Pork Roast Recipe | Diethood

This pork roast recipe is a whole meal in one! Juicy pork shoulder is seasoned with fresh citrus and herbs and slow-roasted in the same pan with carrots, potatoes, and onions. You won’t believe how juicy it turns out.

When I’m not making a Guinness beef stew or cozy pot roast on the weekend, you can bet this easy pork roast is in the oven. It’s one of my favorite Sunday roast recipes! Juicy boneless pork shoulder is seared and then slow-roasted in citrusy cooking juices alongside tender vegetables and herbs. After a while, the meat gets so tender that it cuts like butter, and the roasted veggies soak up all the flavor in the pan. It’s an all-in-one meal that leaves most of the work to my oven!

Why You’ll Love This Easy Pork Roast Recipe

• Low and slow. I cook this pork roast the old-fashioned way: long and low in the oven so that the inside becomes meltingly tender while the outside crisps up in the heat. When all’s said and done, the pork is super juicy and the veggies get perfectly roasted.
• Dinner made easy. I love recipes like my slow cooker pot roast, honey garlic roast pork tenderloin, and this easy pork roast, where the meat and a side of vegetables are cooked all at the same time.
• Great for leftovers. This pork roast recipe makes enough to feed a small army, so we always have leftovers. Luckily, it’s easy to freeze or keep in the fridge for tasty lunches and meals later on. Roast pork sandwiches, anyone?

Ingredients You’ll Need

It doesn’t take much to turn a humble pork shoulder into a succulent, juicy roast dinner. But, there are a few key ingredients, which I’ll cover below. Scroll to the recipe card after the post for a printable list with the full amounts.

• Pork Shoulder – I use boneless pork shoulder (see below).
• Olive Oil – Rubbing the pork with a good-quality cooking oil, like olive oil, helps the outside brown up nicely in the heat.
• Seasonings – Garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
• Apple Juice – Apples and pork are a match made in culinary heaven. You can use regular apple juice, or I sometimes take inspiration from my apple cider-braised pork shoulder and use fresh apple cider when it’s in season.
• White Wine – I like Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio, but any dry white wine works. You can also use sherry, or replace the wine with chicken broth if you’d rather cook without alcohol.
• Fresh Orange – Juice ½ of an orange.
• Herbs – Fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs.
• Roasting Vegetables – My favorites for this recipe are chopped shallots, carrots, and Yukon gold potatoes. You can use any vegetables with similar roasting times. Other good options are butternut squash, acorn squash, and beets. 

How to Cook a Pork Roast in the Oven

Slow roasting is the best way to bring out the juiciness and flavor in a hefty pork shoulder. Here’s how to get this pork roast with vegetables seasoned and in the oven in just a few easy steps:

1. Prepare the pork. First, rub the pork shoulder all over with olive oil and season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Before you get it into the oven, quickly brown the pork in a skillet.
2. Assemble. Nestle your seared pork shoulder into a roasting pan and pour over the wine and apple juice. Squeeze an orange half over top, and add the herbs.
3. Roast. Roast the pork in a 350ºF oven under foil. Around the 2-hour mark, add your veggies. Cover the roast again, and return it to the oven for another 1 ½-2 hours.
4. Rest. Once your pork roast is out of the oven, you’ll want to let it rest for 15 minutes or so before you slice it. Don’t skip this step! Just like cooking chicken or steak, resting lets all the juices redistribute throughout the meat for extra succulent slices.
5. Serve. Serve your pork with a side of roasted veggies, drizzled with pan juices. See below for more ideas!

Crispy Pork Skin

As a final step before removing the pork roast from the oven, I like to remove the foil, switch on the broiler, and let the pork sizzle under the heat for a couple of minutes. It crisps up the pork rind and gets the top a deep golden brown. Optional, but very recommended!

How Long Should a Pork Roast Be Cooked?

The exact roasting times will vary depending on the size of your pork roast. For this recipe, I use a 4-pound boneless pork shoulder, and the total roasting time comes to about 3 ½ to 4 hours at 350ºF. You may need to adjust the cooking time if you’re using a smaller pork shoulder. 

The easiest way to tell if your pork is cooked is to check it using an instant-read thermometer. Pork roast is done when the internal temperature reaches 145ºF.

Serving Suggestions

This juicy pork roast with vegetables is a meal-in-one, perfect for cozy Sundays at home. I love to let the pork roast slowly all day, then serve it with the carrots and potatoes, smothered in pan drippings. If I feel like something extra, I’ll make a pan of buttery apple stuffing or a crunchy kale salad to serve on the side. And I’ll never say no to a sneaky basket of homemade orange-glazed dinner rolls!

Storing and Reheating Leftover Roast

• Refrigerate. Store the pork roast and vegetables together or separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
• Reheat. We like to use roast pork leftovers in sandwiches and wraps in the following days. Otherwise, the pork and veggies can be quickly reheated in the microwave, or you can warm everything in the oven under foil until hot throughout.
• Freeze. Leftover pork can be frozen for up to 3 months. I don’t recommend freezing the veggies, though. Defrost the pork roast in the fridge before reheating and serving.

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