Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder with Citrus and Garlic

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-09 · Updated 2026-04-09

A tender Puerto Rican specialty where pork shoulder is slowly roasted with citrus zest and garlic, resulting in fall-off-the-bone perfection. This Puerto Rican-inspired quick recipe, ready in about 210 minutes, pairs pork shoulder, orange zest, lemon zest for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 8, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs pork shoulder
• 2 tbsp orange zest
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 8 cloves garlic
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup orange juice

The roasting pan we’d use for this → Best Roasting Pans for 2026: Racks, Handles & Sizes for the Holiday Bird

Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat 3 lbs pork shoulder dry with paper towels. Rub 3 tbsp olive oil, 1.5 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp ground cumin, and 8 minced garlic cloves all over the meat.
2. Step 2: Mix 2 tbsp orange zest, 1 tbsp lemon zest, and 1/2 cup orange juice in a small bowl, then spread over the pork shoulder.
3. Step 3: Place pork shoulder in a roasting pan, fat-side up. Roast in a preheated 325°F oven for 3 hours, basting every 45 minutes with the pan juices.
4. Step 4: After 3 hours, check if the pork is tender; if not, continue roasting for another 30-45 minutes until it pulls apart easily with a fork.
5. Step 5: Let rest for 20 minutes before slicing. Serve with the pan juices drizzled over the top.