This is an easy recipe that's perfect for family gatherings and any special occasion!
Boston Butt Pork Roast
Despite its misleading name, the Boston Butt Pork Roast is a culinary gem hailing from the upper shoulder region of the pig, not its rear end.
This bone-in pork shoulder, also affectionately called the pork shoulder, boasts exceptional versatility and flavor, particularly when treated to slow and low cooking methods. Its natural marbling, visible fat cap, and muscle fibers combine to create the perfect foundation for succulent and tender pork dishes.
Simple ingredients like garlic powder, brown sugar, black pepper, and kosher salt come together in a magical spice rub, elevating the innate flavor of the Boston Butt. The extended cooking time at a low temperature further enhances this magic, ensuring the meat reaches the perfect internal temperature for an undeniably delicious result.
This is the ultimate choice for pulled pork, transforming into a crowd-pleasing main course that shines at any gathering. Whether roasted in a pan, wrapped in aluminum foil, or slowly simmered in a crockpot, the Boston Butt Pork Roast's adaptability and taste have earned it a place of honor in recipe books and kitchens around the world.
Tools
Gear Up for Deliciousness with Essential Tools for Your Boston Butt Roast Masterpiece
Before diving into this easy pork recipe, let's assemble the essential tools for a perfect Boston Butt roast:
- Roasting Pan or Large Cast Iron Skillet: Your trusty pan will be the stage for slow-cooking magic. Choose a roasting pan for even heat distribution, or a large cast iron skillet for its superior heat retention and sear.
- Paper Towels: These handy helpers are perfect for prepping the roast and cleaning up spills.
- Roasting Rack: Elevate your roast for optimal airflow and crispy edges.
- Aluminum Foil or Pink Butcher Paper: These unsung heroes are key to creating a moist and tender roast. Aluminum foil traps juices, while pink butcher paper allows for steam release while preserving moisture.
- Meat Thermometer: Forget about guesswork! This trusty tool ensures perfectly cooked meat, achieving the ideal internal temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit for a fall-apart Boston Butt.
- Large Cutting Board: Once your masterpiece is cooked to perfection, a spacious cutting board provides the perfect platform for carving and preparing juicy slices.
- Air-tight Container: Leftovers are a blessing! Store your delicious Boston Butt in an airtight container for future enjoyment.
Key Ingredients
A symphony of Flavor for Your Boston Butt Pork Roast
Ingredients play a vital role in creating a succulent and flavorful Boston Butt Roast. Let's explore the key players and their contributions to this masterpiece:
- Garlic Powder & Onion Powder: Infuse the roast with savory complexity, building layers of flavor during slow cooking.
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness, balancing savory elements and creating a delightful contrast, while contributing to a mouthwatering crust.
- Kosher Salt: Enhances flavor, seasons evenly, and promotes moisture retention.
- Black Pepper: Delivers a subtle kick, elevating the taste profile with a hint of heat that harmonizes with other spices.
Instructions
Craft the Spice Rub: In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, thyme, brown sugar, onion powder, and garlic powder.
Generously Season the Roast: Rub the spice mixture all over the pork roast, ensuring it reaches every nook and cranny for maximum flavor distribution.
Marinate for Depth of Flavor: Place the seasoned roast in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 12 hours. This allows the flavors to penetrate the meat and develop richness.
Preheat and Prepare for Searing: Preheat your oven to 450°F while the roast comes to room temperature for 30 minutes. This ensures even cooking.
Searing for a Flavorful Crust: Place the seasoned roast, fat side up, on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Roast uncovered at 450°F for the first 30 minutes, creating a delicious "bark" on the exterior.
Slow Roast to Fall Apart Tender: Reduce the oven temperature to 250°F. Continue roasting uncovered until the exterior develops a dry and crispy "bark," approximately 6-8 hours for a medium-sized roast.
Wrapping Roast
Wrap and Let the Magic Happen: After achieving the desired "bark," carefully remove the roast and securely wrap it in two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil or pink butcher paper. Pink butcher paper allows steam to escape while retaining juices, resulting in a more flavorful and moist roast.
Return to the Oven for Low and Slow Cooking: Place the wrapped roast back in the oven and continue slow roasting for the remaining time. This extended cooking at a low temperature breaks down the connective tissues and fat marbling, delivering incredible tenderness.
