An easy recipe for a juicy, succulent, very flavorful oven baked boneless pork roast. Rub with spices, then roast in the oven. It’s easy, tasty and affordable!
Pork roast is delicious and affordable. And it’s very easy to make – simply rub the meat with seasonings, then roast until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
The only disadvantage to making a boneless roast is that once it’s done, you don’t have bones to use for tasty bone broth.
Roasts are so easy
I really like making roasts for dinner. Similar to casseroles (such as this kale casserole), they provide lots of food for minimal work. They practically cook themselves!
When it comes to pork, I do like making tasty baked pork chops, but I do think that this pork roast is much easier to make.
The ingredients you’ll need
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty main dish (exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below):
- Olive oil spray: If you worry about its smoke point, use avocado oil instead.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you might want to reduce the amount you use.
- Spices: garlic powder, paprika, dried sage, dried thyme. Make sure they are fresh!
- Boneless pork shoulder: I usually pick a 3-lb. one.
How to make a pork roast
It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
- Prepare the spice mixture: Mix together the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, sage, and thyme.
- Next, rub the spice mixture all over the pork. Spray its top liberally with olive oil.
- Cook the pork for 15 minutes at 425°F, then lower the oven to 375°F and continue cooking to an internal temperature of 145°F, about 75 more minutes.
- Let rest before slicing and serving.
Why you should use a meat thermometer when making a pork roast
As with all roasts, it’s really important to use a meat thermometer (such as this) that you insert into the roast and that alerts you when the roast is ready. There’s really no other way to make sure that the roast is done.
With pork, this is especially important, because the lowest internal temperature you want it to reach is 145 degrees (medium).
After the first 15 minutes of browning the roast, a very rough estimate is to keep cooking it for approximately 25 minutes per pound. But this is a rough estimate, and really a meat thermometer is crucial.
Allow the roast to rest after it’s done!
It is also important to allow the fully cooked roast to rest at least 20 minutes prior to 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.
I usually get a 3-pound pork shoulder. If your roast is bigger, simply increase the cooking time accordingly. If the top seems to be getting too dark, loosely cover it with foil.
What to serve with a pork roast?
The roast is so rich and flavorful, that I like to keep the sides very simple. I usually serve it with simple microwave broccoli, dressed with lemon juice and melted butter.
Another side dish that goes really well with this main dish is roasted butternut squash. You can cook it in the same oven, 45 minutes at 375°F, tossing midway through cooking. While the roast stands for 15 minutes, lower the oven to the “keep warm” setting and keep the butternut squash in the warm oven.
What to do with leftovers?
You can keep leftovers of this pork roast in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.
More tasty pork recipes
Another easy and tasty pork recipe that I make often is this recipe for pork tenderloin. It’s leaner than pork shoulder, but it’s tender and delicate. My family loves this recipe, so I make it often!
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Easy Boneless Pork Roast
INGREDIENTS
- Olive oil spray
- 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt (not fine salt)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika (regular or smoked)
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 lb. boneless pork shoulder 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 together the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, sage and thyme.
- Pat the pork roast 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 degrees F. Allow the pork roast to sit at room temperature while the oven is warming, about 30 minutes.
- Insert a meat thermometer probe into the middle of the roast and place the pork in the hot oven. Roast for 15 minutes, then lower heat to 375 degrees F and continue roasting until the meat thermometer reads 145 degrees F. In my oven it takes 75 minutes (about 25 minutes per pound).
- Remove the pork roast from the oven. Loosely tent it with foil, and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove the butcher twine from the roast, slice and serve.
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NOTES
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., has been following a healthy real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She has taken 
