Just 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep make this Mississippi pulled pork crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside! Serve the pork shoulder roast on a sandwich, in tacos, over a salad, or paired with all of your favorite Southern sides.
Table of Contents
- One of the Best Pork Shoulder Recipes You’ll Ever Taste
- What to Know Before You Make Pork Shoulder Butt Recipes
- How to Make Oven Pulled Pork
- What to Serve with Pulled Pork
- Storage Tips
- Tips for the Best Pork Shoulder Roast Recipes
- Mississippi Pork Shoulder Butt Roast Recipe
- Pork Shoulder Roast Recipe Variations
For even more pork shoulder butt recipes, try this Dutch oven pork stew, this Dr. Pepper pulled pork, and these honey lime slow cooker pulled pork tacos, too!
I was looking for something different for a pork butt and found this recipe. I had everything in the cabinet. OMG this is delicious and my husband loved it…So easy and tastes great…
– Vicki
One of the Best Pork Shoulder Recipes You’ll Ever Taste
This easy pulled pork recipe was inspired by the classic Mississippi pot roast and our favorite Crock Pot Mississippi chicken, both of which include a packet of Ranch seasoning mix (among other pantry staples). I paired the Ranch seasoning with a packet of Italian salad dressing mix (another ingredient that I always have stocked in my kitchen), and this flavorful pork shoulder roast was born! I know it sounds like an odd combination, but just trust me on this one…
Mississippi Pork Shoulder Roast
Whether you prepare the pulled pork in the oven or in the Crock Pot, it’s an easy and affordable dinner that’s ideal for busy days when you don’t have the time or attention to tend to a more high-maintenance smoker or grill. With just a few minutes of prep, you can have a big batch of tender, juicy meat to use in a variety of ways. You’ll love the taste of the zesty seasoning, the crispy bark, and the fall-apart succulent pork. Add bbq sauce for the perfect finishing touch!
What to Know Before You Make Pork Shoulder Butt Recipes
- The Best Cut of Meat for Pulled Pork: The best cut of meat for pulled pork is called a “pork butt” or a “Boston butt.” Some grocery stores often label this as a “pork shoulder.” Boston butt comes from high on the hog, above the shoulder blade. It has a lot of juicy, marbled fat, which lends itself well to juicy, slow-cooked meat.
- Using a bone-in pork butt (or pork shoulder) adds even more flavor to your meat; however, you can certainly use a boneless pork butt instead. In general, a boneless pork shoulder will require slightly less cooking time than a bone-in piece of meat, so keep an eye on it and adjust accordingly.
- The red wine vinegar is an acidic component that’s comparable to the pepperoncini juice you’ll find in a traditional Mississippi pot roast. The acidic vinegar balances the richness of the meat and gives the dish a more complex flavor. Apple cider vinegar works as a great substitute.
- One packet of dry ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix and one packet of Italian salad dressing mix create a convenient blend of herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, and other spices, and even a bit of sugar. They make a perfect dry rub for the pulled pork! The sugars in the spice blend also caramelize on the outside of the roast, helping it brown in the oven.
How to Make Oven Pulled Pork
With just five minutes of prep, this pork shoulder will be ready to slowly roast in your oven for an easy recipe that the whole family will love! If it’s more convenient, you can also prepare the pork shoulder roast in the Crock Pot (those instructions are included in the recipe notes below).
- Pat the pork dry with paper towels, place on a wire rack in a roasting pan, and drizzle with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Line the bottom of the roasting pan with aluminum foil, if desired, for easier cleanup.
- Rub the dry seasoning from the ranch and Italian packets onto the pork.
- Roast the pork shoulder, uncovered, at 425°F for 20 minutes, and then reduce the heat to 325°F and continue cooking for about 4 more hours. The high heat helps to get the exterior of the pork nice and crispy (similar to searing it in a skillet first), while the lower, slower roasting allows the tough fibers to break down and create tender, juicy pulled pork on the inside.
