Tender and Delicious Slow Roasted Fresh Pork Picnic Roast (2024)

Southern Dinner Recipes
Pork Mains
Vegetable Recipes
Carrot Recipes

Diana Rattray

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.

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Updated on 02/21/24

Tested by

Diana Andrews

Tested byDiana Andrews

Diana earned her B.A. in Fine Art at Queens College and her culinary certification from the Institute of Culinary Education. Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer, and product tester at Food Network.

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Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 6 hrs 30 mins

Total: 6 hrs 45 mins

Servings: 8to 10 servings

Yield: 1 pork shoulder (8 to 10 servings)

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Picnic shoulder is a cut of pork that comes from the shoulder of the animal, a cut known to be a primal cut, alongside the loin, belly, and hind leg. From the shoulder come the picnic shoulder and the Boston butt, two different cuts that are often confused. The picnic shoulder is a muscular piece of meat with a lot of flavor. It requires proper cooking to make the meat tender and juicy, and is great for pulled pork. Picnic shoulder is basically the same cut as the part sold as pork shoulder, but some slight differences come from how the part is cut by different butchers.

Because of its tough nature, the picnic shoulder needs a slow and gentle cook; some cooks choose the crock pot and some the oven. Our recipe uses the latter to achieve a perfect, tender, and juicy meat with a crispy and crunchy crackling. Simple additional ingredients allow the flavorful pork cut to shine yet add a fragrant profile. Use the meat for stews, tacos, pulled pork sandwiches, mini quiches, empanadas, or as the centerpiece of a special meal, with sides of potatoes, vegetables, or casseroles.

Tender and Delicious Slow Roasted Fresh Pork Picnic Roast (3)

What You'll Need to Make This Slow-Cooked Pork Recipe

A Nice Rimmed Baking Sheet

A Sturdy Wire Rack

A Sharp Paring Knife

"Slow Roasted Pork Picnic Shoulder is easy to make and serves a crowd. I loved the crispy skin and garlic-infused tender pork, and the foil-lined baking sheet made clean-up so easy! I froze the leftovers into smaller portions to make tacos for another meal." —Diana Andrews

Tender and Delicious Slow Roasted Fresh Pork Picnic Roast (7)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

1 (6- to 8-pound) pork picnic shoulder (bone-in, skin-on)
Fine salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 large garlic cloves, halved, or to taste

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 450 F/230 C/Gas Mark 8.
Place a rack over a large, rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Set aside.
Pat the roast dry. With a very sharp knife or razor, score a crosshatch pattern (with cuts spaced about 1/2 inch apart) through skin and fat, but not into the meat.
Rub a generous amount of salt and pepperall over the pork, rubbing it into the slits and on the bottom of the roast.
Turn the pork over, and with a paring knife, make deep slits into the meaty bottom of the roast. Push a piece of garlic into each slit. Position the pork on the prepared baking sheet. Roast the pork, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Remove the pork from the oven and cover it tightly with heavy-duty foil. Reduce the heat to325 F/165 C/Gas 3, and roast for 5 1/2 to 6 hours longer (depending on the weight of the roast), or until the meat is fork tender.
To crisp the skin, raise the oven heat to 450 F/230 C/Gas Mark 8. Remove the foil and roast until the skin crisps to your liking.
Let the roast rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

How to Store Pork Picnic Roast

If raw: Wrap well and keep in the fridge for up to three days; after that, it's best to either cook it or freeze it. The cut will keep in the freezer for up to six months.
If cooked: Place all the leftover meat in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to three days; after that, it's best to freeze it in a zip-top bag for up to three months. Try to take out as much air as possible from the bags before freezing them.

How Long Should I Cook Pork Shoulder?

The best indication of well-cooked pork is the inner temperature, so a meat thermometer is a great tool to have at hand. The rule of thumb is to give the shoulder 25 to 35 minutes per pound until the inner temperature of the roast reaches 170 F for sliced pork and 195 F for pulled pork.

Helpful Links

Complete Guide to Pork Cuts

The Right Meat for Pulled Pork

What to Serve With Roast Pork

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1065	Calories
78g	Fat
1g	Carbs
85g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8to 10
Amount per serving
Calories	1065
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 78g	100%
Saturated Fat 29g	143%
Cholesterol 327mg	109%
Sodium 381mg	17%
Total Carbohydrate 1g	0%
Dietary Fiber 0g	2%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 85g
Vitamin C 2mg	12%
Calcium 92mg	7%
Iron 5mg	27%
Potassium 1230mg	26%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

Carrot
pork shoulder picnic
entree
southern

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