The Ins and Outs of Cooking a 20 lb Pork Shoulder: A Step-by-Step Guide

Pork shoulder, also known as pork butt, is one of the most flavorful cuts of pork you can buy. With its generous marbling of fat, a whole pork shoulder can weigh around 20 pounds and provides incredibly moist, succulent meat when cooked low and slow. But cooking a pork shoulder that big can be intimidating if you’ve never done it before. Have no fear – we’re here to walk you through the process step-by-step!

Why Cook a Whole 20 lb Pork Shoulder?

Cooking a pork shoulder whole has some major advantages over cooking a smaller roast

• More bang for your buck – A whole 20 lb pork shoulder can feed a crowd, giving you tons of delicious pulled pork for sandwiches. Buying a whole shoulder is much cheaper per pound than smaller roasts.

• Better flavor – The bone, fat, and connective tissue in a whole shoulder impart tons of porky flavor as the meat cooks low and slow over many hours

• Greater flexibility – With a whole 20 lb shoulder, you can pull, slice, or chop the meat for serving in all kinds of ways once it’s fully cooked and fall-apart tender.

Step 1: Prepare the Meat

Take the pork shoulder out of the packaging and pat it dry with paper towels. Trim off any loose pieces of fat or skin. Make diagonal cuts along the surface of the meat, about 1 inch apart and 1/4 inch deep. This allows heat to penetrate the meat evenly and promotes browning.

Make a spice rub by combining 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon each of chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 teaspoon each of ground cumin and salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Massage the rub all over the pork shoulder, coating it completely.

Cover the seasoned meat and let it rest for 30 minutes up to overnight in the fridge. This allows the spices to penetrate the meat for maximum flavor.

Step 2: Select Your Cooking Method

There are three main ways to cook a big 20 lb pork shoulder:

In the oven: The easiest route, with minimal monitoring needed. Roast at 300°F until the internal temp reaches 200-205°F.

On a smoker: For ultra-smoky, authentic barbecue flavor. Maintain a temperature around 225-250°F and smoke for up to 18 hours until tender.

On a grill: Get delicious char flavor by indirect grilling over medium heat for 6-8 hours, until fall-apart tender.

We’ll provide oven directions here, but the technique is similar for all three methods – just adjust cooking times and temperatures as needed.

Step 3: Sear the Meat

Preheat your oven to 300°F. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add a couple tablespoons of oil or butter. Once hot, sear the pork shoulder on all sides until well browned, about 2 minutes per side. This gives you that nice crust on the meat.

Transfer the seared pork to a roasting pan and tent it loosely with foil. The foil will prevent excess browning during the long oven roast.

Step 4: Roast Low and Slow

Roast the pork shoulder for 6-8 hours, until the thickest part of the meat reaches an internal temperature of 200-205°F on an instant read meat thermometer. This long, slow roast breaks down the collagen in the meat, making it incredibly tender.

For a 20 lb pork shoulder, estimate around 18 hours of cook time in a 300°F oven. Check the internal temp periodically once you pass the 6 hour mark.

Baste the pork with pan drippings every hour or so during roasting to keep it moist. Add a cup of water or stock to the pan if drippings evaporate.

Step 5: Let It Rest, Then Pull or Slice

Once the pork hits 200-205°F, remove it from the oven, tent with foil, and let rest for 30-60 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute through the meat.

For pulled pork, use forks or your hands to shred and pull the meat into bite-size pieces, discarding excess fat and skin.

For pork shoulder steaks or chops, carefully slice the meat across the grain into your desired thickness.

Sauce or season the pork to taste and serve! Delicious on sandwiches, nachos, salads, and more.

Tips for Juicy, Tender Pork Shoulder

• Cook to the right internal temp. Take it to 200-205°F for ultimate tenderness.

• Rest it before pulling/slicing. This makes a huge difference in moisture!

• Use a meat thermometer. It’s the only way to know when it’s done.

• Add liquid during roasting. Baste and add stock or water to the pan.

• Keep the temp low, around 300°F. High heat will dry out the meat.

• Spice rub and smoke (if using a smoker) add tons of flavor.

• Cook fat side up. The melting fat bastes the meat from above.

• Pull along the grain, then chop for tender shredded meat.

Serving a 20 Pound Pork Shoulder Feast

A whole pork shoulder yields a ton of meat, enough for a big crowd! Here are some ideas for putting that delicious pork to use:

• Pulled pork sandwiches – The classic! Pile on pickles, bbq sauce, and coleslaw.

• Tacos and burritos – Top with pineapple salsa and cilantro.

• Nachos – Pulled pork, cheese sauce, beans, salsa, and all the fixings.

• Salads – Add some protein to a spinach salad with pulled pork.

• Hash – Make a skillet hash with pork, potatoes, peppers and onions.

• Pizza – Heap pulled pork onto BBQ chicken pizza for a tasty combo.

• Omelets and scrambles – Diced pork shoulder elevates any breakfast.

• Soups – Shredded pork shoulder is perfect in chili, ramen, or veggie soup.

• Casserole – Mix pulled pork with mac and cheese or cheesy rice.

The possibilities are endless! Get creative with how you use your 20 pounds of delicious, Uber-tender roasted pork shoulder.