How to Cook a Boston Butt in Oven

How to cook a Boston butt in oven at 250 comes out fork tender easy to pull and delicious every time. With a dry rub that is sweet and savory, you can make sliders with it or serve as a high protein low carb meal. Use fresh or defrosted shoulder for this or follow our Frozen Pork Butt if yours is still hard.

How to Cook a Boston Butt in the Oven

A Boston butt, also known as a pork butt or Pork Shoulder is a flavorful and versatile cut of meat from a pig that is often used in various culinary preparations. Despite its name, it does not come from the rear end of the pig but rather from the upper part of the front shoulder. It contains a good amount of marbling and connective tissue, which makes it ideal for slow-cooking methods.

It’s a version of our BBQ Pork Butt in Instant Pot but I add the sauce at the very end. You want it low and slow enclosed in the foil so it kinda’ steams for a long time to break down the connective tissues. That is how to make pork fork tender in the oven. You can use bottled or homemade

How Long to Cook Boston Butt in Oven

5-6 hours, you want low and slow. Don’t rush it. This is the best way to make Shredded Pork for Tamales too. You have plenty of time to prep the rest of your ingredients while this simmers in your pan hour after hour. If batch cooking you could make quite a few of those with one roast depending on how much meat you add into each one.

Pork Butt Dry Rub

This is a sweet and savory mixture you can make spicy with red pepper flakes, dry Sriracha, or cayenne pepper. Adjust to your liking. The sauce I mix in at the end once meat is pulled and shredded so it coats everything well. There are tons of choices for that too. Our favorite is Mambo which is linked below. 😉

• 4 pound pork butt
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp paprika and black pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder and garlic powder
• 1 c barbecue sauce is optional

How to cook Boston butt fast, well this isn’t as fast as in a pressure cooker like we mentioned above but about just as long made as Dr Pepper Pulled Pork Slow Cooker. Both are great, just depends on whether I am home or not which direction I will go.

Pork Butt 250 Degrees

Slow cooking pork roast of any kind is key. Start it late morning and just set it and forget it. I like using a disposable aluminum pan as you see here just because it is a really easy cleanup at the end. There is no worry about the juices flowing over either. And if you are eating outside you can shred right inside and carry the whole thing to your buffet table. Done!!

Another option is Dutch Oven Pork Roast if yours fits. Depending on the size I do love cast iron to trap the heat well and keep it at an even temperature the whole time. No need for foil that way either as you can use the lid instead.

How to Bake Boston Butt

• Mix together brown sugar, salt, paprika, black pepper, onion and garlic powder. Gently spread onto all sides of the pork butt roast and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place onto a plate and refrigerate overnight.
• When ready to cook, remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking and place into a baking dish.
• Tightly cover top of the roasting pan with aluminum foil.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
• Roast pork roast for 5-6 hours cooking time or until your meat thermometer in the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees so it will shred nicely.
• Remove from oven and let stand for about 15 minutes or cool enough to handle to shred with 2 forks.
• I like to leave shredded meat in pan with the juices in there, but use a baster to remove the excess or it will thin the sauce too much. You can remove it all and then measure some back in for best results.
  • Leaving about 1/2-3/4 of a cup of drippings is ideal.

Then pour 1 cup (or more) of barbecue sauce in there with it. Use tongs to move around so all pieces are nicely coated and serve as pulled pork sandwiches, sliders or with your favorite side dishes like our Cole Slaw Recipe for Pulled Pork. Keep it warm to eat over the next hour with foil over the top and the meat will soak up even more of the sauce. Thickens as it sits.

What temp does Boston butt fall apart?

If you want to shred it (most popular way to serve this cut) you should cook it to an internal temperature of about 195° F to 205° F or 90° C to 96° C. At this point the connective tissues will have reached the point where they have broken down, making the meat tender and so easy to pull apart you can do so lightly with two forks.

Pulled Pork Recipes You’ll Love

Perhaps most famous for being used in pulled pork recipes. It’s slow-cooked until the meat becomes tender and can be easily shredded with forks. Most commonly served in sandwiches, tacos, How to Make Pulled Pork Sliders, or on its own with coleslaw and sauce. Other ways to enjoy it are;

1. Carnitas are made with spicy seasonings until it’s tender, then shred it. Crisp up the shredded meat in a pan until it’s golden and serve it in tacos, burritos, or as a topping for nachos.
2. Pork Stew is where it’s added into a hearty stew with vegetables, broth, and seasonings. It adds a rich and meaty flavor to the dish.
3. Make our 5 ingredient chili where you cube or shred the meat and use it the other 4 items for a hearty and flavorful twist. It’s a great addition to both red and green chili varieties.
4. Add chunks of pork butt to baked beans for a meaty and savory version of this classic dish.
5. Pork Fried Rice where this meat is used it as a protein. The smoky flavor of the meat pairs well with the other ingredients.
6. Pork Tacos with meat sliced it into thin strips. Serve in soft corn tortillas with your choice of toppings and salsas.
7. Create delicious Red Tamales by slow-cooking the meat with spices, then using it as a filling for masa dough before steaming.

Pork and Noodle Soup is a great way to use leftovers the next day and a fun twist on an old fashioned favorite meal for an extra burst of flavor and protein. If you do have some left wait until it is cool and store in a freezer bag. Suck all the air out and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Then use it to make one of the dishes above.

Fall-Apart Roasted Pork in Slow Cooker

This thick piece can be purchased bone-in or boneless, depending on your preference and the availability at your local butcher or grocery store. Both versions have their advantages, I prefer without the bone for ease of shredding later, especially when making Pork Roast Slow Cooker so it fits.

If I am making it stuffed with apples like our Pork Roulade I don’t want a bone either. Some say though that; The bone can add flavor to the meat as it cooks, can help retain moisture during cooking and/or prefer it inside for their traditional and rustic appeal.