This smoked pork shoulder recipe is slowly cooked to perfection, which makes the meat tender and delicious! Place the meat in the kitchen, add a little sugar and forget about it until you know it’s ready.

My favorite meat is the smoked pork shoulder. The end. That’s all. Confessed.

I feel better.

wait…!

Why do I have to confess that it is my favorite meat? There is no one breathing down my neck demanding to know. And Christopher knows very well that he’s my favorite. Ask him, he will tell you that I say it every time I eat this glorious meal.

I should probably stop doing that.

probably.

I wonder if that will really happen.

Probably not.

Sorry Christopher.

This post has been re-edited because it is delicious and I wanted it to appear before Easter. The powers that be, (mainly the big search engine), want posts to be written a certain way. This is the only post I refuse to write that cookie-cutter way again.

It reflects the part of my personality that I show to my family and friends, which is fun and silly, and I agree with that.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you click on the link and buy something. You can read my disclosure here.

Useful tips

If you are looking for a

• clay pot or a slow cooker. Get at least one 6-quart unit. It’s just me and my husband in our house, but it’s perfect since I freeze half of what I cook in it.
• You can get a shoulder with bone or no bone. I prefer the one with the bone because then I can make pea soup.
• If the meat comes with skin attached, you can cut it before cooking or leave it as I do.

How to Make a Smoked Pork Shoulder

I grab my trusty slow cooker and put some brown sugar on the bottom of the ceramic insert. I press it down and smile as I do it because: anticipation, my dear friends, anticipation! I save some of the sugar for the top of the meat.

*

I do the smoked shoulder shuffle, which resembles the hustle and bustle, but in a very small space. *

Next comes the smoked pork shoulder picnic cut. The one I bought (pictured below) weighs 4 pounds. I am very happy that the store sells smoked shoulder in a smaller size. My sister cooks a HUGE shoulder, usually around 9 to 10 pounds. But, since it’s just my husband and I, 3-4 pounds will do well.

I take the shoulder out of its container and place it right on top of the brown sugar.

The pig shoulder is screaming: “Give me some sugar, baby! A little shu-gah!”

Then, I take the rest of the brown sugar and play the cake with the top of the meat.

Now, I cover the cooking pot and set the temperature to high and the timer to 4 hours.

I

grab a chair, drag it to the cooking pot, and sit down and stare at the timer. It’s fascinating. It’s actually boring, so I get up and get on with my day. That’s not to say I don’t take a look at the timer, because I do.

Brown sugar takes at least 2 hours to melt, so don’t be nervous. No need to bathe smoked pork shoulder, so leave it covered!

Two more hours pass and DING! My favorite sound all over the world.

I gallop into the cooking pot and whip the cover, spraying the condensation that accumulated on the deck into a nice arch.

With my large forks, I stab the shoulder, lift it from the cooking pot, and place it on a tray to rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting it.

How unfair is that?

Look at that juice, PEOPLE!! Is anyone else as happy as me at this very minute? I think not, I don’t think so!

So, 15 minutes go on and on and on and on, but I persevere and finally I can cut the shoulder.

I cut the skin and cut a few slices.

I pour the juice from the bottom of the cooking pot into a small sauce jar. Then I plate the meat with some roasted carrots and potatoes and shout for Christopher. He thunders down the stairs and skids until he stops right behind his chair. He sits down, smiling in anticipation.

I place his plate in front of him, take off my apron, and sit in front of my plate.

I look happily at Christoper and we both barricade ourselves. The rest is history.

Other Popular Clay Pot Recipes

• Boneless Roast Bourbon Ribs
• Pork Loin

I

hope you enjoy this smoked pork shoulder recipe as much as I do! And please leave me a comment if you are as inclined as I would love to hear from you. Tell me what your favorite meat is!

And as always, make all your dishes delicious!

If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love to hear what you think about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW me on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and Pinterest to see more of my delicious food and delicious cocktails!