The best pork shoulder recipes for true meat lovers

Wondering what to cook so you’re looking for the best pork shoulder recipes?

Do you like baked, boiled or stewed meat?

Are you preparing the same dishes over and over again and are you getting bored?

It’s high time to get inspired in our article full of tasty meat.

Mushroom shoulder from a slow cooker

This pork dish is very popular and many prepare it as a Valentine’s Day dinner. Thanks to the use of a slow cooker, the meat is perfectly tender, very juicy and delicious.

A suitable combination of individual ingredients will give the meat the right twist, whether it is taste or aroma. The preparation is not at all complicated, moreover, you can use not only shoulder, but also pork tenderloin. Also check out the best slow cooker recipes .

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon table oil
• 1.7 kg pork shoulder
• 1-2 onions (yellow or red)
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 2 cups of chicken stock
• 500-700 g of mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons of dried tarragon
• 4 – 6 medium-sized red potatoes
• 300 ml of cream
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cornstarch
• Water

Method:

• Cut the meat into equally wide slices and remove excess fat.
• Season with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Prepare a large pan and place on a low heat.
• Add the oil and let it heat up for a while.
• Then stack the individual slices of meat in the pan until they cover the entire bottom. If you can’t fit them all at once, process them in two batches.
• Let the meat roast on a low heat for 5 minutes without turning.
• While the meat is browning, prepare the vegetables.
• Clean the onion, mushrooms and garlic and cut them into slices.
• Peel the potatoes and cut them into wider slices.
• Turn the meat over and let it fry again on the other side for about 3 minutes.
• Put the meat that has been roasted in this way into the prepared slow cooker.
• Put onions in the pan instead of meat and let it fry for about 3 minutes.
• Then add more garlic and saute for another minute.
• Pour in the chicken stock and let it bubble.
• Pour the mixture prepared in this way into the slow cooker for the meat.
• Stir in the mushrooms, mustard, lemon juice and tarragon.
• Put the potatoes in a baking dish, salt, pepper and mix.
• Cover the bowl with baking foil and place it in the slow cooker on top of the other ingredients.
• Cover the slow cooker and let it run on medium for 8 hours.
• After this time, carefully remove the bowl of potatoes and set aside.
• Add a quarter of the potatoes to the meat and set the slow cooker to full power.
• In a bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water until smooth.
• Mix with the meat in the slow cooker and let the sauce thicken for about 30 minutes.
• When the mixture is ready, you can add salt and pepper to taste.
• Put some potatoes on a plate, add a slice of meat and pour the mushroom sauce over it.
• If you want, you can also sprinkle a little tarragon or maybe parsley.

Baked pork shoulder with rosemary and cherry tomatoes

This simple recipe is suitable for the whole family. It offers a lot of good flavors and is made with easily available ingredients. In addition, you can prepare all this in one baking pan or in a baking pan. A properly prepared dish is decorated with crispy potatoes and juicy meat.

Ingredients:

• 6 large potatoes
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 3 medium sized onions
• 5 – 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 4 thicker slices of pork shoulder
• 100 – 120 g cherry tomatoes
• 1 – 2 tablespoons of sweet ground paprika
• Coarse sea salt to taste

Method:

• We start by preheating the oven to 240°C.
• We clean the garlic and leave it whole.
• Peel the onion and cut it into quarters.
• Peel the potatoes, cut them in half and cut them into equally thick slices.
• Spread the potatoes in an ovenproof pan. If you don’t have one, a baking pan is enough.
• Add onion, garlic and whole cherry tomatoes.
• Season with sea salt and sprinkle with rosemary leaves.
• Drizzle with olive oil and mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
• Then place the pan in the oven and bake for 35 minutes.
• After this time, remove the pan and use a flipper to turn everything with the browned side down.
• Take the meat, brush it with olive oil, sprinkle with paprika and sea salt.
• Rub everything carefully on both sides with your fingers so that the meat is well seasoned.
• Prepare another pan, heat it and put the meat in it.
• Let it sit for a while on both sides to keep it juicy.
• Then transfer to the potatoes in the second pan/baking pan and place together in the oven.
• Leave to bake for about 25 minutes, but keep checking to make sure the potatoes don’t burn.
• Depending on the thickness of the meat, it can take 25 minutes to bake, but it can take as little as 15 minutes. It depends on the type of oven and how well you like your meat cooked.
• When everything is ready, serve together and garnish with a little more rosemary.

Roasted pork shoulder with herbs

Garlic together with herbs can turn meat into an unforgettable gourmet experience. The preparation of this recipe is simple and the result is very tasty. After all, perfectly baked meat with a crispy crust that smells and tastes of herbs and garlic will caress your taste buds and give you real pleasure with every bite.

The meat is tender inside, while the surface is perfectly crispy. Pork shoulder can be prepared in many ways. It is also great smoked, cooked in a slow cooker or pressure cooker, using the sous vide method, or you can simply throw it sliced on the grill.

