Boston Pork Butt: World's Best Pork Roast Recipe

Thomas is an award-winning chef with 40+ years of experience. He loves to cook and share recipes.

Boston Pork Butt Roast Recipe

Quite often over the years, I've walked through the grocery store and seen Boston pork butt on sale at really low prices, but I never really knew what to do with it except make BBQ pork.

And while I do make wonderful BBQ pork, I wanted something different. So through trial and error (yes, error), I came up with a delicious recipe that will have you drooling and wanting more.

Ingredients

• 5-to-7-pound Boston butt, excess fat trimmed (but leave enough for flavoring)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 1/2 to 1 tablespoons ground rosemary
• 1 to 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 to 2 (14.5-ounce) cans beef broth

Equipment

• Instant-read thermometer
• Baking pan with bottom rack

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 300°F.
2. Once you have trimmed away any excess fat, wash your roast well under cold running water. I leave just a little fat on the meat. Your butcher may be able to trim it for you.
3. Rub the trimmed roast all over with olive oil. Then, rub it down with sea salt, ground rosemary, and garlic powder. I like to cut small, deep slits in my roast and insert the spices down into the slits so that the spices flavor the meat way down deep and give it a wonderful, delicious flavor.
4. Place your roast on the rack in the pan. To cook your roast, you will want a baking pan with a rack in the bottom that holds it up off the bottom of the pan. I like this so I can use the drippings for making the gravy.
5. Pour one can of beef broth into it. As your roast cooks, juices will drip down, and you do not want the bottom of the pan to get dry. If necessary, add another can of beef broth during the cooking process as you want the liquid from the pan to make gravy.
6. Roast for about 6 hours, or until your thermometer reads 160°F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat. You'll want to insert your instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the meat to be sure you get a true reading on the thermometer. You want to cook your roast slowly until it is falling apart. A 5-to-7-pound Boston butt will take about 6 hours in a 300°F oven to reach an internal temperature of 160°F. Don't overcook your roast!

Optional Extras

• Once your roast is done, you can take a package of dry brown gravy mix and the drippings from the pan to make a delicious gravy. Follow the directions on the mix.
• I sometimes like to cook whole new potatoes and baby carrots in the pan with the pork roast. You can cook them separately if you want to and add them to the roast when it is done.
• Add BBQ sauce to the leftover pork to make BBQ pulled pork. It will be really delicious this way. Serve it on buns with slaw for a deliciously tasty treat.

Recommended Side Dishes

Nothing beats a delicious pork roast for dinner, but what should you prepare to go along with it? Here are some recommended side dishes to serve with your roast:

• Potatoes (mashed, scalloped, roasted, or sweet potatoes)
• Macaroni and cheese
• Salad
• Carrots
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Butternut squash
• Creamed corn
• Potato salad

I think once you have made this delicious recipe, you will agree that it is one of the best things you have ever tasted in your life.

Please post a comment below or leave any tips or suggestions if you have them.

More Delicious Pork Recipes

• The Best Slow Cook and Grill Recipes for Pork Roasts and Ribs
  If you're looking for delicious, slow-cooked pork recipes, then you're in the right place. In this article, you'll find several ways to cook pork ribs in a slow cooker and on a grill.
• The Best Pork Chops You Will Ever Taste
  Here is one of the best pork chop recipes ever. Once you taste these breaded baked pork chops, I think you will agree.

© 2009 Thomas Byers

Comments, Tips, and Suggestions

Dale on November 29, 2019:

Love to try it. How many people will a 7 lb roast serve?

Kathy on November 03, 2019:

If you look to the very first posts you will see that he did discuss not covering the roast. As for the containers of spices, in the spice aisle at the grocery stores there are small sizes of spice sold right next to the regular sizes of spices. Those are what he is talking about. Schilling and also McCormack make them. He is probably using an empty one to measure the salt and olive oil. If I had to guess on amount I would say they hold about 3 tablespoons.

Sharon Moore on September 27, 2019:

Made this yesterday. My roast turned out GREAT. Thanks for the recipe.

Cindy on August 16, 2019:

Why aren’t you not answering all posts about the “small containers “spices ????????

Janice on May 01, 2019:

I would like to try your pork roast but I’m unclear about the ingredients amounts. I don’t know what a small container of salt is. Is it a cup, half cup, quarter cup? Same thing on other instructions for garlic powder and rosemary. Another question is can this recipe be cooked in a crock pot? Thank you for your input. It sounds delicious.

Sami on April 04, 2019:

This sounds good, I am going to try it in a crock pot on low. Think it will smell wonderful after a long, busy day.

Martha Geringer on February 24, 2019:

Please tell anyone that is reading your recipe what is the amount of a small container? I assumed that this suggested that you use equal parts of all of the ingredients of salt, rosemary and garlic? Also you do not say to cover or leave it uncovered? Left alot of guessing.

Korenia Franklin-Lewis on February 19, 2019:

I made this and just used equal amounts of sea salt, ground rosemary, and garlic power enough to cover the roast. Worked great. Hope this help with measurement. It"s totally worth making. Very yummy ;)

Linda Goetz on June 24, 2018:

Would you please advise on spice measurements, Tablespoons, teaspoons etc ?

This would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Bella on April 03, 2018:

What do you mean by small container of rosemary,garlic powder and oilive oil.Can you give the exact measure.Need to know the measure in tsp or tbspn or grms or in cups.Planning to make this as soon as I get the answer from you.Thanks in advance

Lynn on March 10, 2018:

Please advise spice measurements (eg, teaspoons, tablespoons).

