29 Pork Shoulder Recipes for Braising, Roasting, Smoking, and More
Practiced hosts know the truth: Pork shoulder recipes take the stress out of even the biggest party. The large-format cut of meat is forgiving and flavorful, scaling well to feed a group without any extra effort. And while pulled pork sandwiches may come to mind first and foremost, there's a lot more you can do with this beginner-friendly meat. It braises! It roasts! It can be sliced into steaks and grilled up quick or popped into a slow cooker for a hands-off dinner.
Before we start piling on the inspiration, a note on terms. “Both a pork picnic roast and pork butt come from the shoulder area of a pig,” clarifies senior test kitchen editor Jesse Szewczyk. “Pork butt (sometimes labeled Boston butt) is a bit higher on the animal, closer to the spine, while the picnic (sometimes labeled picnic shoulder) is found just above the leg.”
Can you sub one for another? “Pork butt is usually a bit more fatty and can withstand long cooking times such as braises and stews without becoming dry,” notes Jesse. “The picnic shoulder—while very similar—has a bit less marbling. The difference is not enough that I would tell cooks they need one versus the other. If you have one, use it. I generally think it is okay to swap one for the other in most recipes. Pork butt is typically a bit more succulent, but a picnic roast is a great alternative and I personally would not worry about it being too different.”
Deputy food editor Hana Asbrink chimes in that you’ll often see a picnic shoulder sold bone-in. “I’ll use those for things that are extra long-roasted, like a show-stopping pernil, for example.” A boneless butt, on the other hand, comes in handy for weeknight dinners or smaller slow cookers; Hana likes that she can buy pork butt in “a smaller amount if it’s not being used for party purposes, like cutting them up for stews like kimchi jjigae!”
Grab whatever’s at your local market, and let’s get into our best pork shoulder recipes below.
Thinking about other cuts of pork? Head over here for our best pork tenderloin recipes, and get ideas for pork chops here. We love this pork loin recipe too.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by Lillian Chou1/29Char Siu
If you’ve only ever had this Cantonese barbecued pork at a restaurant, you’ll be delighted to find out how easy it is to make at home. For this pork shoulder recipe, you’ll cut the meat into strips and marinate it overnight before a quick 35-minute cook time.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Dawn Perry2/29Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder With Zesty Basil Sauce
Let your slow cooker make this meltingly tender pork shoulder while you go about your day doing something else.
Photo by Paul Petrowsky4/29Pulled Pork Sandwiches
We love slow-cooker pulled pork, but the smoky touch you get from using a smoker or grill is hard to beat. Pile the shredded pork into buns with homemade bbq sauce and coleslaw and serve with corn on the cob for the ultimate summer feast.
Photo by Colin Price5/29Apple Cider Pork Pot Roast
Apple cider and Granny Smith apples give this boneless pork shoulder its autumnal sweet-tart flavor. When it’s fork-tender, the shredded meat is wonderful on a pile of polenta.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson7/29Slow-Cooked Pork With Chickpeas
Canned chickpeas sip up the cooking liquid here, becoming a creamy partner for tender braised pork. This is a great make-ahead dish that absolutely improves over a day or two in the fridge.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Monica Pierini. Platter Courtesy of Heath Ceramics.9/29Smoky Dry-Rubbed Pork Steaks
Slicing boneless pork butt into steaks gives you lots of surface area for a punchy rub of fennel, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and mustard powder. You’ll sear the pork steaks over high heat and then finish in the oven.
Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Pearl Jones11/29Grilled Pork Shoulder With Butter Vinegar Sauce
Plan a mellow day by the grill tending to this hunk of pork and sipping a refreshing shandy. Apple cider vinegar adds zing to the sauce.
Photo by Noel Barnhurst13/29Pork Vindaloo
This Madhur Jaffrey recipe subs in grainy mustard instead of asking you to grind whole mustard seeds to flavor the tangy sauce.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman14/29Pork Shoulder Inasal
Andrew Purcell, food styling by Carrie Purcell, prop styling by Sarah Cave15/29Three-Day, Twice-Cooked Pork Roast With Fried-Herb Salsa Verde
Looking for a spectacular main course for a dinner party? This Chez Panisse pork roast recipe is just what you need. When you look at the total time, it may feel like a lot, but this weekend project is absolutely worth the prep time required.
Photo by Erin Kunkel17/29Slow Cooker Carolina-Style Pork BBQ Sandwiches
Mixing the cooking liquid with tangy vinegar, ketchup, and spicy dry mustard makes a barbecue sauce that’s good enough to drink (but, maybe save it for the sandwiches).
Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott18/29Pork Ragù Over Creamy Polenta
Flavored with garlic, nicely browned tomato paste, red wine, and herbs, this Boston butt is great with polenta, as written, or spooned over pasta.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Gerri Williams20/29Pork Adobo Pull-Apart Sliders
Your game day party plan starts here, with a full slab of Hawaiian rolls. (The pork adobo is also great on rice if you don’t feel like eating sandwiches tonight.)
Photo by Alex Lau21/29Pork Enchiladas Rojas
Cozy comfort food at its finest. “This is fabulous,” reports one reader. “Would definitely make this again,” says another.
Photograph by David Cabrera, Prop Styling by Adriana Bonin, Food Styling by Adriana Paschen22/29Mojo Roast Pork and Gravy
Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano. Prop Styling by Maeve Sheridan23/29Sake-and-Black-Sugar-Braised Pulled Pork Sliders
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman24/29Burnt Orange and Coriander Roast Pork
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Kendra Vaculin, prop styling by Emma Ringness26/29Posole Blanco
White pozole is made without chiles, letting the meatiness of the broth and sweetness of the hominy shine. Let your guests go to town with toppings: feathery shreds of cabbage, peppery radish slices, creamy avocado, and fresh lime.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell29/29Slow-Cooker Chipotle-Orange Pork Tacos
You might think about pork shoulder recipes in the context of big parties, but big batch cooking also serves you well during a busy week. Eat these pork tacos for a second night, or repurpose the leftovers into a brand new dinner.
