Just 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep make this Mississippi Roasted Pork Shoulder crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside!
Just 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep make this Mississippi Roasted Pork Shoulder crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside! Serve the pulled pork on a sandwich, in tacos, over a salad, or paired with all of your favorite Southern sides. It’s an easy dinner recipe that the whole family will love!
This roasted pork shoulder recipe was inspired by my Mississippi Pot Roast, which includes 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…
How to Roast Pork Shoulder:
With just five minutes of prep, this pork shoulder will be ready to slowly roast in your oven.
Ingredients for Pulled Pork:
- Bone-in (or boneless) pork shoulder
- Olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- One packet of dry ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix
- One packet of Italian salad dressing mix
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.
Rub the dry seasoning from the ranch and Italian packets on the pork.
How long to roast Pork Shoulder:
Roast the pork, uncovered, at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes, and then reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and continue cooking for about 4 more hours. The high heat helps to get the exterior of the pork nice and crispy, while the lower, slower roasting allows the tough fibers to break down and create a tender, juicy pulled pork on the inside.
Transfer the pork to a cutting board and use two forks to shred the meat. It should be so tender that it just practically falls apart!
Drizzle the pork with barbecue sauce, if desired, and serve with all of your favorite Southern sides!
How to serve Pulled Pork:
This versatile meat can be served in a variety of ways! We prefer pulled pork sandwiches with a drizzle of barbecue sauce, but you can also serve the pork on top of a salad, in a wrap, stuffed into baked potatoes with barbecue sauce and cheese, as Pulled Pork Sliders, or as Pulled Pork Tacos!
On the side, try pairing the pulled pork with:
- Coleslaw
- Classic Southern Macaroni Salad
- Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
- Southern Potato Salad
- Classic Pasta Salad
- Cowboy Baked Beans
- Secret Ingredient Jiffy Cornbread
- Southern Collard Greens
Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- I’m using a bone-in pork shoulder here, but you can substitute with a boneless pork shoulder roast instead if you prefer. The bone helps to make the meat more flavorful and succulent, but boneless roasts yield more meat. Pick whichever you like best! The boneless pork shoulder cooks a bit faster than bone-in pork shoulder, so a boneless pork shoulder roast that weighs 4.5 lbs. may be done in 3 – 3 1/2 hours.
- Since the cooking time can vary significantly depending on the size of your pork shoulder and whether it’s boneless or bone-in, I recommend using a meat thermometer to know when your pork is ready to come out of the oven. The pork is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 185 degrees F, since this is the point at which is will “fall off” of the bone and become incredibly tender. 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 larger pork shoulder than the 4-5 lbs. called for here, I recommend increasing the cooking time by 45 minutes per pound. Again, the meat thermometer is the best way to know when your pork is done, though.
- The 4.5-lb. bone-in pork shoulder showed here yielded about 21 ounces of cooked meat. Assuming about 1/3-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.
- You do not need to cover the pork shoulder in the oven. You want the exterior to get nice and charred and crispy!
- How to roast pork shoulder in the slow cooker: 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.
- What is the best cut of meat for pulled pork? This recipe calls for a Pork Shoulder (also known as “Pork Butt”). This cut is located above the shoulder blade on a hog. It has a lot of juicy, marbled fat, which lends itself well to juicy, slow-cooked meat!
- Leftover roasted pork shoulder 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.
More easy pork shoulder recipes that you might enjoy:
- Crock Pot Pulled Pork
- 5-Ingredient Crispy Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Alabama White Barbecue Sauce
Mississippi Roasted Pork Shoulder
Just 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep make this Mississippi Roasted Pork Shoulder crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside!
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
- Optional, for serving: barbecue sauce
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
-
Pat pork dry with paper towels. Place pork on a wire rack in a large roasting pan (line the roasting pan with foil for easy cleanup, if desired).
-
Drizzle pork with olive oil and vinegar; rub to coat evenly. Sprinkle dry seasoning packets all over the meat, rubbing the seasoning into the pork.
-
Roast the pork, uncovered, in a 425 degree F oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and continue to cook for about 4 more hours (or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 185 degrees F).
-
Remove pork from the oven, transfer to a cutting board, and let stand until cool enough to handle (about 20-30 minutes). Use two forks to shred the meat and serve.
Recipe Notes
- I’m using a bone-in pork shoulder here, but you can substitute with a boneless pork shoulder roast instead if you prefer. The bone helps to make the meat more flavorful and succulent, but boneless roasts yield more meat. Pick whichever you like best! The boneless pork shoulder cooks a bit faster than bone-in pork shoulder, so a boneless pork shoulder roast that weighs 4.5 lbs. may be done in 3 – 3 1/2 hours.
- Since the cooking time can vary significantly depending on the size of your pork shoulder and whether it’s boneless or bone-in, I recommend using a meat thermometer to know when your pork is ready to come out of the oven. The pork is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 185 degrees F, since this is the point at which is will “fall off” of the bone and become incredibly tender. 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 larger pork shoulder than the 4-5 lbs. called for here, I recommend increasing the cooking time by 45 minutes per pound. Again, the meat thermometer is the best way to know when your pork is done, though.
- The 4.5-lb. bone-in pork shoulder showed here yielded about 21 ounces of cooked meat. Assuming about 1/3-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.
- You do not need to cover the pork shoulder in the oven. You want the exterior to get nice and charred and crispy!
- How to roast pork shoulder in the slow cooker: If you prefer to use a Crock Pot for this recipe, that’s fine! I prefer the oven, which yields a nice crispy exterior; however, the slow cooker gives you really tender and juicy meat as well. Simply place the pork in a Crock Pot, prepare as directed in the recipe, cover and cook on LOW for 10-12 hours or on HIGH for 6-7 hours.
- What is the best cut of meat for pulled pork? This recipe calls for a Pork Shoulder, which is a cut located above the shoulder blade on a hog. It has a lot of juicy, marbled fat, which lends itself well to juicy, slow-cooked meat! You can also use a “Pork Butt” for this recipe, if that’s how your store labels the meat available to you.
- Leftover roasted pork shoulder 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.
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