This Dutch Oven Pork Roast Recipe combines juicy, fall-apart pork and tender vegetables with a rich, flavorful garlic and herb sauce. It’s low-maintenance, ultra-comforting, and the perfect.
For this pork pot roast recipe, you’ll want to use Pork Shoulder (a.k.a. Boston shoulder, pork butt, pork shoulder roast, or Boston butt). Here’s why: Pork shoulder is hardy, tough, full of connective tissue, relatively fatty, and absolutely delicious when slowly cooked in a Dutch oven. In this recipe, we’re cooking low and slow at 300°F for 2.5 to 3 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 195-205°F
The cuts of pork to avoid are pork loin roast and pork tenderloin.
How to Make Dutch Oven Pork Roast
Personally, I like mushy, broth-bloated veggies, but if they’re not your thing, feel free to add them in the final hour of cooking. And remember to save the leftover juices to make a delicious homemade sauce or gravy.
- Mix the seasoning mixture in a small bowl.
- Rub the seasoning mixture over the entire surface of the pork shoulder.
- Sear the seasoned pork in a large Dutch oven set over high heat.
- Sauté the sliced onions and garlic until softened.
- Deglaze the pot, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom.
- Add the vegetables, beef broth, and fresh herbs, and return the seared pork.
- Cover with an offset lid and slowly cook in a 300°F oven for approximately 2.5 to 3 hours.
- Rest for 10-15 minutes before shredding or slicing.
- Whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water into the broth. Simmer over low heat until thickened (optional).
- Serve and enjoy!
Ingredients
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- 3 pound pork shoulder (pork butt), trimmed of extra fat
- 2 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups potatoes, (Yukon Gold or baby potatoes), cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 cup carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 3 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare the ingredients.
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Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. This helps the seasoning stick to the pork, creating a crisper, more golden-brown crust.
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In a small bowl, mix the salt (1 teaspoon), black pepper (1 teaspoon), garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika.
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Rub the seasoning blend evenly over the entire surface of the pork.
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Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Once the oil is shimmering (that’s how you know it’s hot), add the pork shoulder and sear for 3-4 minutes per side until a deep golden-brown crust forms. Remove the pork from the Dutch oven and set it aside.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sliced onion and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Then, stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
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Pour in 2 cups of beef broth, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to lift any flavorful browned bits stuck to the bottom (this enhances the gravy). Add the carrots, potatoes, celery, and remaining salt (1 teaspoon) and black pepper (½ teaspoon).
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Return the seared pork shoulder to the Dutch oven, nestling it into the broth and veggies. Gently push the fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs into the broth.
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Cover with an offset lid and transfer to the oven. Slowly cook for 3 hours until it registers at least 190°F or up to 205°F and the pork is fork-tender and easily pulls apart with two forks. Halfway through cooking, spoon some juices over the pork to keep it moist. See notes for making gravy.
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Remove the rosemary and thyme sprigs before serving. Slice or shred the pork and serve it with the tender vegetables and broth as a natural gravy.