Achieve Perfect Doneness: Monitor the internal temperature of the roast using a meat thermometer. Aim for 195-200°F for the ultimate melt-in-your-mouth texture. Remember, never cook it below 195°F. This will take another 2-5 hours depending on the size of your roast.
Rest for Optimal Juiciness: Once cooked, carefully remove the roast from the oven and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute within the meat, ensuring a moist and flavorful final product.
Slice or Pull to Your Preference: Slice the roast against the grain for a traditional presentation or pull it apart for perfect pulled pork texture.
Serve and Enjoy: Serve the roast with your favorite barbecue sauce for an extra burst of flavor and moisture. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or frozen for future enjoyment.
Serve Boston Butt Roast With
- Soft Sourdough Rolls
- Moist Cornbread
- Baked BBQ Beans
- Pasta Salad
- Loaded Potato Salad
- Fermented Red Sauerkraut
- Waldorf Salad
- Green Goddess Salad
Let me know what you think!
Share your cooking tips and feedback in the comments below.
Did you add any twists to these recipes? I'd love to hear!
Recipe Card
If you try this recipe and love it, I’d love if you give it 5 stars and let me know how it turned out in the comments or review! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouse_harvest with your delicious creation!
Fall Apart Boston Butt Pork Roast Recipe
Boston Butt Roast Recipe is dry rub marinated overnight, then slow roasted and wrapped so it practically falls apart as you cut it. Perfect on its own or as pulled pork! Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 6-8 pound Boston Butt Pork Roast
- 1.5 (1 and ½) tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons of ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried Thyme
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Marinate: Combine the salt, pepper, thyme, brown sugar, onion powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Rub the mixture all over the Boston Butt Pork Roast. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or overnight for best results.
- Put a wire rack at the bottom of your large roasting pan, then place your Roast FAT SIDE UP on roasting rack, in the pan, and set it on the counter.
- Preheat oven to 450° f, and let the roast come up to room temperature while the oven is preheating.
- Place roast UNCOVERED into your high-temperature oven, and roast for a half hour.
- Then, the oven down to a 250° F for the rest of the cooking time.
- Let the it roast uncovered till the exterior develops a “bark” or becomes a bit crispy, about 6-8 hours for a medium-sized roast (for a 6lb roast). Make sure the outside has a nice CRUST.
- Carefully remove the roast from the oven and completely wrap it in pink butcher paper, or 2 layers of aluminum foil.
- Return roast to the oven and cook at 250°F till the internal temperature (at the deepest part of the roast) reaches 195-200° f. (about 2-5 more hours)
- Remove from the oven to a cooling rack or cutting board and let it rest for 20-30 minutes so juices can redistribute.
- Slice Boston Butt Roast against the grain, or pull it apart with forks.
- Serve with your favorite BBQ sauce or enjoy all on it's own!
Notes
- Give your self plenty of time with this recipe... You can let it marinate in the fridge for up to 3 days!
- Start cooking it early in the morning the day you'll serve it. I start at 6 am to serve it at 6pm.
- Take the internal temperature by pushing my instant read thermometer right through the butcher paper or aluminum foil wrapping.
- If you don't have pink butcher paper, you can use heavy-duty aluminum foil. However, pink butcher paper is better at allowing steam to escape while still retaining moisture.
- Let the pork come to room temperature before cooking for more even cooking.
- The internal temperature of the roast is the best way to determine doneness. Don't rely on time alone.
- For pulled pork, you can add your favorite BBQ sauce to the shredded meat or drizzle over the top!
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 4 ozAmount Per Serving Calories 849Total Fat 57gSaturated Fat 21gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 30gCholesterol 260mgSodium 254mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 0gSugar 7gProtein 70g
Store & Reheat Like a Pro
Cool your cooked roast completely before storing. Divide into portions and store in airtight containers. Refrigerate for 3-5 days or freeze for 3 months.
Reheat gently using the oven, slow cooker, or stovetop. Add a touch of liquid to retain moisture. Enjoy roast pork butt leftovers as pulled pork sandwiches, tacos, or as a main course.
