There’s nothing like the smell of slow-roasted pork filling your kitchen. This Boston butt recipe delivers tender, juicy pulled pork with almost no hands-on time. It’s one of our favorite ways to meal prep for sandwiches, rice bowls, or big family dinners.
Why This Boston Butt Recipe Works
Over the years I’ve made pork every way imaginable, but this Boston butt might be my favorite. The breakthrough came when I began roasting it uncovered during the final hour, allowing the edges to brown and the pork to become incredibly tender and flavorful. A Boston butt has more marbling than other cuts, which means it stays juicy and develops rich flavor as it slow roasts in the oven.
This recipe is also great for meal prep. You only need three easy steps: season, roast, and shred. The leftovers keep well, and you can use the pork in so many ways throughout the week. It’s also a nice family dinner option. This slow-roasted pork is such a great recipe to have on hand!
If you’ve been around A Cedar Spoon for a while, you may remember my other popular pork recipes like this pork chili, pineapple pork chops, or slow cooker pork shoulder roast.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s an overview of the simple ingredients we’re using. Jump to the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and printable instructions.
- Boston Butt (Pork Butt): A well-marbled cut of pork from the upper shoulder that becomes fall-apart tender when slow roasted. Ideal for pulled pork sandwiches, the pork roast delivers deep, rich flavor and juicy texture.
- Salt and Black Pepper: These pantry staples create the base seasoning, enhancing natural pork flavor and helping the rub stick to the meat.
- Garlic Powder and Paprika: Garlic powder adds mellow, savory warmth, while paprika brings subtle sweetness and a touch of color to the crust.
- Italian Seasoning: A dried herb blend (typically basil, oregano, thyme) that gives the pork a balanced, earthy flavor that complements the richness.
- Brown Sugar: Adds a hint of sweetness to round out the savory spices and helps create that flavorful caramelization as the pork roasts.
- Barbecue Sauce and Buns (optional): Great for transforming shredded pork into sandwiches, sliders, or game-day plates. Use your favorite BBQ sauce for added moisture and flavor contrast.
How to Cook Boston Butt (Step-by-Step)
To cook a pork Boston butt in the oven, rub it with spices, sear it, then roast covered at 325°F for 3.5 hours. Uncover and roast 1 more hour until fall-apart tender.
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Trim the excess fat off the pork butt.
Step 2: In a small bowl, mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, and brown sugar.
Step 3: Rub the spice mixture generously all over the pork, coating all sides.
Step 4: Heat a cast iron or oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork on both sides for about 2 minutes per side.
Step 5: Cover the pork tightly with foil and transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast for 3.5 hours.
Step 6: Remove the foil and roast for another hour, or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and is falling apart tender. If you’re aiming for classic pulled pork texture, you can continue roasting until the internal temperature reaches 190–205°F for even more shreddable, fall-apart pork.
Step 7: Let the pork rest slightly, then shred with two forks. Serve with BBQ sauce on buns, over rice, or with your favorite sides.
I also love making baked pork chops during the week, or these BBQ baked pork chops version when we want something tangy and sweet.
Pork Butt vs. Pork Shoulder
Pork butt roast and pork shoulder come from the same general area of the pig but are slightly different cuts. Pork butt, also called Boston butt or pork shoulder blade roast, is higher up on the shoulder and contains more marbling and fat. This makes it ideal for pulled pork from Boston butt, stews, and braises. It holds the juices in nicely.
Pork shoulder, sometimes labeled picnic shoulder, is further down the leg and a bit leaner. It often comes with the skin on and benefits from longer cook times or moist-heat methods.
For slow roasted pork with fall-apart texture and big flavor, Boston butt is the better choice for any pulled pork recipe or even pork tacos.
Storage & Freezing Tips
Store leftover pork in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a covered dish in the oven. For longer storage, freeze the pork in a sealed bag or container for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, though some prefer up to 190°F for shredding and fork-tender meat.
About 4.5 to 5 hours total — 3.5 hours covered, 1 hour uncovered.
Trim off large fat caps, then cook fat-side up if some remains to help baste the meat.
More Pork Recipes to Try
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Juicy Oven Roasted Boston Butt for Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 5 pound boneless pork butt, {Boston butt}
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- Barbecue sauce, optional for serving
- Buns, optional for serving
Instructions
- Prehat the oven to 325 degrees F. Cut the fat off of the pork.
- In a small bowl combine the salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning and brown sugar. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork on both sides.
- In a cast iron skillet or large skillet sear both sides of the pork over medium-hight heat for two minutes per side. Cover the pork with aluminum foil.
- Transfer the cast iron skillet or oven safe skillet to the oven.
- Roast the pork for 3 1/2 hours, remove the foil and roast for another hour or until the pork is tender and falling apart or the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Remove the pork from the oven and let cool. Use two forks to shred the pork and serve with BBQ on buns or on its own with your favorite sides.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Store leftover pork in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a covered dish in the oven. For longer storage, freeze the pork in a sealed bag or container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Loved how easy this was… and so flavorful.
I made this today and all I can say it this is an easy delishous way to cook pork butt. I “tweeked” it a bit by adding ground mustard and smoky paprika and it turned out great. This will be my go-to recipe for pulled pork sandwiches. Thank you.
I am glad you liked it. The spice swaps sound great!
could I also do this with a crock pot?
Yes just cook on low for 7 to 9 hours.