Baked Pork Roast
Published 11/5/2023 • Updated 8/16/2024
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With savory flavors from a simple pork dry rub and hearty vegetables, this pork roast recipe will leave your house smelling so delicious. I love how the outside of this pork roast is nice and crispy and the meat is so tender and fall-off-the-bone. My family begs me to make this one-pot meal every week!
This oven baked pork roast recipe is one of our most popular dinners on Fit Foodie Finds. It has hundreds of 5-star ratings and so many of you love it!
Simply season and sear your pork shoulder roast to crisp up the sides. Then, cook it in the oven with potatoes and onions until the meat is tender and juicy. Use the drippings to prepare a simple gravy and serve!
My favorite thing about this pork roast recipe is that not only does this meal provide the protein, but it’s also made with tons of veggies and gravy too!
What You Need to Make Pork Roast in the Oven
- Meat: This recipe calls for a 3 lb. pork shoulder roast, which means you’ll either be able to serve the whole fam, or cook a meal you can easily (and deliciously) reheat throughout the week from leftovers. We recommend a pork shoulder, but a pork butt works too.
- Veggies: you need russet potatoes, onion, and carrots. We’ve also made this with sweet potatoes and fingerling potatoes and it was delightful.
- Seasonings: Not only does the pork rub season your pork, but it also flavors the gravy you’ll make at the end. It features garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and paprika.
Gravy: This gravy is simple yet delicious! And because the dry rub completely covers your roast, it will infuse its savory flavors into this gravy as well. Here’s what else you need:
- Chicken broth
- Maple syrup
- Worcestershire sauce
How long should I cook pork roast in the oven?
If you use a 3 lb. pork shoulder, it should take around 75-80 minutes until it reaches 145ºF (FDA). We recommend searing all ends before baking.
Best Cut of Pork for Pork Roast
This recipe calls for a boneless pork shoulder roast. Pork butt also works, but a pork shoulder is definitely the best cut of pork for this because it’s a bit fattier and will come out so tender and juicy.
We knew we wanted to make a fairly traditional pork roast recipe, so we were deciding between two cuts of meat: a pork loin roast or pork shoulder roast.
- Pork Loin Roast: A pork loin roast comes from the back of the pig. It’s typically a very lean piece of meat, so if you are slow roasting, you have to be careful you don’t overcook it. In this recipe, if you use a pork loin roast it will be more of a pork chop texture that requires slicing when eating.
- Pork Shoulder Roast: A pork shoulder comes from the shoulder of a pig. It typically has more fat, which makes it great for slow roasting. We recommend this cut of meat for this recipe because it’s a super juicy, fattier, and tender.
PS: If you’re like, man, I wish this was an Instant Pot Pork Roast recipe or I wish this was a Slow Cooker Pork Roast — we have tons of other pork roast recipes on FFF.
Cuts of Pork
Not sure where all the different cuts of pork come from on the pig? We made it easy. Check out more details on everything pork in our favorite pork recipes round up!
How do you know your pork roast is done cooking?
You know your pork roast is done when it’s easy to cut into and almost “falls apart.” The internal temperature will read 145ºF or higher.
How to Thicken Gravy
While we didn’t find it necessary to thicken the gravy, you’re more than welcome to do so.
Combine 3 tablespoons of the pan drippings with 1 to 2 teaspoons of corn starch and whisk. Then, add the slurry back into the rest of the gravy and whisk to combine.
Can I make this pork roast in the slow cooker?
We have a similar recipe for crock pot pork roast, but here is the down low:
- Place veggies on the bottom of your slow cooker and set aside.
- Season pork roast on all sides and then sear it over medium/high heat to brown.
- Place the pork roast on top of the veggies and pour in the liquid.
- Cover and cook for 6-8 hours, or until fall-off the bone tender!
FAQs About Cooking Pork Roast in the Oven
Have a bigger or smaller roast?
If you have a bigger or smaller roast, no fear! Cooking meat is all about temperature and the goal here is to get your pork to 145ºF.
For a smaller roast, start with 45 minutes and check the temperature every 10 minutes. For a larger roast, add on time to our suggested 75 minutes in 5-10 minute increments.
Will my pork roast fall off the bone?
