Pork Shoulder Picnic Roast Recipe [Crispy Skin & Slow Roasted]

I get impossibly crispy skin, juicy pork shoulder, and 20 generous servings with almost zero net carbs. This is the kind of roast that makes everyone wonder how something so simple turns out so irresistible.

I’m obsessed with this pork shoulder picnic roast because it gives me everything I want in a serious roast: shattering skin, juicy meat, and rich pork flavor that does not need babysitting or fancy nonsense. I love how the skin crackles when I cut in, while the meat underneath stays tender enough to pull apart with barely any effort.

But the real reason I keep coming back? That salty, peppery crust with black pepper doing its thing.

And the leftovers. Ridiculous.

I’ll eat them straight from the fridge, pile them onto anything, or just stand there picking crispy bits off the board.

Ingredients

• Pork shoulder picnic roast brings rich meat, crispy skin, and serious Sunday dinner energy.
• Kosher salt on the skin pulls moisture out, so the crackle actually happens.
• The rub salt seasons deep, not just the outside bite.
• Black pepper adds a warm kick that keeps the pork from tasting flat.
• Smoked paprika gives color, gentle smoke, and that cozy roasted vibe.
• Garlic powder and smashed garlic make it savory, bold, and very snackable.
• Onion powder adds quiet sweetness without making things fussy.
• Thyme and rosemary bring herby flavor that loves slow roasted pork.
• Olive oil helps the spices stick and adds a little richness.
• Onions, carrots, and celery turn drippings into pure comfort.
• Bay leaves add background flavor you’d miss if it wasn’t there.
• Chicken stock keeps things juicy and builds an easy pan sauce.
• White wine adds brightness, but it’s totally fine to skip.
• Apple cider vinegar cuts the richness, so each bite feels balanced.
• Plus baking powder helps the skin puff, blister, and crunch like magic.

Ingredient Quantities

• 12 pound pork shoulder picnic roast with skin on
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt for the skin (for dry brine)
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt for the rub
• 2 tablespoons black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3 large yellow onions, quartered
• 4 large carrots, cut into large chunks
• 4 celery stalks, cut into large chunks
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 1 cup dry white wine, optional
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder for skin crisping
• Fresh parsley for garnish, optional

How to Make this

1. Pat the 12 pound pork shoulder skin dry with paper towels, trim excess fat if needed, and score the skin in a shallow diamond pattern with a sharp knife, taking care not to cut into the meat.

2. Mix 3 tablespoons kosher salt with 2 teaspoons baking powder and evenly rub this mixture into the scored skin; place the roast on a rack in a tray, uncovered, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to overnight to dry brine the skin.

3. Preheat oven to 275 F. Combine 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 2 tablespoons black pepper, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary in a bowl.

4. Remove roast from refrigerator, pat skin lightly if any moisture collected, rub 2 tablespoons olive oil into the meat side, then apply the dry rub mixture evenly to the meat surfaces, avoiding getting the rub deep into the scored skin.

5. In a large roasting pan, scatter 6 smashed garlic cloves, 3 quartered yellow onions, 4 large carrot chunks, 4 celery stalk chunks, and 4 bay leaves; add 2 cups low sodium chicken stock and 1 cup dry white wine if using, plus 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar.

6. Set the roast on top of the vegetables, skin side up, add a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the shoulder away from bone, cover the pan tightly with foil, and roast at 275 F until the internal temperature reaches 190 F to 195 F, about 5 to 6 hours depending on oven and roast size.

7. When the roast reaches target temperature, remove from oven and carefully lift off the foil; tilt the pan to spoon some pan juices and softened vegetables into a bowl for serving or sauce.

8. Increase oven temperature to 450 F. While oven heats, sprinkle a little extra fine salt over the skin if desired and brush off any excess moisture from skin; return the roast to the oven uncovered and roast at 450 F until the skin puffs and becomes deeply crispy, about 20 to 30 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.

9. Remove roast and allow to rest uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes so juices redistribute and the crackling sets; reserve pan juices and strained vegetables to serve alongside or to make gravy.

10. Carve the pork shoulder into 6 ounce portions, garnish with fresh parsley if desired, and serve with the roasted vegetables and pan juices.

Equipment Needed

1. Sharp chef knife and paring knife (for trimming and scoring)
2. Cutting board
3. Paper towels
4. Small mixing bowl and spoon (for salt baking powder mixture and dry rub)
5. Large roasting pan with a roasting rack
6. Heavy duty aluminum foil
7. Instant read or leave-in meat thermometer
8. Pastry brush, tongs, and carving knife or carving set (for oiling, turning, and slicing)
9. Fine mesh strainer or slotted spoon and a medium bowl (for collecting pan juices and strained vegetables)

FAQ

Pork Shoulder Picnic Roast Recipe [Crispy Skin & Slow Roasted] Substitutions and Variations

• Kosher salt for the skin: coarse sea salt or flaky sea salt (Maldon) works well; if swapping by volume, use slightly less by spoon measure or match by weight for identical salinity.
• Smoked paprika: substitute sweet paprika plus 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke, or use ground chipotle for a similar smoky heat.
• Dry white wine: replace with extra low sodium chicken stock plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice or 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar for brightness, or use dry vermouth if available.
• Baking powder for skin crisping: use a small amount of baking soda mixed with cornstarch (use about one third the baking powder volume in baking soda and equal cornstarch to baking soda) to avoid off flavors while retaining crisping effect.