FAQ's
At 250 degrees F, you will cook your Boston butt roast, fat side up, for 40 minutes per pound. Till internal temperature reaches 190-200 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
Boston Butt Roast makes THE BEST pulled pork when it's cooked slow and low all day long to an internal temp of 195 - 200 degrees!
Cooking a Boston Butt right forms a "bark" on the exterior that's crispy and flavorful... After cutting up the roast, mix the bark crust together with the inside meat to flavor the entire batch of high quality pulled pork!
The best cut for pulled pork is the Boston Butt Roast! If you have less time the pork loin can also make a good but a bit more dry pulled pork.
No the shoulder roast, and sometimes a picnic roast is sometimes called a butt roast. The Boston Butt is a higher cut on the pig, and a higher quality cut with fewer tendons and connective tissues.
Not at first... And then yes later on. Do not cover Boston Butt Roast in the oven till it has roasted for 6-8 hours and developed its "bark" like outer skin crust. Then, wrap with foil, or pink butcher paper and roast till the internal temp reaches 195-200 degrees!
I don't recommend putting liquid into the bottom of your roasting pan.... This roast is full of fats that keep it moist so it does not need extra moisture in the pan. Plus it cooks at such a low temperature most of the time that drippings don't burn onto the pan.
More Pork Recipes
Sources
Hey, I'm Juliea!
I've been making this Boston Butt Pork Roast Recipe for years... I hope you love it too!
Martha Clark, RN
I made this recipe with very few subs (for once!). Didn’t have time to marinade, used the rub spread on a 4 lb Boston Butt pork roast early this morning. Didn’t use cumin, instead used Morton’s Natures Seasonings and thyme.
OMG, this technique is amazing! Crispy-chewy-savory ‘bark’ overall - juicy ‘wet’ meat inside (but not TOO wet like a crockpot roast!). 1/2 hr at 450F, 6hr at 250F.
I can’t say enough about this recipe (and technique especially). The house smelled soooo good all day!
I worried the meat would get dry at such a long and low roast. But NO! Crispy salty deliciousness outside - juicy and perfectly-melted-fat-deliciousness inside.
Thanks so much!! My new BF is going to love this when I make it next weekend. The roast I made today is all for ME for the work week. ?????
Allie
I love a good pork recipe. Thanks so much for sharing this and I plan on cooking it this weekend. Yum yum.
Danielle
This sounds so delicious! I might have to become a lot more patient and organized to get it going so far in advance. Thanks for this recipe!
Sara Guthrie
Perfect for keto, I will swap the brown sugar for swerve brown sugar and follow your cooking directions!! Sounds delish!
Julea
Wow… this recipe makes pork butt so tender! Falls apart but still has the crusty bark I love!
Darlene
WOW... This is the perfect recipe to get that crusty outside and the moist tender inside pork roast! I followed the recipe with the seasoning and everything and we loved it! Next time I may try different seasoning just for fun, but this is a perfect recipe! Thanks!
Alexis
I am so excited to try this for Thanksgiving! Thank you for the recipe!! Approximately how long should it take after wrapping it in foil for it to reach the appropriate temperature? My cut is 4 pounds and I am just trying to get a gauge of time for when I should start in order for it to be ready in time. I am making it at home then transporting it to my parent’s house about 35 minutes away. My thoughts are to make it fully at home then unwrap it from the foil cook when I get to their house. Thoughts?
juliea
Hi Alexis! So glad you appreciate this recipe! Do you have a meat thermometer? I'm not perfectly sure how much time it will take from foil to finish with a 4 pounder, but you can't go wrong with a meat thermometer! They are pretty cheap, and you can pick them up at any Walmart or on amazon. I have a big family, so I usually get 6 pounds plus. However, I'd recommend 6 hours for the first roast, till "bark" is nice and established, then count on at least 2 hours in foil. You can take it out when the internal temp reaches 190 degrees and it will continue to go up in temp after you take it out on your way to your parents house!
Paula
Hello, planning to make this this week. Is it necessary to add water to the roast pan so it doesn’t dry out?
juliea
Hi Paula! Thanks for stopping by and for your question! When I roast my Boston Butt in the oven I do not add water. There is a good amount of fat in the roast itself, and that fat keeps it moist inside... ALso allowing the bark to form on the outside also locks in moisture. I hope this helps!
