Making this pork roast is as easy as can be: Rub the pork with spices and cook it in the oven until the outside is browned and crispy and the inside is tender and juicy. It's a simple recipe that produces reliably juicy results.
I love making roasts for dinner. Much like casseroles, they provide lots of food for minimal work - they practically cook themselves. When it comes to pork, although I enjoy pork chops, this pork roast is easier to make. You simply rub the meat with seasonings, then bake it until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. Basically, the oven does all the work!
Ingredients and Variations
Here's an overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below.
- Olive oil spray: I love the flavor of olive oil and use it frequently. If you prefer an oil with a higher smoke point, use avocado oil instead.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, dried sage, and dried thyme. I prefer garlic powder to minced fresh garlic - it more evenly coats the meat.
- Boneless pork shoulder: I typically use a 3-pound boneless pork shoulder butt roast from Whole Foods Market. I prefer a boneless roast because it's easier to slice and serve, but you can use this recipe with a bone-in roast.
The best way to vary this recipe is to experiment with different spices. Good options include onion powder, dried oregano, ground cumin, and ground mustard. You can add ½ to 1 teaspoon of any of these to the spice mixture.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe.
Prepare the spice mixture: Mix the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, sage, and thyme. Rub the spice mixture over the pork and spray its top liberally with olive oil.
Cook the pork for 15 minutes in a preheated 425°F oven. Lower the oven to 375°F and continue roasting the pork to an internal temperature of 145°F for about 75 more minutes. When done, it will be beautifully browned, as shown in the photo below.
Let the pork rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Recipe Tips
- It's very important to allow the fully cooked roast to rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing it. This allows the juices to redistribute and settle. If you cut into the roast too soon, juices will be lost, and the pork will end up dry and not as flavorful.
- You should keep the roast uncovered in the oven. You want it nicely browned. However, if your roast is big and the top is getting too dark while the inside is not yet fully cooked, loosely cover the top with foil to protect it from over-browning.
Featured Comment
Wow. Just wow. I bought a pork roast because it was on sale and had no clue what I was going to do with it. A Google search brought me here and, well, thank you Google! Not only was this really easy, it’s tender, juicy, and amazingly tasty. Definitely going into my “make again” file. - Linda Read more comments
Recipe FAQs
After the first 15 minutes of browning the roast in a hot oven, a rough estimate is to keep cooking it for approximately 25 minutes per pound. But this is just an estimate.
As with all roasts, including ribeye roast and beef tenderloin roast, it's important to use an oven-safe meat thermometer that you insert into the roast and alerts you when it's fully cooked. There's no other reliable way to make sure the roast is done. This is especially important with pork because the lowest internal temperature you want it to reach is 145 degrees (medium).
I usually get a 3-pound pork shoulder. If your roast is bigger, increase the cooking time accordingly. If the top seems to be getting too dark, loosely cover it with foil.
No. In 2011, the USDA lowered its temperature recommendation for cooking whole cuts of pork from 160°F (completely white meat, which can be quite dry) to 145°F (juicy and slightly pink in the center) with a 3-minute rest period.
The pork may still look slightly pink when it reaches 145 degrees. After years of being conditioned to expect pork to appear white when fully cooked, this change is not easy for many of us. But this is a good change: meat cooked to medium is juicy, while well-done meat is dry.
I prefer a boneless roast because it's easier to slice and serve. The only disadvantage is that once it's done, you don't have bones to use for a tasty soup. However, you can use this recipe with a bone-in roast. Make sure it's fully cooked with an oven-safe meat thermometer, not touching the bone.
I don't recommend using pork loin. Although tender, it's lean and will dry out during prolonged cooking. You should stick with pork shoulder, a fatty cut that won't dry easily. See the photo below? This is a roast I made with pork loin a few years ago. It was my first and last! It's easy to see how dry it is compared to a shoulder roast. 
Serving Suggestions
This roast is rich and flavorful, so I like to keep the sides simple. Here are a few of the easy side dishes I usually serve with it:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. They won't be as good as the freshly prepared roast, but they will still be delicious. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers in freezer bags for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating them.
Recipe Card
Easy Pork Roast
Video
Ingredients
- Olive oil spray
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ tablespoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika - regular or smoked
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder butt roast
Instructions
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and fit it with a wire rack. Spray the wire rack with olive oil.
- In a small bowl, mix the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, sage, and thyme.
- Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Place it on the wire rack. Rub the spice mixture all over the roast. Spray its top liberally with olive oil.
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Let the roast sit at room temperature while the oven is warming, about 30 minutes.
- Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer probe into the middle of the roast and place it in the hot oven. Roast it for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 375°F and continue roasting until the thermometer reads 145°F. In my oven, it takes 75 minutes (about 25 minutes per pound).
- Remove the roast from the oven. Loosely tent it with foil and allow it to rest for 20 minutes, then slice and serve. If your roast came tied in butcher twine, carefully remove the twine before slicing.
Notes
- You can use this recipe with a bone-in roast. Make sure it's done with an oven-safe meat thermometer, not touching the bone.
- As with all roasts, it's important to use an oven-safe meat thermometer that you insert into the roast and alerts you when it's fully cooked. There's no other reliable way to make sure the roast is done.
- If your roast is larger than 3 pounds, you will need to cook it for longer. A general rule of thumb is 25 minutes per pound. Its internal temperature should reach 145°F. If the top seems to be browning too much after the initial 75 minutes, loosely cover it with foil.
- I don't recommend using pork loin. Although tender, it's lean and will dry out during prolonged cooking. You should stick with pork shoulder, a fatty cut that won't dry easily.
- It's important to allow the fully cooked roast to rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing it. This allows the juices to redistribute and settle. If you cut into the roast too soon, yummy juices will be lost, and the meat will end up dry and not as flavorful.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers in freezer bags for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating them.
- The nutrition info is based on the USDA database.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Susan T. says
What cooking time would you suggest for cooking (2) 2.5 lbs roasts at once?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Susan,
After the first 15 minutes at 425°F, I would roast for an hour at 375°F and then start checking with a thermometer.
But the best way is to use an oven-safe meat thermometer that beeps when the roast is ready.
Erin says
The only thing I did differently was add evoo into the spices to form a paste that I brushed all around the roast. I don't think it matters but my husband asked me to make it this way all the time!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Sounds great, Erin! Thanks for sharing your method.
Michele says
Turned out well. Was impressed will make again. Good and flavourful
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Michele! I'm glad the roast turned out well.
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
Kimball says
I'm not a cook, but this is easy to make and tastes great. I did not sweat the exact proportions of spices used - I used a bit of onion salt as opposed to straight salt. This recipe brings a pork roast to life in a great way. Great smells in the kitchen while it was cooking, and the finished roast out of the oven looked like it could be in a foodie magazine!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Kimball! I'm so glad you enjoyed this roast. Thank you for taking the time to review it.
JoAnn Fink says
This was a delicious recipe. I don’t made a lot of pork so this was a delightful recipe to find.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, JoAnn! I'm so glad this was a success.