Would you like to cook a pork roast that will make your mother-in-law turn green with envy? Follow these guidelines and you can leave dry, tasteless pork roast behind forever!

Cooking pork roast is not rocket science. All you need is heat and time and you’ll end up with cooked pork. However, if you want to cook a pork roast that is moist, tender, and delicious, there are a few guidelines to follow.

The first step in the perfect pork roast formula is selecting the type of roast. Next on the agenda is determining the best cooking method for the roast you have selected.

This decision-making process also works in reverse. If you know the cooking method you want to use, choose the pork cut.

Probably the most important step in cooking pork today is the brine! This takes a bit of planning to allow the roast to soak up the brine, but it’s worth the effort.

Select the roast

I must admit that if I’m only hungry for pork roast, my decision on the type of roast is what is on sale. Then I’ll decide how to cook it based on what’s best for that guy.

If you don’t want to use the “what’s on sale method,” then a bit of pork roast knowledge is necessary.

Most pork roasts come from wholesale cuts of shoulder and loin. There are fresh ham roasts (the hind leg), but you will rarely see them in grocery stores. Also pork tenderloin roasts are from the back of the loin and fit the shoulder category.

Pork Shoulder Roasts

Paddle roasts contain several different muscles along with connective tissue and a good amount of fat.

These roasts benefit from long, slow roast times that allow connective tissue to break down. They are extremely tasty due to the amount of fat.

The shoulder blade cuts include the whole shoulder blade, which is good for a crowd, the Boston butt, the upper shoulder, and the picnic roasts from the bottom.

All of these roasts may have different names in your grocery store depending on the cut.

Paddle roasts are the preferred cut for recipes like pulled pork.

Pork roasts

Pork tenderloin roasts are the best roasts of the pig. They are single muscle roasts without a lot of fat. These muscles are from the center of the pig’s back and are used very little, making them sensitive.

There are basically two main roasts of the tenderloin. By far the most tender is pork tenderloin. The mild pork flavor of the tenderloin lends itself to marinades for flavor.

Pork tenderloin roast has a slightly stronger pork flavor than tenderloin and is extremely lean. It compares in thinness to chicken breast.

Pork roast brine

Most meat products will benefit from brine.

Brine is simply a non-iodized salt and water solution. Meat has a lower concentration of salt and water than solution, so Mother Nature takes care of equalizing the two.

The basic brine is 1 cup of non-iodized salt per gallon of water. But it doesn’t stop there. All kinds of flavorings can be added to the brine and will impart to the roast.

A brined pork roast gains weight from the brine. Weight is all water. As the roast cooks, most of the water comes out, but some remains, resulting in a moist, tender roast.

The grilled shoulder and sirloin will benefit from the brine, but are fine without it due to the fat content. For a pork tenderloin roast, however, I find the brine essential due to its low fat content.

Cooking roast pork

Pork roasts are a bit more forgiving when selecting a cooking method than their meat equivalent.

There are two basic methods of cooking meats. These two are the “wet heat” method and the “dry heat” method.

Moist heat simply means that there is a liquid included along with the roast in the cooking pan.

The moist heat method is for cuts that come from the less tender sections of the animal. Moist heat helps break down the fibers and tissue of the meat to produce a more tender product.

Roasting in the oven, crock pot, or even an electric skillet are ideal methods of applying heat to the roast during moist heat cooking. Either method should include a tight-fitting heavy cap.

Pot roasts and charcoal roasts are examples of the moist heat cooking method.

The dry heat cooking method is the opposite of the wet heat method. No liquid is introduced during the cooking process.

Dry heat cooking should include a char of some kind for a crisp and flavorful exterior. You can brown the roast in a skillet or extremely hot oven for a short period of time.

Dry heat can be baked, broiled, or my favorite smoker.

Pork roast cooking times

Cooking time is essential for a moist and tender pork roast.

There are many variables in the cooking times of pork roast. Some of those variables include the type of roast, the size and thickness of the roast, and the cooking temperature.

There are some general rules of thumb for how long to cook different roasts, but they’re just a guess at best.

A two to five pound pork tenderloin roast cooked to 350 degrees F. it will require approximately 20 to 30 minutes per pound.

Pork tenderloin in the one to two pound category will require the same 20 to 30 minutes per pound, but at 425 degrees F. instead of 350 degrees.

A two to five pound Boston roast will require approximately 45 minutes per pound at 350 degrees F. The additional time is to allow the connective tissue to break down and the fat to melt and blend into the roast.

The only sure way to know when your roast is done is to use a meat thermometer.

If you are roasting in the oven, an oven thermometer is also recommended. The oven thermostats are notoriously inaccurate.

Like I said, cooking pork roast is not rocket science. However, by following these guidelines, you will get such a moist and tender pork roast that it is sure to impress your guests and definitely make your mother-in-law green with envy.

Pork roast recipes

There are probably as many pork roast recipes as there are cooks. Choosing a recipe for your family will depend on your likes and dislikes.

When preparing your roast with herbs and spices, you can create your own recipe to include your favorite flavors.