Pork Shoulder Picnic Roast Recipe [Crispy Skin & Slow Roasted]

I made a Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder that yields 20 6 oz servings—each 461 Calories, 36.7g fat, 0.2g net carbs and 30.3g protein with impossibly crispy skin.

I am obsessed with this Pork Shoulder Picnic Roast because the skin turns impossibly crisp while the meat stays ridiculously tender. I love the primal simplicity of a big pork shoulder picnic roast with skin on, bone in if possible and the way the fat pools into glossy, savory pan juices.

Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder sings with charcoal-kissed edges and fork-fall texture that makes people shut up and eat. I can’t help but smile when the kitchen smells of garlic, herbs, and kosher salt.

It’s messy, loud, and honest pork roast in oven glory. Bring napkins and cold beer.

Please.

Ingredients

• Pork shoulder: the big, fatty roast that gives you rich, juicy meat.
• Kosher salt: dry brine that really pulls moisture and brings out flavor.
• Baking powder: helps the skin crisp up so you get crunchy crackling.
• Olive oil: adds silkiness and helps spices stick to the skin.
• Black pepper: simple heat and bite, keeps things interesting.
• Garlic powder: mellow garlic warmth without fresh-clove fuss.
• Onion powder: adds savory depth, kind of like background umami.
• Smoked paprika: smoky color and subtle warmth, not overpowering.
• Garlic cloves: fresh garlic pops in the pan juices and aroma.
• Rosemary: woodsy notes that cut through the fattiness, aromatic.
• Thyme: bright, herbal lift that’s classic with pork.
• Bay leaves: quiet earthy element in the roasting liquid.
• Chicken or beef stock: gives moisture and flavor to pan drippings.
• Yellow onion: sweetens the cooking juices as it slowly caramelizes.
• Apple cider vinegar: Basically adds brightness to balance the richness.
• Vegetable oil spray: helps finish the skin extra crispy and shiny.
• Parsley: fresh garnish that lightens the plate and looks pretty.

Ingredient Quantities

• 12 lb pork shoulder picnic roast with skin on, bone in if possible
• 4 tbsp kosher salt (for dry brine the night before, don t skip it)
• 2 tsp baking powder (helps the skin crisp up)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly smashed
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 cups low sodium chicken or beef stock (for the roasting pan)
• 1 large yellow onion, quartered
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (optional, helps flavor the pan juices)
• Vegetable oil spray or extra oil for skin finishing
• Freshly chopped parsley for garnish, optional

How to Make this

1. The night before: pat the 12 lb pork shoulder picnic roast very dry with paper towels, score the skin in a grid (careful not to cut into meat), rub 4 tbsp kosher salt all over the skin and exposed meat, then put it uncovered on a rack in the fridge overnight to dry-brine.

2. About 1 hour before roasting: take roast out of fridge to come toward room temp. Mix 2 tsp baking powder with 2 tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder, and 2 tsp smoked paprika; rub that onto the meat sides (not the skin yet). Toss 3 tbsp olive oil with the remaining 2 tbsp black pepper and brush on the skin area lightly.

3. Preheat oven to 275 F. Place a heavy roasting pan or deep tray in the oven with the quartered onion, 6 smashed garlic cloves, 4 sprigs rosemary, 6 sprigs thyme, 3 bay leaves, and 2 cups low sodium stock. Set a rack over the aromatics and place the pork on the rack skin-side up. Add the bone if you have it for extra flavor.

4. Roast low and slow: put roast in the oven and cook at 275 F until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the shoulder reaches about 195 to 205 F, roughly 4 to 6 hours for a 12 lb shoulder. This makes the meat tender while the fat renders. Check every hour after 3 hours, and top up a little stock if the pan dries out.

5. Toward the end of the slow cook, gently spoon out excess fat from the pan into a heatproof container but leave the pan juices and aromatics. If you want tangy pan juices, stir in 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar now and let it bubble a minute, then remove from heat.