- Transfer the pork to a cutting board and use two forks to shred the meat.
- The Best Way to Shred Pulled Pork: Before shredding, allow the pork to cool enough so that you can easily touch it without burning your hands. When you have such a big piece of meat, it can be very juicy and messy, so I like to put the pork on a rimmed baking sheet. This helps to prevent the juices from spilling all over the counter. Since the meat is so tender, it should basically just fall apart when you shred it with two forks.
- Drizzle the meat with bbq sauce, if desired, and serve with all of your favorite Southern sides!
What to Serve with Pulled Pork
This versatile meat can be served in a variety of ways! Try pulled pork sandwiches with a drizzle of barbecue sauce, or serve the pork on top of a salad, in a wrap, stuffed into baked potatoes with barbecue sauce and cheese, on pulled pork nachos, on top of bbq flatbread pizzas, as pulled pork sliders, or as pulled pork tacos!
On the side, pair the pork shoulder roast with this traditional coleslaw recipe, Jiffy cornbread with creamed corn, this corn fritters recipe, creamy baked mac and cheese, Aunt Bee’s 3-ingredient biscuit recipe, pumpkin bread or 2-ingredient pumpkin muffins with cake mix, my grandmother’s easy potato salad, easy potato casserole, Southern collard greens, and these fried apples.
Storage Tips
Leftover pulled pork will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To keep the pork longer, you can freeze the cooked meat in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
If you want to reheat your pulled pork in the Crock Pot, place the cooked meat (and all of the reserved juices) in the slow cooker on the “WARM” setting for 2-4 hours. This is a great option if you need to prep a meal in advance! You can also reheat cooked meat in a saucepan or Dutch oven on the stovetop over low heat, or smaller portions in the microwave.
What to Do with Leftover Pulled Pork
This versatile shredded pork can be used as leftovers in a variety of ways! Here are some good options:
- Piled on top of a bed of lettuce for a salad;
- Stuffed in sandwich buns for sandwiches;
- Stuffed inside of burritos;
- Tucked into taco shells, corn tortillas, or soft flour tortillas for pulled pork tacos;
- Toasted inside cheesy pulled pork quesadillas;
- Sitting in a bowl on top of fluffy white rice with cheese, lettuce, jalapenos, onions, and any of your other favorite toppings;
- Baked in enchiladas;
- Topping a giant tray of pulled pork nachos.
Tips for the Best Pork Shoulder Roast Recipes
- If you don’t have a roasting pan with a rack, you can cook the pork shoulder in a large Dutch oven (without the lid).
- Since the cooking time can vary significantly depending on the size of your pork shoulder and whether it’s boneless or bone-in, use a meat thermometer to know when your pork is done. It should reach an internal temperature of 205°F, since this is the point at which it will be incredibly tender and “fall off” of the bone. Don’t stress about the exact timing too much, though — it’s hard to “overcook” a pork shoulder, since it just gets more and more tender as it roasts.
- How many minutes per pound do you cook a pork shoulder roast? If you are using a pork shoulder that’s larger than 4-5 lbs., I recommend increasing the cooking time by 45 minutes per pound.
- You do not need to cover the pork shoulder in the oven. You want the exterior to get nice and charred and crispy!
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Mississippi Pork Shoulder Butt Roast
Equipment
- Roasting pan with rack
Ingredients
- 1 (4-5 lb.) bone-in pork shoulder (or “pork butt”) (or see notes to substitute with boneless pork shoulder)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 (1 ounce) packet dry ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix
- 1 (1 ounce) packet Italian salad dressing mix
- Barbecue sauce, for serving
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Place the pork on a wire rack in a large roasting pan (line the roasting pan with foil for easy cleanup, if desired). Drizzle the pork with olive oil.
- Add the vinegar to the pork; rub to coat evenly.
