Pork Shoulder (Oven)
at 300°F
7 hr – 8 hr 45 min Plan on 60 to 75 minutes per pound in a 300°F oven. A 7 lb pork shoulder (oven) lands around 7 hr – 8 hr 45 min. Done is 145°F on a food thermometer, plus a 30-minute rest — never the clock alone.
Time by weight at 300°F
Planning ranges for a fully thawed, fridge-temperature pork shoulder (oven). The right-hand column is when to take the first thermometer reading.
| Weight | Estimated time at 300°F | Check thermometer from |
|---|---|---|
| 4 lb | 4 hr – 5 hr | 3 hr 25 min in |
| 5 lb | 5 hr – 6 hr 15 min | 4 hr 15 min in |
| 6 lb | 6 hr – 7 hr 30 min | 5 hr 5 min in |
| 7 lb | 7 hr – 8 hr 45 min | 5 hr 55 min in |
| 8 lb | 8 hr – 10 hr | 6 hr 50 min in |
| 9 lb | 9 hr – 11 hr 15 min | 7 hr 40 min in |
| 10 lb | 10 hr – 12 hr 30 min | 8 hr 30 min in |
Start checking the internal temperature well before the low end of the range — an early check costs nothing; a late one costs the meal. Done means 145°F on a food thermometer (see the pull-temperature note below).
300°F vs the other temperatures
Same cut, every temperature this site publishes for it.
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.
Answers people ask
How long does a pork shoulder in the oven take at 300°F?
Plan on 60 to 75 minutes per pound at 300°F. A 7 lb example takes about 7 hr – 8 hr 45 min. It is done when the internal temperature reaches 145°F on a food thermometer, not when the clock runs out.
What internal temperature is a pork shoulder in the oven done at?
145°F, measured with a food thermometer in the thickest part, then rested about 30 minutes. That is the USDA FSIS safe minimum. 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.
Is 300°F a good temperature for a pork shoulder in the oven?
It is one of 4 temperatures this site publishes for this cut (275°F, 300°F, 325°F, 350°F). It is the most commonly used.
More pork timings
Where these numbers come from
Ranges are anchored to USDA FSIS published timetables where they exist, and derived from that anchor plus cross-checked published sources where they do not — widened to cover the disagreement between sources rather than split down the middle. The full reasoning is on the method page. If a figure here looks wrong, say so — corrections are prioritised.