Jordan on January 07, 2018:

It woukd have helped if Beef Broth had been on thr ingredients list. As a new chef — I don’t keep it in house!

Shelly on October 18, 2017:

Was Matt Fischer's question ever addressed? Covered or Uncovered?

Art on September 14, 2017:

Please respond to questions about 'small container'. And how long to cook in slow cooker. Is the addition a recomendation by author also ? Thanks

Matt fischer on August 05, 2017:

Do you cook the roast covered or uncovered?

lmt1215@aol.com on April 12, 2017:

best way to oven cook a pork roast!

Tom on March 13, 2017:

If you want it to fall apart cook to 203f

Ranji on January 25, 2017:

I'm not sure what you mean by "small container" of the spices. It sounds delicious!

Roxy on January 20, 2017:

What would you consider small container of spices?

Marjorie Holdte on December 04, 2016:

We made this pork butt recipe today, served it with mashed potatoes , haricots verts and gravy. It was delicious, thank you for sharing, we will be making this recipe often.

georg schulz on November 01, 2016:

i have a question, what is a "small container?

Clara andrews on November 10, 2015:

If you start your roast in a 450F oven for 30 min to 1 hr you can sear the outside and hold the juices in better then lower the oven to 300 You get that good seared texture and it is yummy.

Paula from The Midwest, USA on August 31, 2014:

This sounds like it would be wonderful! Simple ingredients and herbs and spices, it sounds great. With fall coming, it sounds even better. Thanks for sharing, I hope to try it sometimes.

Thomas Byers (author) from East Coast , United States on August 30, 2014:

It turns out wonderful in the slow cooker. Can of beef broth goes in with the roast. Sorry. I will correct that. Thanks for pointing it out. I appreciate helpful comments.

Kitchen Monkey on August 30, 2014:

Can this be cooked in a slow cooker ? Not sure where another can of beef broth comes in, not mentioned in ingredients list. Looking forward on your reply.

Jessica on May 27, 2013:

This is in my oven right now! It smells delicious! Thank you! I didn't feel like making pulled pork and I'm so happy I found this recipe. I'm looking forward to tasting the results!

Kathleen Borresen from Katy, Texas on February 18, 2013:

Oops, forgot that I also added about a cup of Pinot Grigio in the gravy.

Kathleen Borresen from Katy, Texas on February 18, 2013:

There was a sale of Pork Butt (shoulder roast) which I'd never cooked before. It was huge, 18 lbs. I cut the roast into 3 pieces, searched Bing and your recipe was first; so I gave it a try. My family loved it. I may have used too much Kosher salt as the gravy turned out a little salty but very delicious & rich (watered it down and added some cream to counter-act). Since I have rosemary in my garden, I used fresh, chopped rosemary instead of ground. The crust turned out heavenly. Looking forward to those 2 roasts in the freezer. Thanks for sharing your recipes and inspiring me to join.

Melody on January 25, 2013:

I came across this and decided to try it.... I can't stop eating the met, it's soooo good!!!

Cooking Mom on December 22, 2012:

This pork roast was the first ever to be incredibly moist. I really had my doubts going into it but my husband absolutely loved it. My daughter who normally will pass on pork roast had two helpings. I followed the directions exactly and it is a SLOW process but so worth with wait. Also I tried this with other pork cuts and it will NOT work it MUST be Boston butt marbled.

Thank you for sharing this recipe!

Hedi on December 16, 2012:

I tried this tonight and it was delicious! Mine did reach temperature sooner but will make again :o)

ccoff on May 19, 2012:

What is considered a "small container" of olive oil? How maney ounces? Same for spices

Sounds wonderful though

jecintra on January 22, 2012:

I made this recipe for Christmas dinner at a friend's. It was very moist & tender. That same friend has asked me to cook her another one.

Jeannine on January 22, 2012:

Can you use Chicken Broth? This is all I have!

stickybuns on December 19, 2011:

Can this fabulous sounding recipe be adapted to a crockpot?

PopcornGirl12 from Hobe Sound, FL on October 30, 2011:

Ok, I made the roast. It was delicious! So tender! And it cooked in 4 hours. I had a 5 lb. roast. Thanks for the great recipe!

PopcornGirl12 from Hobe Sound, FL on October 30, 2011:

Great recipe! I am going to try this tonight! The roast is in the oven! Such a simple recipe! I will let you know how it comes out!

Thomas Byers (author) from East Coast , United States on October 28, 2011:

In almost any grocery store in the spice section.

royal on October 28, 2011:

where do I find small containers olive oil, sea salt, rosemary etc.?

Thomas Byers (author) from East Coast , United States on October 31, 2009:

You do not need to cover unless it starts to burn on the edges.

Judy Smith on September 30, 2009:

I am going to cook pork roast for about 45-50 people at a church supper. Do you need to cover the roast? Will it brown to quick, cooking it so long? It sounds so good I want to try it.

Thomas Byers (author) from East Coast , United States on September 12, 2009:

You would want to ask for a bone in pork roast.

Amanda Davey from Canterbury, Kent, UK on September 12, 2009:

Sounds delicious but can I sound extremely ignorant and ask what is a Boston Butt pork roast and what would I buy here in the UK?

My eldest son isn't keen on pork but I think he would just love this recipe.

Thanks from a new fan.

Thomas Byers (author) from East Coast , United States on August 21, 2009:

Your very welcome. Try it and let me know how it works for you. I think it is the most delicious pork roast you will ever eat.

Lucey Knight from North Richland Hills, Texas on August 21, 2009:

Wow, that sounds delicious. I am going to have to try it. Thanks for sharing this recipe.