One of the many things I love about living in the south is going to a good old-fashioned pig picking.  They’re always a celebration of some sort and I look forward to EVERY SINGLE ONE that I’m invited to.  I’ve had some insane pork barbecue on outside cookers (I’ve personally never done it!).  However, I did recently prepare this Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder Barbecue in my oven.
Today’s recipe is sponsored by the North Carolina Pork Council. Â All opinions shared are my own, as always.
Rubbing it with a little liquid smoke helps to give it that smoky grilled flavor. Â I can smell an outdoor pig cooker just thinking about it!
Then coat it with a dry rub seasoning mixture. Â You can purchase a dry rub at the grocery store or make your own. Â I made my own since I had all of the ingredients on-hand. Â You’ll need to place it in a plastic bag large enough to accommodate the pork shoulder or wrap it in plastic wrap. Â The pork shoulder will need to be refrigerated overnight to let the rub do its thing and season the meat.
I place mine fat-side up on a rack in a roasting pan just big enough for the shoulder. Â Some people like to trim off the fat, but hey… if I’m eating barbecue I want all the flavor I can get. Â I do remove the fat before and during shredding the pork after it’s cooked.
Some people use a fork to shred their pork, but I just dive right into it with my hands. Â Having disposable vinyl medical gloves in my kitchen is always a must! Â And as always, I use my favorite brand of Eastern NC vinegar-based sauce. Â I haven’t completely perfected the way I like my sauce yet (still working on it!).
I LOVE to eat my barbecue on buns with coleslaw. Â Also, be sure to check out my recipe for this 3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Pulled Pork! Â What’s your favorite way of preparing barbecue?
PrintSlow-Roasted Pork Shoulder Barbecue
Ingredients
For the dry rub (makes 1 ¾ cups):
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
For the barbecue (pork shoulder):
- 1 bone-in pork shoulder – cooking time depends upon weight
- Liquid Smoke
- Your favorite vinegar-based sauce or barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the dry rub by mixing all rub ingredients well in a bowl.
- Rinse off pork shoulder with water and pat dry with a paper towel. Rub with liquid smoke (my pork shoulder weighed almost 8 pounds and I used about 2 tablespoons of liquid smoke).
- Rub well with dry rub covering the entire surface of pork shoulder (I used about ¾ cup of dry rub).
- Place in a plastic bag (removing as much air as possible) or wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, preheat your oven to 250 degrees F. Place the pork shoulder on a rack (uncovered) in a roasting pan. Place on a lower rack in your oven and bake approximately 1 hour per pound, or until an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (minimum) is reached in the thickest part of the pork shoulder.
- After removing from oven, cover with aluminum foil and allow to sit for about 30 minutes. Remove any unwanted fat and shred or chop as desired. Toss with desired amount of sauce.
Notes
According to the USDA, the safe minimum internal temperature for bone-in pork shoulder is 145 °F and allow to rest for at least 3 minutes.
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: slow roasted pork shoulder
Judy
Making this pork shoulder barbecue again this weekend! It’s melt in your mouth savory delicious every time.
★★★★★
Ronbeaux
I sealed my dry rub with actual mustard and then a thick layer of cocoa powder and instant coffee for bark second to none.
Bob Wiggins
It looks awesome and sounds fairly simple to put together. Perfect time of the year for this recipe to be used during the upcoming Holidays.
Valerie | From Valerie's Kitchen
Love this simple method! I can tell it would be so smoky and flavorful.