Mom's Dinner

  • Home
  • All Recipes
  • Instant Pot
    • All Instant Pot Recipes
    • Instant Pot Soup
    • Instant Pot Beef
    • Instant Pot Chicken
    • Instant Pot Pork
    • Instant Pot Turkey
    • Instant Pot Pasta
    • Instant Pot Vegetarian
  • Dinner
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Pork
    • Turkey
    • Fish & Seafood
    • Mexican
    • Pasta
    • Vegetarian
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • About
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • About
  • Subscribe
ร—
You are here: Home / Recipes / Pork

Tender Boneless Pork Shoulder Roast

By Susie Weinrich ยท Date Feb 20, 2024ยท 6 Comments ยท May contain affiliate links.

A pork shoulder roast on a platter with carrots, mushrooms and celery
โ†“ Jump to Recipe
Pin the Recipe

This Pork Shoulder Roast slices up into the most tender pieces of melt-in-your-mouth pork covered in a rich pork gravy and served up with tender veggies that cook right alongside the pork. This will be an amazing weekend dinner or Sunday Family Dinner that you will come to make again and again.

a pork shoulder roast on a plate with cooked carrots, celery, mushrooms and herbs
Table of Contents hide
1 Pork Roast
2 Instant Pot Lovers
3 Tying A Pork Shoulder Roast
4 Tying a Pork Shoulder Roast
5 Ingredients
6 Gravy
7 Serving
8 Recipe Tips for the Best Pork Shoulder Roast
9 More Amazing Pork Dinner Recipes
10 Pork Shoulder Roast Recipe + Video

Pork Roast

A pork roast is actually part of the whole bone-in pork butt or shoulder, also known as a Boston Butt. It is cut down and deboned into a roast. It comes from the upper part of the shoulder, from the front leg.

When you are looking for it in the grocery store it will be called a Boneless Pork Butt Roast or Boneless Shoulder Pork Butt Roast and it will generally be between 2-4 lbs. They usually come tied in a netting, as you can see in the photo above.

Boneless pork butt roast in packaging

A pork shoulder butt roast in packaging.

Boneless Pork Butt Roast out of the packaging and the netting removed

A pork roast with the netting removed.

I like to remove the netting and tie it for cooking (see the video below for a tutorial on tying your pork roast).

You donโ€™t want a pork loin or pork tenderloin (although if that is what you already have there are two recipes linked there for you!).

You also want to make sure you are buying a boneless pork shoulder. A bone in pork shoulder or pork butt is better suited to make pulled pork.

Instant Pot Lovers

If you love your Instant Pot, there is a very similar recipe to this Pork Shoulder Roast on Momโ€™s Dinner, but made in your Instant Pot! Check it out below:

Instant Pot Pork Roast with Vegetables & Gravy

Tying A Pork Shoulder Roast

You will want to remove the netting from the roast if it came tied up already. The netting that comes on the roast is too thick and doesnโ€™t allow enough surface area to be exposed to seasoning or browning.

a pork shoulder roast tied completely with kitchen twine

Using some good kitchen twine you will tie the roast up so that it will hold its shape during roasting.

Tying a Pork Shoulder Roast

Tie the twine around the end of the pork, pull the string forward and hold it with your finger, bring the loose end around the pork and up through the string you are holding with your finger. Pull the string tight and then bring it down another inch and repeat. Once you are to the end, bring the loose string around and tie it off.

There is a video in the post showing how this is done.

Making the first tie on a pork shoulder roast
Showing how to pull the string forward when tying a roast

Ingredients

Pork Shoulder: We talked about this in the Pork Roast Section above, but you want to make sure you get a boneless pork shoulder roast or pork butt roast. What you do not want is a pork tenderloin or pork loin.

Dijon Mustard: This will be used to adhere the seasonings to the pork. It works perfectly and adds a nice layer of flavor too!

Italian Dressing Dry Packet: We always use the Good Seasonings Zesty Italian packets! We have tried other brands and they just donโ€™t hold up in flavor to the Good Seasonings brand. This is an easy way to get a ton of flavor on the outside of the pork shoulder roast, not to mention in the gravy.

A Good Seasonings Zesty Italian Dressing  Packet

Chicken Broth: This helps braise the pork shoulder so it comes out impossibly tender and juicy. It also is the liquid base for your gravy at the end of cooking.

Onion and Garlic: Flavors the gravy and roast while braising. These are not necessarily for serving, more just for flavor.

Rosemary and Thyme: Flavors the gravy and roast while braising. These are not necessarily for serving, more just for flavor.

Carrots, Celery, Mushroom: These veggies are perfect to serve along side the sliced pork shoulder roast. You only cook them in the last half of the cooking time so they donโ€™t over-cook.

Roasted pork shoulder with veggies

Gravy

Make sure you taste the gravy before serving. Below are a few troubleshooting ideas for flavor and texture.

gravy being poured over a pork roast

Too thin? add another round of cornstarch slurry, but just do 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water.

