This pork shoulder is one of my favorite dishes to serve during the holidays. It’s golden and crunchy on the outside, moist and flavorful on the inside, and the ultimate homemade pork shoulder recipe.

Pork Shoulder Recipe

The key to making the perfect pork shoulder is to tenderize the meat by cooking it at a low and slow temperature. Then, for the last hour of cooking, raise the oven temperature to achieve crackling-crisp skin and a super juicy pork shoulder that everyone will enjoy!

What you’ll need:

Pork Shoulder: Skin-on (to enjoy the crispy crackling! Bone-in (lots of flavors)
Vinegar & Lime Juice
Seasonings: Lots of garlic, salt, black pepper, and dried oregano.

Although Pork Shoulder Roast is most commonly prepared around the holidays, there’s no reason why you can’t make it on a regular basis, especially with these simple steps.

How to Cook The Ultra-Crispy Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder

GETTING YOUR PORK SHOULDER READY FOR ROASTING

Remove the pork shoulder from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour.
Separate the top skin of the pork shoulder by making small cuts with a sharp knife and pulling the skin away from the meat. Make sure not to remove all of the fat. Just enough to allow the meat to be exposed. It is strongly recommended that you use a sharp knife. We don’t want any mishaps, so please be cautious. The goal is to loosen the skin as well as the layer of fat beneath it. The best way to do this is to pull the skin with one hand while slicing away with the other.
Using the same knife, begin poking holes as deep as you can all over the pernil (pork shoulder). Make as many slits as possible. The meat will be tenderized as a result of this. You will be able to insert your entire finger into the hole. You’ll stuff the seasoning inside these holes.
Then return to the top skin. Score the skin in parallel lines that are 1 inch apart. Repeat the cut by turning the skin 90 degrees. The pork skin will be cut into small squares. When doing this, you don’t have to be perfect. This will help in the cooking of the skin. This is a worthwhile effort, I assure you.

THE SEASONING

Take the seasoning mixture and generously coat the entire pork. Make sure to insert some of the seasonings deep inside the holes you previously cut with your fingers. Then, apply some of the seasonings to the top skin.
Wrap the pork in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, or overnight if possible. The pork can be kept in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. As a result, make your plans accordingly.

ROASTING

Bring the pork to room temperature for at least 30 to 40 minutes before placing it in the oven.
Preheat the oven to 250°F.
Take the pork out of the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap, and place the pork in a large shallow roasting pan with the fat side up. Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the pan. This will prevent any drippings of the pernil from burning and keep the pork moist.
Place in the oven on the lowest rack and bake for 5 hours; baste with juice every 30–40 minutes. Keep the bottom of the pan from drying out. If you run out of juice, add more water, depending on how dry the pork is.
Remove the pan from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450°F.
Place the pan back in the oven, and pour the vinegar and lime juice over the pork shoulder’s skin.

Cook until the skin is golden brown and crisp, 30–45 minutes. I like to tap the skin with a butter knife. You’ll know it is ready when the skin is substantial and it has a dull thud when you tap it.
Once the skin is crispy, pull the pan out of the oven, cover the pork with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 15 minutes. This will ensure the juices from the pan will be reabsorbed by the meat. Then, transfer the pork shoulder to a serving platter. And now you are ready to dig in!

More Pork Recipes:

Below, I’ve included a convenient printable recipe card for you.