It depends! You’ll see in these photos that we had a fattier cut of pork shoulder, and it was more fall off the bone. But if you get a leaner shoulder of pork (there is some fattiness variation between pig shoulders!), it’s more likely that you’ll have to slice the pork when you serve it.
How do I flavor pork roast?
You can flavor pork with any of your favorite spice rubs. We recommend the best dry rub for pork. No matter what spice rub you use, be sure to use enough SALT as it will help tenderize the pork!
Can I overcook pork roast?
It is hard to overcook a pork roast! Especially since it’s a fattier cut of meat. There is a sweet spot when the pork becomes tender and falls off the bone. When that happens, keep an eye on the pork before it becomes too mushy!
What to serve with Pork roast
Pork roast goes well with just about anything! It tends to be a heavier meal, so pairing it with something a little lighter is always a good idea! Here are a few of our favorite pairings with this slow cooker pork roast:
How long does pork roast last?
To store this oven roasted pork roast, let the pork cool completely before placing it in an air-tight container. You can keep the pork roast in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 7 days!
How to Store Leftover Pork Roast
Let your pork roast cool completely. Then, transfer the pork and veggies into an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3-5 days.
Ultimate Pork Roast Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lb. pork shoulder roast
- 1.5 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 6 medium russet potatoes, cut into large 1-inch chunks
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 6 large carrots, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- First, preheat oven to 350ºF. Then, remove your pork shoulder from the packaging and use a paper towel to pat it dry. Place it on a large plate and set aside.
- Next, mix together all of the spices (garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, coarse sea salt, ground pepper, cinnamon, and brown sugar) in a small bowl and then rub it on all sides of the pork shoulder. Let pork sit in the fridge while you prep the rest of the recipe.
- Cut russet potatoes into 1-inch large chunks and dice a yellow onion and 6 large carrots into big pieces. Set aside.
- In a large cast-iron stockpot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. When the olive oil is fragrant, sear all 4 sides of your pork shoulder for 2 minutes per side or until it begins to brown. Remove the pork shoulder and place it on a plate.
- Pour a little of the broth onto the bottom of your hot stockpot, and use a wooden spoon to scrape off all the bits. Then, transfer all of the diced veggies onto the bottom of your stockpot and toss it in the broth and oil. Then, place the seared pork shoulder (fat-side up) on top of the veggies. Make sure to also transfer as much of the spice rub as possible that fell off the pork shoulder as that flavors the gravy.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the rest of the chicken broth, maple syrup, and Worchestershire sauce. Then, pour over the top of the pork shoulder.
- Place stockpot into the oven, uncovered, and roast at 350ºF for 60 minutes. Then, remove from oven and measure the internal temperature of the pork. Continue cooking in increments of 10 minutes until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145ºF. Our 3 lb. pork shoulder took around 75-80 minutes.
- Remove pork roast from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. During this time, the pork will continue to cook 5-10 degrees.
- Toss the roasted veggies in the gravy that is in the pot so that the veggies are nice and coated with amazing flavor.
- Serve pork roast sliced and with veggies and extra gravy.
Tips & Notes
- Gravy: option to add more chicken broth at the end to create more gravy. You can also thicken it with cornstarch if that’s your jam.
- Meat options: a pork shoulder roast will give you more fall-off-the-bone pork and a pork loin roast or pork butt (which have less fat) will give you a classic, sliced pork roast. We recommend a pork shoulder over any other cut of pork.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Photography: photos taken in this post are by Erin from The Wooden Skillet.
This recipe was delicious. Spices, flavor were fantastic, and my family loved it. Served ours over egg noodles.
This was absolutely delicious. The spices were perfect for the rub and the au jus. I made mashed potatoes and salad. The pork roast was excellent and the amount of time was perfect.
Pork shoulder needs a lot more time to cook so that it is tender. This roast was so tough and we did not enjoy it.
I’m not sure how people were screwing up the rub or maybe their tastebuds are damaged but the flavour was absolutely delicious, may even make the rub in bulk for chicken and ribs in the future. Cooked amazing to 145, juicy almost to the point I got a little nervous that it was ACTUALLY cooked through. Fantastic recipe.
This looks delicious!! Great job! I know that crispy crust was delicious.