I’m constantly searching for new keto-friendly ways to include fatty meats in my diet that also keep my wallet (and belly) full and taste great. I purchased this 8-pound roast yesterday for less than $16. Pulled pork is simply delicious, and if you think we have to slather or smoke this baby just to coax some flavor out of it, you could never have been so wrong. Yep, that’s under $2 a pound – and it’ll feed an entire family for a few days!
Verify the type of pork shoulder you are actually purchasing. The Picnic Roast, which we use, and the Boston Butt, which is made from the upper part of the shoulder, are the two components of the pork shoulder. Although Boston Butt is typically a little more expensive, the bone is typically removed for easier serving. If you choose to use a Boston Butt, keep an eye on it because it cooks more quickly and is typically a little bit smaller in size. Not to mention that it’s typically boneless, which means that if you’re not careful, it could dry out.
The Picnic Roast is what we’re using. Compared to a Boston Butt, this meat is typically a little bit tougher, but it has a great final texture and more flavor. We’ll have meaty chunks of pork that we can literally pull apart with our fingers instead of those soft stringy, almost mushy, pieces of meat. It does require a little more patience and cooking time, but it’s so simple and much less expensive.
Pork shoulder normally requires an afternoon to prepare, but I prefer to cook it overnight because I don’t like to smell the pork all day and get hungry while doing it. I just keep that in mind when deciding what time to put it in the oven when I wake up in the morning because I usually have a game plan of 9 to 10 hours that I’ll be cooking it for. You definitely don’t want to rush the cooking process. Cooking the shoulder slowly and low will enable the fat and connective tissues to properly render down, essentially basting the entire shoulder. Once you’re done, the pork is incredibly tender and juicy.
20 servings of pork may have you wondering what the heck you’re going to do with them. With just one roast, you can practically feed an entire party or gathering, and it cooks and freezes beautifully for use in other recipes. Keep an eye out for some new recipes I’ll be posting over the next few days that I made with the pork shoulder!
1. Completely wash and pat dry the pork. Allow to warm up on the counter for two to three hours.
2. Pre-heat your oven to 250F once the pork has been dried and is reaching room temperature (after a few hours). Mix together all of the spices in a bowl.
3. Start by covering the pork completely with the salt rub, skin side down. When the bottom is finished, flip it over and set it on a wire rack over a foil-lined baking sheet. Apply the rub to the pork’s top and all of its sides.
4. After the pork has been rubbed, place it in the preheated oven and bake for 8 to 10 hours. I did 10 hours for my 8 lb. roast, but you will need to adjust as necessary if you have smaller or larger sizes. You essentially want the internal temperature to be about 190F.
5. Remove the pork from the oven and cover with foil. Allow the pork to rest for 15 total minutes. Preheat oven to 500F.
6. After the pork has rested, remove the foil tent from it and place the pork in the oven at 500°F. To ensure that the skin of the pork cooks evenly, we’ll rotate it every 5 minutes (YAY CRACKLINS’). Because the fat that dripped off during the roasting process is burning, smoke may come out of your oven during this process. Before placing the food in the oven, you can either crack open a window or remove the fat.
7. After removing the pork from the oven, give it a 15 to 20 minute rest before slicing or beginning to eat.
8. The pork should be completely tender and easily separate from the roast by pulling the meat off with your fingers. Serve up for family and friends alike.
This makes a total of 20 (6 oz. ) servings of Crispy Skin Pork Shoulder. Each serving comes out to be 461 Calories, 36. 7g Fats, 0. 2g Net Carbs, and 30. 3g Protein.
This makes a total of 20 6 oz. servings of Crispy Skin Pork Shoulder. Each serving comes out to be 461 Calories, 36. 7g Fats, 0. 2g Net Carbs, and 30. 3g Protein.
For a Smaller Pork Shoulder Roast
You can still use the recipe successfully if your roast weighs less than 6 pounds; just reduce the cooking time slightly. You should still begin it on high heat in a 450°F oven. When the middle of the roast reaches 180°F on an internal thermometer and you can feel the meat is very tender throughout as you slide the thermometer in, the roast has finished cooking. Roast the pork for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 250°F and continue cooking for 4 to 7 hours.
What to Serve with Pork Shoulder Roast:
Leftovers are brilliant. Amazing quesadillas, enchiladas, burritos, soups, stews, sandwiches, and countless other dishes can be made with them.
My Favorite Side Dishes for Pork Shoulder Recipes
Along with the Brussels sprouts, I also made homemade applesauce from apples I already had that were about to ripen. U. T. (Using old apples in that way is one of the best ideas!)
I cooked the apples on the stovetop over a simmering heat, using the recipe from Dinnertime Survival Guide by Sally over at Real Mom Nutrition.
The roasted pork and Brussels sprouts went perfectly with the applesauce.
I can tell you can’t wait to try this recipe!
My creative spin on this picnic roast worked.
It’s important to note that you will first cook this shoulder on high heat in the oven for a brief period of time before lowering the heat and roasting it for hours.