Beth
Made this today for Thanksgiving. . . and we ate it tonight! Tomorrow we'll enjoy the leftovers. Awesome. My very FIRST pork roast and it turned out perfect. I forgot a few steps in the rush at the last minute, but it was all good. I did the dry rub last night so it got to sit all night, then cooked for 6 hours today. Will be doing this one again. We thank you for making our Thanksgiving "just perfect!"
juliea
Hi Beth! So glad you tried and liked it! Happy thanksgiving!
Hannah
Just wondering if you just cover the top of the roasting pan with foil? Or do wrap the entire roast in foil, then return it to the roasting pan?
juliea
Hi Hannah! I wrap the entire roast with foil! Thanks for asking!
Jennifer
How should I reheat this if I cook it a day before I need it? I would have it pulled and ready to go for sandwiches. I would probably want to reheat it all at once since it's for a party. I thought about doing it in the oven at a low temperature, but didn't know if it would dry out.
Andrew Griffin
I did this for an Easter roast instead of a traditional ham that my family usually does. There were no leftovers. I also wanted to mention the origins of the Boston Butt name. It is absolutely true that the name is derived from the Port city of Boston as mentioned above, while the "Butt" portion of the name comes from the huge storage barrels that were used to store and brine these cuts called "butts".
juliea
Hi Andrew! So glad everyone loved the Boston butt roast! And good to know about the "butt" in Boston Butt! Makes sense that they were brined in barrels!
Laura
I want to make this for Mother’s Day and do not think I will have 8 hours to cook it. If I make it the day before how would you recommend I reheat it? Or do you think that will make it tough? Also will you send the answer to my email address?
Thank you!
juliea
This is very good the next day! Just wrap it well before refrigerating it! And reheat in the oven before serving!
traci
Made this at 3:30 this am, looks absolutely amazing! Just waiting for the kids to arrive so I can eat some more. Lol of course I cheated and tried it... Yummy this will be my recipe from here on out!!! So happy thanks so much.
Donna in Michigan
Very tasty, moist results. Followed dry rub instructions and baking instructions. Very well written and informative. Turned out perfect. Served it on buns with a slaw-type topping we call US31 Barbecue Sauce (named after local restaurant known for their pulled pork & beef sandwiches). Will definitely make again.
juliea
Hi Donna! So glad you tried and enjoyed my Boston Butt Roast recipe and thanks for leaving a comment! Your US31 BBQ sauce sounds yummy!
Ellen Currotto
When I took the roast out of the oven it was already at 200 degrees! I didn’t wrap in foil and put back in oven. I did wrap in foil. Is that okay.
juliea
Hi Ellen, Thanks for the comment! That's interesting, Do you know what size your roast was in pounds? How did it turn out?
Debra
Hi, how much time and what temperature would you recommend for a 7# “boneless” pork butt.
Jordan Evans
Thank you for this crowd pleaser! Made this yesterday for a family bbq/gathering. Planned for pulled pork sandwiches, Bbq sauceon the side. Lets just say not one person even touched the bottle of BBQ sauce!! Everyone LOVED it as is. 2 nights in the fridge marinating in the rub/ and some pineapple orange juice drizzled over it. 30 mins at 450, 7 hours at 250, another 2 and a half hours wrapped in foil at 250. The roast came out delicious! My family couldn’t stop raving about how much they loved it!! Thank you again for my new favorite pork roast!!
juliea
Hi Jordan! Thanks for the feedback.. I'm so glad you all enjoyed this for pulled pork! Love your pineapple orange juice addition, what a great idea!
KerryAnn
When wrapping in foil the top layer of fat is pretty dark but still soft to the touch. Should this be crispy before wrapping? or can I broil it at the end to crisp it up? It’s an 8 lb roast, did the 450 for half hour and 8 hours at 250 before wrapping.
juliea
Hi KerryAnn! Yes, this should be crispy or "bark-like" before wrapping it in foil or pink butcher paper!
Pam
I’m cooking a very small roast for just me and husband. Roast is not even 3 lbs. when do I use the meat thermometer? Do I put it in the roast then wrap in foil? Thank you for a response.