Ingredients:

• 4 – 6 kilos of pork shoulder in total
• 6 – 8 cloves of garlic
• 2-3 tablespoons of fresh rosemary
• 1-2 tablespoons of fresh thyme
• 2 – 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sea salt (optional to taste)
• 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper (can be more)

Method:

• If you want perfect meat, it’s a good idea to prepare it a day in advance.
• Start by patting the meat dry with paper kitchen towels.
• Then take the sharpest possible knife and cut through the top layer of fat to a depth of approx. 1-2 cm so that a grid is formed over the entire surface.
• Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly to make a smooth mixture.
• Apply the marinade to the meat and spread it on all sides. Try really hard not to miss a single piece.
• Place the meat in a large bowl and pour over the remaining marinade.
• Store in the fridge and marinate preferably until the next day. If you don’t want to wait that long, marinate for at least 5 hours.
• The next day, preheat the oven to 135°C. It’s not much, but we need the meat to be done slowly.
• Prepare a tray with a grid and place the prepared meat on it (if you don’t have one, bake it in the usual way).
• This tray will be more practical so that the heat can better circulate around the meat.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the temperature inside the meat reaches 80°C. You can find this out with a kitchen thermometer designed for these purposes.
• Then remove the foil and bake for about 30 minutes on each side.
• Remove the roast from the oven and let it rest for about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, increase the temperature in the oven to 235°C and return the roast to it after resting.
• Bake for about 40 minutes, turning the meat every 5 minutes so that it is cooked evenly on all sides.
• Finally, remove the meat from the oven and serve while still warm.
• You can cut the roast into slices or tear it with a fork and use it, for example, in sandwiches or hamburgers as the popular jerky.
• As a side dish, potatoes are great, but also roasted pumpkin.

Roast pork with cream and mustard

This recipe will seem far removed from the classic that we know. Nevertheless, this is really one of the variants of shoulder on cream, only the cream in this case is part of the luxurious sauce. The preparation is easy and anyone can do it. The meat is juicy in the end and with the sauce it has an absolutely perfect taste.

Ingredients:

• 3 kg boneless pork shoulder
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt to taste
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 450 ml of cream
• 3 spoons of Kremž mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Method:

• First, preheat the oven to 230°C.
• Brush the meat with oil and season with sea salt.
• Prepare a roasting pan with a rack and place the meat on it.
• Pour some water on the bottom.
• Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes.
• Then reduce the temperature to 160°C and let the meat cook slowly for 1 1/2 hours.
• If you think the meat is still undercooked, let it cook for another 30 minutes.
• Do not remove the meat from the oven after cooking. Just open the door and it doesn’t want to rest in the oven for 20 minutes.
• While the meat is resting, prepare the sauce.
• Put the chicken stock in a saucepan and let it boil until about half of the liquid has evaporated.
• Set aside and add the cream while stirring constantly.
• Return the pot to the stove and bring to a slow boil over low heat.
• Add the mustard and let it cook for about 20 minutes.
• Season and add salt to taste.

Meat baked with vegetables

You won’t have to worry about anything with this recipe. It’s a bit of a hoot. Quick preparation and great taste. It may not look like a meal from a famous restaurant when served, but it will definitely be worth it.

Ingredients:

• 2.5 kg pork shoulder
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• Coarse sea salt
• Ground black pepper
• 4-5 carrots
• 3 stalks of celery stalks
• 1 kg of potatoes
• 2 medium sized onions

Method:

• Peel the garlic and finely chop together with the thyme.
• Put in a bowl, add salt and pepper, mix and coat the meat on all sides with the resulting mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 190°C and prepare a tall baking tray.
• Place the meat in it, fat side up, and cover with a little water.
• Place in the oven and bake for approximately 2 and a half hours.
• In the meantime, clean the vegetables, cut them into similarly sized pieces and add them to the meat in the oven about 45 minutes before the end of cooking.
• Bake with the meat and when the vegetables are soft, transfer them to a serving plate and let them rest for about 10-15 minutes.
• Finally, add the meat to the vegetables, pour over the juices from the roasting pan and serve.
• Fresh crusty bread is ideal as a side dish.

Shoulder on cumin with orange juice

Shoulder prepared with orange juice will surprise you with its refreshing and very delicious taste, which is further emphasized by the pungent aroma of onions. The meat is very soft and tender.

Ingredients:

• 2 kg boneless pork shoulder
• 2 tablespoons of cumin
• 2 tablespoons of dried granulated garlic
• 2 tablespoons of sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 large onions
• 2 medium sized oranges
• 1 liter of orange juice

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C and prepare a cast iron roasting pan with a lid.
• Mix all the dry spices in a bowl and pour onto the worktop or perhaps baking paper.
• Then thoroughly wrap the meat in it from all sides and carefully press down so that the spices really stick everywhere.
• Clean the onions, cut them into slices and spread them all over the bottom of the baking dish.
• Wash the oranges, cut them into thin slices and stack them on top of the onions.
• Pour in the orange juice and put in the spiced meat.
• Leave the baking tray uncovered and place it in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
• Then take out the baking pan again, turn the meat and put it back for 1 and a half hours, again without the lid.
• After these 2 hours, remove the roasting pan, turn the meat again and close the lid.
• Return to the oven and bake for another 60 minutes.
• After baking, put the meat aside on the kitchen counter or stove and let it rest for 20 minutes. Only then is the meat ready for cutting.
• Prepare a blender and put the onion, peeled orange slices and the rest of the orange juice into it.
• Allow to mix for approx. 2 minutes until a puree is formed, which can be seasoned with salt and black pepper if necessary.
• When serving, simply add the puree to the meat, either on the side for dipping the meat or you can rub it on.
• As a side dish, fresh crusty bread, which you can dip into the puree, is perfect.
• Some people even serve this dish with a baked potato, or French fries are also good.

Why do we love pork shoulder?

It’s basically a versatile piece of meat that can be used for anything. For example, a shoulder with a shoulder blade is an ideal candidate for a perfect grilled steak. In general, the shoulder is very juicy and has a strong flavor.

It is better if it is a little fatter, because when you bake a lean shoulder, it will be 100% solid. On the contrary, such meat is excellent for stewing. The fatter shoulder is amazingly fragile as a result.

If the shoulder has fat on it, definitely don’t cut it off, just cut it on the surface. Plecko is a popular part of brats and sausages, and it is also absolutely wonderful in the form of shredded meat.