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The Best Garlic & Brown Sugar Pork Shoulder

Perfect for the holidays, low and slow roasting gives you a pork roast that has a crispy exterior and a melt in your mouth inside that so tender, it can be pulled apart with your fingers!

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Heyyyyy ya’ll! I’ve been traveling for about a month now and Thanksgiving has COMPLETELY snuck up on me! But never fear, I have 3 recipes coming your way over the next week. And first up, this incredibly tender and moist pork shoulder roast that is really a set it and forget it dish that allows you to focus on other dishes you have to make during the holiday season. I’m serious

Raw pork roast on marble cutting board showing marbling of fat in meat
Look at the marbling of the fat in the meat. That will break down and provide moisture in finished product.
Pork shoulder seasoned with spice rub
Be sure to pat this into the meat so that the flavor can penetrate. The rub creates a seasoned dry brine.
Pork shoulder rubbed with garlic mustard mixture.
The mustard rub is slathered over the entire pork shoulder to aid in flavor and crispiness of finished product

A Little About Roasting Pork Shoulder

Pork Shoulder roasted and pulled apart for serving.
Look at the moisture on that pork roast. The outside is caramelized and crispy while the inside remained super juicy and tender!

Pork shoulder is one of the best cuts when it comes to pork. Even a small roast will feed about 5 people, so if you want a holiday meal without a lot of leftovers, a 3 or 4lb roast will be perfect for you! With the fat that is marbled throughout, you get a really juicy piece of meat that pretty much sauces itself as the fat breaks down. To get a roasted pork shoulder that is cooked through, you only need to reach a temperature of 165 degrees.

However, if you want a pork shoulder that barely slices because it’s so tender you could pull it apart with your fingers, you should aim for an internal temperature between 195-200. This temperature allows the fat of the pork to breakdown and the meat to tenderize, making it the perfect temperature for fall apart roast. If you prefer a tender, but sliceable pork, I suggest 180-185 degrees internally.

Besides the tender juiciness of this pork roast, the next best thing is the rub. Of course the pork is rubbed with a brown sugar spice blend that penetrates the meat and gives flavor throughout. The real key is the Duke’s Brown Sugar Bourbon mustard and garlic rub that gets slathered on. It’s a sweet, tangy, garlicky flavor bomb that coats the outside and becomes such a great first bite when you’re eating it. Trust me, you will definitely want to add this to your pork roast!

Once you’ve rubbed it on, the only thing next to do is cook it, low and slow! A 3-pound roast cooks between 275 degrees for 4-5 hours, giving you time to do other things to prepare for your holiday meal! Let’s get into my final tips for you so you can save this recipe for immediate use!

Pork shoulder roasted pre-cut. Crispy caramelized outside with gold fork about to shred.
The outside of this pork is crispy, caramelized and full of flavor. No knife needed truly, only a fork…even a silver one could work!

Tips For Making this Brown Sugar Pork Roast

I’ve already given you the best tips above cooking low and slow and using the Duke’s Mustard to coat the outside. The next few tips are to ensure you get a good pork roast regardless of the size you want to make!

  • Use ~3/4-1 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher salt per pound of meat. If you like less salty, go 3/4, for a good flavor, I recommend 1 tsp. If using table salt, reduce that by half.
  • If possible, season with spice and garlic & mustard rub and marinate at least an hour, up to 24 hours in advance. This will give more flavor and bring more moisture to the center of the roast.
  • Baking uncovered should give you a nice crust on your roast, but if you want more browning, crank the oven back to 450 without removing for 15 minutes, or until your desired color is reached!
  • I personally don’t believe this needs any sauce or gravy, but if you’re a sauce person, try my bourbon roasted cherry bbq sauce, keto bbq sauce or apple cider bbq sauce.

That’s all I have for ya’ll today. If you make this, be sure to tag me using #lizeeangel or join the NikNacks and follow me!. You can find me on tiktok , pinterest, instagram, facebook, twitter and youtube!

Pork Shoulder roasted and pulled apart for serving.

The Best Garlic & Brown Sugar Pork Shoulder

Perfect for the holidays, low and slow roasting gives you a pork roast that has a crispy exterior and a melt in your mouth inside that so tender, it can be pulled apart with your fingers!
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Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Resting Time 20 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 50 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 3 lb pork shoulder see notes for other sizes
  • 2 tbsp oil high smoke point
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 tsp kosher salt half amount for table salt
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp poultry seasoning
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic, large or 1 tbsp garlic paste for no food processor
  • 1/4 cup Duke's Brown Sugar Bourbon Mustard
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp champagne vinegar (apple cider or balsamic work here too)

Instructions
 

  • Drizzle oil over pork roast and rub to coat thoroughly. Combine brown sugar and all spices in a small bowl and sprinkle over entire roast. Be sure to pat in and coat all of it for even flavor.
  • In a small food processor, combine mustard, garlic cloves, Worcestershire and vinegar. Pulse until you have a paste. Rub over all surfaces of pork.
    If you do not have a food processor, substitute garlic paste for cloves and combine in a separate bowl.
  • Place roast in roasting pan and place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours.
  • When ready to bake, heat oven to 450 degrees and place rack in center of oven. Roast pork shoulder for 20 minutes at 450, then reduce temperature to 275 degrees. Bake for 4-5 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 195 degrees for fall apart pork.
  • Allow to rest for at least 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

For Various Size Pork Roasts:
For a 4lb Roast, cook at 450 for 20 minutes and cook for 4 1/2 – 5 1/2 hours, or until thermometer reads 195 degrees in thickest part of shoulder.
For a 5lb Roast, cook at 450 for 25 minutes and cook for 5 – 6 hours, or until thermometer reads 195 degrees in thickest part of shoulder.
For a 6lb Roast, cook at 450 for 30 minutes and cook for 6 1/2 – 7 1/2 hours, or until thermometer reads 195 degrees in thickest part of shoulder.
For a 7lb Roast, cook at 450 for 30 minutes and cook for 7 – 8 hours, or until thermometer reads 195 degrees in thickest part of shoulder.
For a 8lb Roast, cook at 450 for 35 minutes and cook for 7 1/2 – 8 1/2 hours, or until thermometer reads 195 degrees in thickest part of shoulder.
 
Keyword christmas, holiday, main dish, pork shoulder, roast pork, thanksgiving

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One Comment

  1. Hi Nik. I want to make this for Xmas, and I would like to know, how can I substitute the Duke’s Brown Sugar Bourbon Mustard? I would rather use the Duke’s, but I leave in NYC, and of course, can’t find it. I see you linked Duke’s above, but it’s a 4 pack, and I don’t use mustard like that to order a 4 pack. Help, Thank you!

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