Too thick? add a little chicken broth, water or even milk or half and half to thin it out.

Too Salty? add some water to the mix. You may need to rethicken it with another round of cornstarch slurry.

Too Bland? (I doubt this will happenโ€ฆ but) add a couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce, maybe even a glug of red wine, add some whole sprigs of rosemary and thyme and maybe a couple dashes of poultry seasoning, black pepper and kosher salt. Let it simmer over low heat, then remove the herb sprigs and taste again.

Lumps? Since you are using a cornstarch slurry it is unlikely that you will have lumps. But if you do, whisk the daylights out of your gravy. If that doesnโ€™t work then you can pulse it in the blender or use an immersion blender.

Serving

A roasted pork shoulder is a traditional dinner that takes time to make, just like a lasagna or pot roast. So you want to serve it family style with some yummy side dishes.

  • Mashed Potatoes or Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
  • Green Beans or Asparagus
  • Rolls and Butter
  • Broccoli Bacon Salad
  • Cucumber Onion Salad

Recipe Tips for the Best Pork Shoulder Roast

Make sure you remove the netting from the roast and re-tie it so that there is more surface area exposed for flavor and browning.

Add the veggies (carrots, celery and mushrooms) for the last 1.5 hours of roasting so they donโ€™t get overcooked.

After roasting let the pork shoulder roast rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Remove the twine before slicing!

Use a really sharp knife to slice, and use a back and forth sawing motion to cut slices. This helps ensure the slices stay together.

Taste the gravy before serving, adjust as needed. see gravy flavor troubleshooting

More Amazing Pork Dinner Recipes

  • pork milanese topped with a tomato relish
    Pork Milanese with Tomatoes and Garlic
  • bbq rubbed pork tenderloin on a cutting board
    Grilled BBQ Pork Tenderloin
  • grilled pork burger with lettuce, onion, tomato on a bun
    Grilled Pork Burgers with Garlic Cream Sauce
  • sliced pork tenderloin on a plate with herbs
    Marinated Rosemary Pork Tenderloin
a pork shoulder roast on a plate with veggies

Pork Shoulder Roast Recipe + Video

A super impressive dinner! Boneless Pork Shoulder Roast is seasoned and braised low and slow to tender perfection. Make a savory gravy from the cooking liquid and drippings, then cut the pork into tender slices and serve it up drizzled with the pork gravy.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours hours
Resting Time: 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 people
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven (or roasting pan with a lid)
  • Kitchen twine

Ingredients

Pork Roast

  • 3-4 lb Boneless Pork Shoulder Roast
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • .7 oz packet Italian dressing seasoning and mix
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups chicken broth or stock
  • 1 yellow onion - cut into โ…›ths
  • 5 garlic cloves - crushed
  • 2 small rosemary sprig
  • 4 sprigs of thyme
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Vegetables

  • 3-4 carrotsย  - cut into large chunks
  • 5 cremini mushroomsย whole
  • 3 celery ribs - (individual stalks)ย cut into large chunks-

Gravy

  • 2 tablespoon Cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoon water
  • reserved liquid from the bottom of the panย strained of solids - (2 cups)

Instructions
 

  • If you have time to remove your roast from the fridge and let sit at room temp for about 30 minutes, do so. This is called tempering and will help your roast to cook more evenly to the middle.
  • Preheat your oven to 350โ„‰

Prep The Pork Shoulder

  • If your pork shoulder roast came tied up in netting, cut that off and discard. Don't be worried if it seems to "fall apart" when you take the netting off. When they de-bone the pork shoulder it can seem like it is in multiple pieces.
    Pro Tip: We take off that netting and re-tie the roast with less string. The netting that comes on the roast doesn't let enough of the surface be exposed to browning or seasonings.
    3-4 lb Boneless Pork Shoulder Roast
  • Pat the pork roast dry with paper towels. Then using kitchen twine tie the roast so that it stays in a nice round "roast" shape.
    Tie the twine around the end of the pork, pull the string forward and hold it with your finger, bring the loose end around the pork and up through the string you are holding with your finger. Pull the string tight and then bring it down another inch and repeat. Once you are to the end, bring the loose string around and tie it off.
    There is a video in the post showing how this is done.
  • Brush the Dijon mustard on all sides of the pork shoulder. Sprinkle on the Italian Seasonings packet on all sides.
    1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, .7 oz packet Italian dressing seasoning and mix
  • Place a large Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add the oil. Once it is hot add the pork roast and brown on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the browned pork roast to a plate.
    2 tablespoon olive oil
    browning a pork shoulder roast
  • In the now empty pot add the chicken broth, scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pot. This is called deglazing and is adding flavor to the braising liquid!
    Now add the onions, garlic, thyme, rosemary and Worcestershire.
    2 cups chicken broth or stock, 1 yellow onion, 5 garlic cloves, 2 small rosemary sprig, 4 sprigs of thyme, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Place the pork on top of the onions.
    pork shoulder roast with onions, garlic, broth and herbs in a Dutch Oven

Braising โ€“ Baking โ€“ Veggies

  • Pop the lid on the Dutch Oven and transfer to the 350โ„‰ oven. Bake for 1.5 hours.
  • Remove the Dutch Oven from the oven and nestle the carrots, celery and mushrooms around the pork shoulder roast.
    3-4 carrotsย , 5 cremini mushroomsย whole, 3 celery ribs
    Roasted pork shoulder with veggies
  • Place the lid on and put back in the oven for another 1.5 hours.

