Pork Butt Roast

My Pork Butt Roast recipe makes an unfussy but impressive dinner or meal prep item that can be used all week long.

Based on my How to Roast Pork Perfectly recipe, this one skips the gravy for times when you just want the roast, without the extra steps. Perfect for a dinner with leftovers or to use for meal prepping.

I like it simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. The prep for making this roast takes about five minutes and then the recipe is hands-off for a few hours while it’s in a low-temp oven.

What Is A Pork Butt?

A pork butt, sometimes called a Boston butt, is not actually from the rear of the pig. It comes from the shoulder, along with the pork shoulder cut. It is a cut of meat that has somewhat of an oval shape, tapered on one end, with a mixture of dark and white meat. This cut requires a low and slow cooking method. This helps the fat and connective tissue that would otherwise make it tough and chewy become tender.

Sometimes you’ll find a pork butt roast tied so that the tapered end is pulled in or tucked under to create more of a rounded roast shape, which can contribute to more even cooking. For this unfussy version though, I’ve skipped the tying, with results just as flavorful as if I had tied everything.

How To Cook A Pork Butt Roast

To make a perfectly roasted pork butt, preheat the oven to 300°F. While the oven is preheating, the pork roast needs a little bit of prep that takes just about five minutes. 

You’ll see that one side of the pork butt has a little bit of a fat cap on it. Trim this down a bit so it’s only about ¼-inch thick. This will cut down on the rendered fat at the bottom of the roasting pan (in case you want to make gravy, described here) and also helps with even browning.

Transfer the pork butt to a roasting pan (no need for the roasting rack) and then rub the pepper, garlic powder, and salt all over the top, bottom, and sides. Pour the chicken stock into the bottom of the pan. This will add a little bit of humidity to the oven while the pork butt cooks at the low temperature, eliminating the need to cover the roast while it’s cooking (another unfussy step). 

Make sure the pork butt is in the pan with the fat cap side up, and place the pan into the oven. The pork butt will need to cook for about 40 minutes per pound. About 2 and ½ to 3 hours for the size mentioned in the recipe below. We’re looking to reach an internal temperature around 180°F at this point, higher than you would for other cuts, but it will still be tender inside. If your roast is a different size, make sure to calculate for your cooking time. Plus, it’s always good to give it an occasional check with an instant read thermometer.

Remove the pan from the oven and set this aside for about 15 minutes. While the roast is resting, increase oven temperature to 475°F. Return pan to oven and roast for another 20 to 30 minutes more. Keep an eye on it, you want the top and sides of pork butt to be caramelized. Remove the roast from the oven, slice, and serve warm.

Serving Pork Butt Roast

Of course I enjoy serving this freshly sliced with some tasty side dishes. But I also like to make this as part of my weekly meal prep and use it for recipes throughout the week. Try it as part of meals like my upcoming Pork Fried Rice, in pork tacos, or on pulled pork sandwiches.

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