Pork · oven
Pork Shoulder (Oven)
Pork Shoulder (Oven)
cooking times
7 hr – 8 hr 45 min At the most common temperature, 300°F, a pork shoulder in the oven runs about 7 hr – 8 hr 45 min at 7 lb. Pick your temperature below for the full chart. Done is always 145°F internal.
When is it actually done?
145°F internal The USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature for this cut is 145°F, followed by a rest of about 30 minutes. The clock estimates; the thermometer decides. Every time on this page is a planning range, not a doneness test.
Pull temperature vs safe temperature: For sliceable roast pork, cook to 145°F and rest. For pulled pork, keep going to 195–205°F — the shoulder's collagen only surrenders up there. The two targets are different dishes from the same cut.
Worth knowing before you start
- Boston butt (the upper shoulder) is the standard choice; picnic shoulder runs a little leaner and faster.
- These are pulled-pork times. If you only want sliceable roast pork to 145°F, expect roughly half the time at the same temperature.
- Bone-in takes slightly longer but the bone sliding out clean is the classic doneness tell.
- The stall applies here just as it does to brisket — wrap in foil at ~160°F to push through it.