Gravy

  • Remove the pork roast and veggies that you plan to eat (carrots, celery, mushrooms) from the Dutch Oven.
    Let the pork roast rest for about 10-15 minutes before slicing
  • Place a mesh sieve over a bowl and strain the solids from the liquid in the bottom of the pot. You should have around 2+ cups of liquid. If you are short on liquid add some chicken broth or red wine so that you have 2 cups.
    Discard the solids and return the liquid to the Dutch Oven.
  • Place the Dutch Oven over medium heat.
  • Mix the corn starch and water into a slurry. Once the reserved liquid simmers, pour in the slurry and whisk. The gravy should thicken pretty quickly.
    2 tablespoon Cornstarch, 2 tablespoon water

Serving

  • Cut the string from the roasted pork shoulder and carefully cut it into ยฝ inch thick slices.
    If the roast is made with many pieces or is super tender it may fall into pieces a little bit, that is ok, it is still going to be super delicious!
  • Serve 2 slices or pieces per person with some veggies and gravy. This Pork Roast is also excellent with mashed potatoes, green beans and rolls with butter.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
Jump to Comments

About Susie Weinrich

Susie Weinrich is the recipe developer, food photographer, and content creator behind Mom's Dinner. She has over 20 years experience in the food industry. Currently, Susie shares all her recipes and food knowledge on Mom's Dinner. You will find her recipes are easy to follow and full of tips and tricks to make sure the recipe you are making turns out perfect!

Comments

    5 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

    We would love to have you comment & rate the recipe! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Karen says

    February 24, 2025 at 1:48 pm

    Meat was tough and dry. Would not recommend making this

    Reply
    • Susie Weinrich says

      February 25, 2025 at 11:18 am

      I wonder if you used a pork loin and not a pork shoulder.

      Reply
  2. Celeste says

    January 14, 2025 at 10:07 am

    5 stars
    This was amazing. Incredibly flavorful & the best pork roast I’ve ever made. Easy to make also. I didn’t have mushrooms, so used small white potatoes.
    Delicious! Oh & my house smelled so good! Couldn’t wait to eat it.

    Reply
    • Susie Weinrich says

      January 14, 2025 at 2:27 pm

      Wonderful!!

      Reply
    • Bernard and Suzanne Miron says

      June 04, 2025 at 2:57 pm

      5 stars
      I want to thank you for a simple recipe. I didn’t have any more Italian spices so I substituted a package of knows French onion soup..in the oven now.

      Reply
  3. Diane Mags says

    January 01, 2025 at 9:18 am

    5 stars
    Great pork recipe! Itโ€™s New Yearโ€™s Day and Iโ€™m making this for the 2nd time! This pork is so delicious seasoned perfectly and sooo very tender! This will be my go to Every Time! Thank youuu and have a wonderful 2025!

    Reply
Susie in the kitchen with an apron on getting ready to cook

Meet The Author:

Susie Weinrich is a professional food photographer and recipe developer. Her thoroughly tested recipes and step-by-step guides give readers confidence in the kitchen.

YOU will feel like a huge success at dinner time with any of the simple recipes on Mom's Dinner! Read More

Helpful Meal Planning Resources

  • a table with white place settings and green garland
    Easy Meals for House Guests
  • a round table with a large family eating dinner
    30 Easy Meals for a Large Group on Vacation
woman owned small business certificate by Sertify

Amazing New Recipes

  • Steak stir fry served over a bed of white rice with chopsticks resting on the edge.
    Mom’s Weeknight Pepper Steak
  • Stack of golden brown pancakes with a pat of butter melting on top with fresh blueberries garnished over the top and a bite of pancakes cut out.
    Simple Homemade Pancake Mix
  • Pulled pork sandwich coated in barbecue sauce served on a sesame bun topped with pickled onions.
    Fall-Apart Oven Baked Pulled Pork
  • Dinner plate serving a barbecue bacon cheeseburger with onion rings and curly fries on the side.
    Over-The-Top BBQ Bacon Burger

Footer

^ back to top

About

  • Susie Weinrich
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Policy

Contact

  • Sign Up! for emails
  • Contact Me!
  • Join Me On YouTube

Recipes

  • Recipe By Category
  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • Dinner Recipes

Copyright ยฉ 2025 Mom's Dinner

Rate & Review This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.