tender, juicy pork with a beautifully browned exterior.
The key is cooking it low and slow until the connective tissue has time to break down. While every roast varies slightly in size and shape, I recommend cooking pork shoulder to an internal temperature of 195-205°F for meat that’s tender enough to shred, then letting it rest before serving.
Another reason I come back to this recipe again and again is the value. With lots of price volatility on beef, chicken, and eggs – pork shoulder remains one of the best values in the meat department.
One roast can easily feed a family for dinner with plenty of leftovers, making it a great choice for meal prep or stretching your grocery budget without sacrificing flavor.
One of the best things about roasted pork shoulder is how versatile it is. Enjoy it the first night just as it is, then transform the leftovers into completely different meals throughout the week.
Toss it with my keto BBQ sauce for pulled pork, use it in lettuce wrap tacos or burrito bowls with salsa and avocado, crisp it up for breakfast with eggs, or add it to soups, casseroles, and fried cauliflower rice. It has a mild flavor that works with just about any seasoning, so you’ll never get bored with the leftovers.
I served this to our guests with corn tortillas, homemade keto salsa verde, chopped cilantro, lettuce, sliced avocado, Greek yogurt and shredded cheddar cheese. It was a huge hit!
You don’t have to go the Mexican route though – this easy roasted pork shoulder would be equally tasty served alongside Cheesy Cauliflower Puree and my keto broccoli salad.
This easy roasted pork shoulder is also perfectly tailored to anyone on the Carnivore Diet, the Whole30 or the Squeaky Clean Keto Challenge.
More Keto Pork Recipes
Jamaican Jerk Pork Roast – Instant Pot Recipe
Low Carb Pumpkin, Pork and Peanut Stew
Keto Sweet & Sour Pork Sheet Pan Meal
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Easy Roasted Pork Shoulder
- Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 15 servings 1x
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
An easy roasted pork shoulder recipe that results in tender meat and super crispy skin! Whole 30, Paleo, Keto, Low Carb
Ingredients
- 8–10 lb pork shoulder
- 2 tablespoons coarse Kosher salt (reduce to 1 T if using table salt)
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients for your spice rub in a small bowl.
- Remove pork shoulder (or other pork roast) from packaging and rinse under cold water.
- Using your hands, pat the dry rub all over the surface of the meat.
- Place in a large roasting pan skin side up.
- Roast uncovered in a preheated 500 degree (F) oven for 20 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 300 degrees and roast for an additional 45 minutes per pound.
- Total cooking time for an 8lb roast should be about 6 hours and 20 minutes.
- Remove the pork roast from the oven and let rest for 30 minutes.
- The hard outer shell should lift right off like a cap and can be broken or chopped into delicious meat chips!
- The meat should be tender enough to pull apart with forks. Shred, adjust seasoning if necessary, and serve!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: keto main dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 oz
- Calories: 275
- Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Protein: 33g
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Donna k Gorman says
Do I put it on the rack in the roasting pan, or directly in roasting pan?
Mellissa Sevigny says
It’s not necessary to put it on a rack, but you can if you prefer.
Richard Hill says
I used a rack in my roasting pan and the pork was so tender I was glad I did. It is one of those V racks and it made it easy to get the roast out of the pan and onto a cutting board.
Deborah Sorge says
I loved this recipe!! I added paprika to it, because I like paprika, and it made it wonderful! I usually like gravies with these meats, but the leftovers I made pulled pork sandwiches with bbq sauce and boy…YUM!! My question is the crispy top…you said to make meat bites with that…is that just the crispy top cut into smaller pieces or is there a recipe for that? I’d love to know. Thanks for the recipe!! Delicious!…:)
Kirsten J McSpadden says
I’m glad you posted this, this was my favorite picnic roast recipe, but it’s been overdone the last few times I’ve made it. I didn’t realize the cook time had changed, I’m going back!
Mellissa Sevigny says
I did increase the cooking time due to some people saying it wasn’t cooked enough, but depending on the size of your roast the 30 minutes per pound is a good measure, it just might not be quite as fall off the bone tender as the longer cook time.
A. E. R. says
I’m very glad I read this before making.
I *despise* dry, overcooked meat. Everything does not need to be done to death to be safe. The English and Americans destroy perfectly good meat. I used to dread being invited over for steaks by my mother in law – I know she meant generously and they were lovely cuts, but beef jerky stuck less in my throat.
Henry says
Great recipe! I had a 1.6 kg roast with a small bone, and instead of oven searing it, because of its managbe size I an seared it, and roasted for 1 1/2 hours. Result was great but oddly there was still a considerable amount of unrendered fat under the cap. Could I have roasted longer and seen an even better, more tender result? Thanks muchly!
Betty says
Where can I find the recipe for the rub
Greg Ring says
I just have one word. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And so easy to make.
Linda Jackson says
I have a 10 lb roast. I want to make a regular gravy to go with mashed potatoes. Will this method give me plenty of pan juices?
Desiree A Ventra says
I bought a 9.67lb pork shoulder roast and making it today. I marinated it in the fridge overnight with spices you recommended, it’s sitting out now from 8am til 11am (after mass) then I will follow your cooking time, can’t wait to make this after reading all the reviews. I have small potatoes and would love to cook them with the roast but thinking 5 1/2 hours will be too long and wondering if I should just cook them separate? If so, when should I put them in the oven at 300 degrees where they will also be crispy?? This is also my first time making a pork shoulder. What is a Pernil?? Any suggestions on what to do with the left over meat. I am not a big pulled pork sandwhich fan but I love pork!
Kim Rodgers says
Tacos, tamales, enchiladas, burritos…you could check out chili ideas and other soups/stews. Just a few ideas. You could probably substitute it for chicken in a lot of recipes. Instead of chicken salad you could have pork salad.
DavetteB says
I just reheat a few slices in butter in a frying pan and eat. Since I’m ketogenic I just have it plain. You could do lettuce wraps too. For those that aren’t, save a little meat and the bone and make bean soup or make Cubano sandwiches.
For the best (and by Best I mean ONLY) Pernil, Google “Daisy Martinez Pernil recipe”. That’s my family’s special occasion meal. (Slice, don’t shred). This recipe is similar, just a dry rub instead of wet and for Melissa’s you can cook immediately, versus the 1-3 day marinade for Daisy’s. I have an untrustworthy oven, so I don’t turn it to 500°. I do 450° for one hour, 400° for one hour, then 350° for the rest of the time. I tent a piece of foil if it looks overbrowned (again, my oven), but very loose and the skin stays crispy.
HTH
PS: depending on the size of your potatoes, you can add them the last hour or so.
Susan says
Excellent! The crispy skin was amazing and no fuss. Mine was a 7 lb shoulder/butt and I didn’t think I’d use all the salt-spice rub but I did! It was so flavorful!
I used all the highly flavored pan drippings afterward (which were almost blackened) to make your Tomato Pork soup. The shoulder bone was helpful. I added the cut up meat near the end since it was already cooked and I didn’t want to dry it out. I made it stovetop in about 30 minutes rather than crock pot. An absolute hit with adult foodies and a picky young grandson. Thank you for all your great recipes you so kindly share.
Mellissa Sevigny says
That sounds like the perfect use for that bone Susan! And it made me want to make this again ASAP! So thrilled that everyone enjoyed it!