6. Crank oven to 475 F (or the highest your oven safely goes). Pat the skin completely dry with paper towels again, sprinkle the 2 tsp baking powder if you used none on the skin earlier (the baking powder helps crisp), and lightly spray or brush the skin with vegetable oil or a bit more olive oil. Score lines should now pop and start blistering.

7. Put roast back in on the rack skin-side up and roast at high heat for 20 to 40 minutes until the skin puffs, bubbles and turns deep golden brown and crackly. Watch closely so it does not burn. If the skin is browning unevenly, rotate the roast.

8. Remove from oven and let rest uncovered for at least 30 minutes. Resting lets juices redistribute and the crackling set. If you want ultra crispy bits, you can blow-torch any stubborn spots or hit them briefly under a hot broiler, but watch it closely.

9. Carve or pull the shoulder into 20 6 oz portions using a sharp knife, keeping the crackling pieces on top of the slices. Warm the reserved pan juices and strained aromatics, skim fat if you want, and drizzle some over the meat or serve on the side. The optional apple cider vinegar will brighten the sauce.

10. Serve sprinkled with freshly chopped parsley for color. Leftovers keep well refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days, and you can re-crisp skin in a hot oven for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Equipment Needed

1. Heavy roasting pan or deep tray (big enough for a 12 lb shoulder)
2. Oven-safe wire rack that fits inside the pan
3. Instant-read meat thermometer for accurate internal temps
4. Sharp chef knife and a carving knife for slicing or pulling
5. Kitchen shears or small knife for scoring the skin
6. Paper towels and a set of clean kitchen towels for drying and holding
7. Small bowls and a spoon for mixing rubs and oils
8. Pastry brush or silicone brush to oil the skin
9. Heatproof container or jar for spooning off fat and holding pan juices, plus a fine mesh strainer
10. Heavy oven mitts or heatproof gloves and a long-handled tongs for safe handling

FAQ

Pork Shoulder Picnic Roast Recipe [Crispy Skin & Slow Roasted] Substitutions and Variations

• Kosher salt: use fine sea salt or table salt, but cut the amount to about 3 tbsp if using table salt since it’s denser and saltier.
• Baking powder: use 1/2 tsp baking soda plus 1 to 2 tsp cornstarch to mimic the drying and alkalizing effect that helps the skin crisp up.
• Olive oil: swap for melted butter for richer flavor, or a neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil if you want a higher smoke point.
• 2 cups low sodium stock: you can use plain water plus 2 bouillon cubes or 1 tablespoon bouillon paste, or replace with 1 cup stock + 1 cup dry white wine or a light beer for extra depth.

Pro Tips

– Dry-brine is not optional, do it. Salt the skin and leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight so the skin dries out and the flavor sinks in. If you try to skip this you’ll end up with soft skin and blander meat.

– Get the skin bone-dry before the high heat finish. Pat it thoroughly with paper towels, then press another towel on it to pull even more moisture. Any damp spot will steam and ruin the crackle, so be obsessive about drying.

– Use baking powder on the skin for crunch, but not too much on the meat. A light dust helps the skin puff and blister; too much tastes weird. If parts brown unevenly, rotate the roast and finish stubborn spots with a blowtorch or a very brief broil, watching it like a hawk.

– Save and use the rendered fat and pan juices. Spoon off excess fat for safety but keep some flavorful juices, add a splash of apple cider vinegar to brighten them, then strain and spoon over the meat when serving. It makes leftovers taste way fresher.

Pork Shoulder Picnic Roast Recipe [Crispy Skin & Slow Roasted]

Recipe by James Level

0.0 from 0 votes

I made a Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder that yields 20 6 oz servings—each 461 Calories, 36.7g fat, 0.2g net carbs and 30.3g protein with impossibly crispy skin.