Lisa
Just made this recipe… It’s 10 o’clock in the morning. I’m standing at the stove top, pulling the pork apart, and took my first taste. OMG… Now my second, third, fourth taste….this is FANTASTIC. Best pork I ever made. I didn’t realize, till I defrosted the meat, that I bought the shoulder butt, not the Boston Butt. I was afraid all the work I was going to put into it, still might not make it tender enough. But I went for it because that’s the piece I had. It is phenomenal. This recipe will go into my personal recipe box. Thank you so much for this recipe.
juliea
Hi Lisa! I'm so glad your shoulder butt roast turned out great with this recipe! Thanks for just going for it, and stopping by to leave your comment!
Charlotte Lindsay
First time butt roast! Let me just say that this was a labor of love! I had a 5 pounder. 30 mins at 425 because I used convection oven. Then 225 (bc convection) for 8 hours. Very nice bark and crisp. Then wrapped in foil for 4 more hours! It still was not up to 200! More like 170. We had burgers for supper 🙂 I cooled it some and put in fridge. Began re-cooking at 4pm the next day in a 350 oven. At 530 it was up to 180. We had pork chops. Haha! By about 7pm it was up to 200. If I’d read the whole post, we might have eaten it the first day. But the samples we ate last night were worth the wait!! I will definitely be making this again but will allow more time in day one and probably cook at 250 even on convection. Thank you!!
Susan Moore
How do you reheat when making the day before the event? I don’t want it to be dry.
juliea
To reheat a Boston Butt roast for pulled pork while keeping it moist, you can follow these steps:
Preheat your oven to 325°F.
Place the roast in an oven-safe dish and cover it with foil. Make sure the foil is tightly sealed to prevent any moisture from escaping.
Put the dish in the preheated oven and allow it to heat up for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the foil and baste the roast with any juices that may have collected in the dish.
Cover the roast with the foil again, making sure it is tightly sealed.
Place the dish back in the oven and continue heating for another 45 to 60 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the roast reaches 165°F.
Once the roast is heated through, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before shredding it with a fork.
Diane Eblee
Can the tablespoon of salt be reduced or even not uses ( due to kidney issues. Or can salt substitute be used?
juliea
Hello Diane! Yes of course you can reduce the salt! I think there is a magnesium based salt substitute in the salt section that you could use too... I believe Hain or Hayne makes it!
Sarah
After 17 years of marriage, my husband said this might be the best meat I've ever made! It was so good! It never did get to 200; we had to eat, and it was only 180, but it was still amazing. I wasn't sure when to wrap it in foil, so I did it after it had been at 250 for about 6 hours. Thank you so much for the recipe!
juliea
Hi Shannon... Thanks stoppping by and trying my Boston Butt Roast Recipe... And for comming back and commenting!
Maggie
Hi, trying this for the first time. Just wanted to say I have a 5.5 lb roast, put it in at 9 a.m and as of 5:20, it's only at 182 deg. Seems like it takes a lot more than 8 hrs to cook. I even raised the temp to 260, around 3 pm.
Thanks.
juliea
Hi Maggie! Thanks for the comment! That is interesting. Every oven and roast are different. Did you wrap it after the crust developed?
Sharon P.P.
I have a 15 pound cut of meat for a large gathering. The way I am reading this is to cook at 450 for half hour and 14 hours at 250 before wrapping? Just want to make sure becasue that seems like an eternity, but it is a large piece of meat. Thanks for your help!
juliea
Hi Sharon... Thanks for stopping by my blog! That is a huge cut of meat... How fun! Yes, 450 for 1/2 hour at first, then lower the oven temp to 250. You do cook this for hours, I'm not sure exactly how many hours it will take before a good bark develops, but I think 14 hours would be too much time... The bark or crusty exterior wont take that much longer for a bigger cut of meat, Your roast will take longer to get to 195 or 200 degrees internally just because it's so big. But the crust will develop faster because it's on the outside. I'd check the roast for a good crust on the outside about 8 hours after roasting, and then wrap it after you have a nice crisp "bark". wrap it, and continue roasting it till the internal temp reaches 195-200 degrees at the thickest part. Then let it rest for 20 minutes before cutting/shredding it!
Juliea Huffaker
Hi Leslie! Yes the dutch oven should work just as well as the foil;) Thanks for asking!