Pro Tips

1) Score and salt with intention. Make shallow, evenly spaced diamond cuts that just break the skin but do not pierce the meat. Work some of the dry brine into the scoring so the salt sits in the grooves. That helps even seasoning and encourages the skin to puff rather than tear.

2) Dry brine and airflow are your friends. Give the skin as much time as possible in the fridge, uncovered, on a rack so air circulates. The drier the skin going into the oven, the faster and more reliably it will blister and crisp when you blast it with heat.

3) Watch temperature and carryover. Use a probe thermometer left in the thickest part of the shoulder away from bone if you can, or check with an instant read often as you approach 185 to 195 F. Remember carryover heat will raise the internal temp a few degrees while resting, so pull it right when it hits your target range for the texture you want.

4) Prep the skin for the final blast. Before the high heat finish, pat the skin completely dry and, if any surface moisture remains, sprinkle and rub a light dusting of fine salt and the baking powder mixture. A quick pass with a kitchen torch or a minute under a broiler can help even things out, but keep a close eye to avoid burning.

5) Make every drop matter. Strain and reduce the pan juices and softened vegetables into a glossy sauce rather than just serving them plain. Also slice against the grain and serve shortly after the rest so slices are juicy while the crackling stays crisp.

Pork Shoulder Picnic Roast Recipe [Crispy Skin & Slow Roasted]

Recipe by Noel Matthews

0.0 from 0 votes

I get impossibly crispy skin, juicy pork shoulder, and 20 generous servings with almost zero net carbs. This is the kind of roast that makes everyone wonder how something so simple turns out so irresistible.

Pin

Servings

12

servings

Calories

1350

kcal

Equipment: 1. Sharp chef knife and paring knife (for trimming and scoring)
2. Cutting board
3. Paper towels
4. Small mixing bowl and spoon (for salt baking powder mixture and dry rub)
5. Large roasting pan with a roasting rack
6. Heavy duty aluminum foil
7. Instant read or leave-in meat thermometer
8. Pastry brush, tongs, and carving knife or carving set (for oiling, turning, and slicing)
9. Fine mesh strainer or slotted spoon and a medium bowl (for collecting pan juices and strained vegetables)

Ingredients

• 12 pound pork shoulder picnic roast with skin on

• 3 tablespoons kosher salt for the skin (for dry brine)

• 2 tablespoons kosher salt for the rub

• 2 tablespoons black pepper, freshly ground

• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 6 cloves garlic, smashed

• 3 large yellow onions, quartered

• 4 large carrots, cut into large chunks

• 4 celery stalks, cut into large chunks

• 4 bay leaves

• 2 cups low sodium chicken stock

• 1 cup dry white wine, optional

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder for skin crisping

• Fresh parsley for garnish, optional

Directions

• Pat the 12 pound pork shoulder skin dry with paper towels, trim excess fat if needed, and score the skin in a shallow diamond pattern with a sharp knife, taking care not to cut into the meat.
• Mix 3 tablespoons kosher salt with 2 teaspoons baking powder and evenly rub this mixture into the scored skin; place the roast on a rack in a tray, uncovered, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to overnight to dry brine the skin.
• Preheat oven to 275 F. Combine 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 2 tablespoons black pepper, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary in a bowl.
• Remove roast from refrigerator, pat skin lightly if any moisture collected, rub 2 tablespoons olive oil into the meat side, then apply the dry rub mixture evenly to the meat surfaces, avoiding getting the rub deep into the scored skin.
• In a large roasting pan, scatter 6 smashed garlic cloves, 3 quartered yellow onions, 4 large carrot chunks, 4 celery stalk chunks, and 4 bay leaves; add 2 cups low sodium chicken stock and 1 cup dry white wine if using, plus 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar.
• Set the roast on top of the vegetables, skin side up, add a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the shoulder away from bone, cover the pan tightly with foil, and roast at 275 F until the internal temperature reaches 190 F to 195 F, about 5 to 6 hours depending on oven and roast size.
• When the roast reaches target temperature, remove from oven and carefully lift off the foil; tilt the pan to spoon some pan juices and softened vegetables into a bowl for serving or sauce.
• Increase oven temperature to 450 F. While oven heats, sprinkle a little extra fine salt over the skin if desired and brush off any excess moisture from skin; return the roast to the oven uncovered and roast at 450 F until the skin puffs and becomes deeply crispy, about 20 to 30 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.
• Remove roast and allow to rest uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes so juices redistribute and the crackling sets; reserve pan juices and strained vegetables to serve alongside or to make gravy.
• Carve the pork shoulder into 6 ounce portions, garnish with fresh parsley if desired, and serve with the roasted vegetables and pan juices.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 454g
• Total number of serves: 12
• Calories: 1350kcal
• Fat: 116g
• Saturated Fat: 41g
• Trans Fat: 1g
• Polyunsaturated: 12g
• Monounsaturated: 60g
• Cholesterol: 360mg
• Sodium: 2000mg
• Potassium: 1800mg
• Carbohydrates: 12g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 4g
• Protein: 77g
• Vitamin A: 3333IU
• Vitamin C: 4mg
• Calcium: 60mg
• Iron: 4.5mg