Pin

Servings

16

servings

Calories

610

kcal

Equipment: 1. Heavy roasting pan or deep tray (big enough for a 12 lb shoulder)
2. Oven-safe wire rack that fits inside the pan
3. Instant-read meat thermometer for accurate internal temps
4. Sharp chef knife and a carving knife for slicing or pulling
5. Kitchen shears or small knife for scoring the skin
6. Paper towels and a set of clean kitchen towels for drying and holding
7. Small bowls and a spoon for mixing rubs and oils
8. Pastry brush or silicone brush to oil the skin
9. Heatproof container or jar for spooning off fat and holding pan juices, plus a fine mesh strainer
10. Heavy oven mitts or heatproof gloves and a long-handled tongs for safe handling

Ingredients

• 12 lb pork shoulder picnic roast with skin on, bone in if possible

• 4 tbsp kosher salt (for dry brine the night before, don t skip it)

• 2 tsp baking powder (helps the skin crisp up)

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tbsp garlic powder

• 1 tbsp onion powder

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly smashed

• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 6 sprigs fresh thyme

• 3 bay leaves

• 2 cups low sodium chicken or beef stock (for the roasting pan)

• 1 large yellow onion, quartered

• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (optional, helps flavor the pan juices)

• Vegetable oil spray or extra oil for skin finishing

• Freshly chopped parsley for garnish, optional

Directions

• The night before: pat the 12 lb pork shoulder picnic roast very dry with paper towels, score the skin in a grid (careful not to cut into meat), rub 4 tbsp kosher salt all over the skin and exposed meat, then put it uncovered on a rack in the fridge overnight to dry-brine.
• About 1 hour before roasting: take roast out of fridge to come toward room temp. Mix 2 tsp baking powder with 2 tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder, and 2 tsp smoked paprika; rub that onto the meat sides (not the skin yet). Toss 3 tbsp olive oil with the remaining 2 tbsp black pepper and brush on the skin area lightly.
• Preheat oven to 275 F. Place a heavy roasting pan or deep tray in the oven with the quartered onion, 6 smashed garlic cloves, 4 sprigs rosemary, 6 sprigs thyme, 3 bay leaves, and 2 cups low sodium stock. Set a rack over the aromatics and place the pork on the rack skin-side up. Add the bone if you have it for extra flavor.
• Roast low and slow: put roast in the oven and cook at 275 F until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the shoulder reaches about 195 to 205 F, roughly 4 to 6 hours for a 12 lb shoulder. This makes the meat tender while the fat renders. Check every hour after 3 hours, and top up a little stock if the pan dries out.
• Toward the end of the slow cook, gently spoon out excess fat from the pan into a heatproof container but leave the pan juices and aromatics. If you want tangy pan juices, stir in 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar now and let it bubble a minute, then remove from heat.
• Crank oven to 475 F (or the highest your oven safely goes). Pat the skin completely dry with paper towels again, sprinkle the 2 tsp baking powder if you used none on the skin earlier (the baking powder helps crisp), and lightly spray or brush the skin with vegetable oil or a bit more olive oil. Score lines should now pop and start blistering.
• Put roast back in on the rack skin-side up and roast at high heat for 20 to 40 minutes until the skin puffs, bubbles and turns deep golden brown and crackly. Watch closely so it does not burn. If the skin is browning unevenly, rotate the roast.
• Remove from oven and let rest uncovered for at least 30 minutes. Resting lets juices redistribute and the crackling set. If you want ultra crispy bits, you can blow-torch any stubborn spots or hit them briefly under a hot broiler, but watch it closely.
• Carve or pull the shoulder into 20 6 oz portions using a sharp knife, keeping the crackling pieces on top of the slices. Warm the reserved pan juices and strained aromatics, skim fat if you want, and drizzle some over the meat or serve on the side. The optional apple cider vinegar will brighten the sauce.
• Serve sprinkled with freshly chopped parsley for color. Leftovers keep well refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days, and you can re-crisp skin in a hot oven for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 188g
• Total number of serves: 16
• Calories: 610kcal
• Fat: 47g
• Saturated Fat: 16g
• Trans Fat: 0.5g
• Polyunsaturated: 5g
• Monounsaturated: 20g
• Cholesterol: 120mg
• Sodium: 1500mg
• Potassium: 700mg
• Carbohydrates: 1.5g
• Fiber: 0.3g
• Sugar: 1g
• Protein: 47g
• Vitamin A: 50IU
• Vitamin C: 2mg
• Calcium: 30mg
• Iron: 2.5mg