- Sprinkle the dry seasoning packets all over the meat, rubbing the seasoning into the pork.
- Roast the pork, uncovered, in a 425°F oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325°F and continue to cook for about 4 more hours (or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 205°F). If your pulled pork is tough, it's probably because you haven't cooked it long enough. The collagen in the meat is what keeps it tough, so you need to allow plenty of time for those fibers to break down. Remove the pork from the oven, transfer to a cutting board, and let it stand until it's cool enough to handle (about 20-30 minutes). Use two forks to shred the meat. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Drizzle with barbecue sauce and serve!
Notes
- Crock Pot Pulled Pork: I prefer the oven, which yields a nice crispy exterior; however, the slow cooker gives you really tender and juicy meat as well. Place the pork in a Crock Pot and prepare as directed in the recipe. Cover and cook on LOW for 10-12 hours or on HIGH for 6-7 hours.
- How Much Pulled Pork Per Person: The 4 ½-lb. bone-in pork shoulder showed here yielded about 21 ounces of cooked meat. Assuming about ⅓-lb. of cooked meat per person, this size pork shoulder will feed about 4 adults. If you’re serving a larger crowd, buy a larger pork shoulder or use a boneless pork shoulder for more meat.
Nutrition
Pork Shoulder Roast Recipe Variations
- Crock Pot Pulled Pork: I prefer the oven, which yields a nice crispy exterior; however, the slow cooker gives you really tender and juicy meat as well. Place the pork in a Crock Pot and prepare as directed in the recipe. Cover with a lid and cook on LOW for 10-12 hours or on HIGH for 6-7 hours.
- Use a boneless pork shoulder or pork roast in lieu of the bone-in pork butt. The boneless roasts tend to cook slightly faster, so adjust your cooking time accordingly.
- You can use multiple pork tenderloins instead of a pork shoulder roast; however, the lean meat of the tenderloin has a different texture and flavor than the pork butt.
- Instead of a regular barbecue sauce, try topping your pulled pork with this delicious Alabama White BBQ Sauce.
- Add brown sugar to the seasoning on the outside of the meat for a sweeter pulled pork. The sugar will also help the exterior caramelize. Paprika is also a nice addition for some color and extra flavor.
- Give it some spice! Make spicy pulled pork by adding some cayenne pepper to the dry rub, and serve the pork with crushed red pepper flakes, sliced jalapeños, or hot sauce.
More Pork Shoulder Roast Recipes
Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder
4 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
12 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Crock Pot Beer Pulled Pork with Maple BBQ Sauce
12 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
This recipe was originally published in November, 2019. It was updated in January, 2025.
I was looking for something different for a pork butt and found this recipe. I had everything in the cabinet. OMG this is delicious and my husband loved it so I had to subscribe to your page. This will be another nights main dish when it’s too hot to smoke a butt. So easy and taste great. I did add a little smoked paprika and will add more next time.
Thanks, Vicki! I’m so glad that you found my site. Welcome! 🙂
I used a boneless pork butt and it took a little more than 4 hours to cook. However might have been a problem with the oven or the user LOL. The meat was pretty delicious and worth the wait! I served it with skillet cornbread on the side. Also, I took it out at 195 degrees and let it rest til the internal temp reached 205 which wasn’t indicated but figured it applied here. I wasn’t sure what the seasoning packets would yield as far taste but it worked! Next time will add cayenne.
Thank you, CJ! I’m glad that it worked for you — even it required more time than expected!
Do you place the roast meat or fat side up?
Hi, Laura! Fat-side up is perfect!
I didn’t see the coleslaw recipe.
Awsome
Thanks, Grady!
Sounds delicious!
Can I use 2 Taco Seasoning packets instead?
Hi, Linda! You certainly can, it will just have a very different flavor. Let me know if you give it a shot!
Absolutely perfect recipe and delicious! Thank you for all the research and details you provide.
You’re very welcome, Kristi! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.