Crispy Pork Shoulder

Crispy Pork Shoulder is made easy in the oven and without deep-frying! It's golden and crunchy on the outside and moist and flavorful inside for the ultimate homemade "lechon" experience!

Guys, I apologize. I know it's Lent season, and the last recipe you're probably searching for right now is a sinful slab of crispy pork shoulder. But look at this beauty below; so golden and crisp I can NOT wait to share!

I have many favorites (ginataang talong, pretty please!), but if I have to choose one of the almost 500 recipes we have on Kawaling Pinoy that I am extremely proud of, lechon sa hurno be the runaway winner. With crackling-crisp skin and super juicy meat, it's hog heaven in every morsel!

It's the crispiest, moistest lechon in my opinion and judging from your positive feedback in the comments, you all agree. And since many of you asked if the method will work on other cuts of pork aside from belly, I decided to experiment on pork shoulder and the answer is a resounding YES!

The pork turns out golden and crunchy on the outside and super moist and flavorful on the inside; It's like making your own roast pig at home!

What you'll need

• Skin-on pork shoulder- For the best results, skip the pork loin and choose pork shoulder with a thick cap skin. this cut is a leaner alternative to pork belly, but still has relatively good fat marbling to be juicy and tasty.
• Vinegar- softens the skin so it roasts in a light crisp and not a hard crunch; also helps dry out the skin
• Salt- draws out excess moisture for super crispy skin
• Garlic powder and ground pepper- adds flavor

This crispy pork shoulder is pretty effortless, but it does take a few hours to cook in the oven after sitting out in the fridge overnight to dry out. I suggest using the largest piece of pork shoulder you can get to make it worth the time.

The good thing is the roasted pork stays nice and crisp for hours, and you can enjoy it longer. Plus, you can use leftovers in a variety of recipes, such as ginisang munggo soup, sisig, or pinakbet.

How to serve and store

• Crispy oven-roasted pork shoulder is delicious as an appetizer or main dish. Chop up into serving pieces and enjoy with lechon sauce, spicy vinegar, or toyomansi.
• Store leftovers in a container with a lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to months.

How to reheat

Lechon loses its crunchiness over time, especially when refrigerated. To crisp up the skin again, reheat in a 375 F oven, turbo broiler, or toaster oven for about 8 to 10 minutes.

More crispy pork recipes

• Slow Cooker Lechon-this is an easy and convenient technique as it does not require any cooling in the fridge, and the crockpot does most of the work. The meat is tenderized in the slow cooker without added liquids and then finished off in the oven to crisp the skin. However, make sure not to overcook the pork in the slow cooker, or you'll end up with pretty dry meat.
• Lechon Kawali-this is the classic and most widely used way of making lechon. One thing I like about this traditional method is I can boil a huge batch at one go, store them in the freezer in resealable bags, and thaw and fry a piece or two when the craving hits. The major disadvantage, of course, is the obscene amount of oil needed for frying. And let's not forget the royal mess in the kitchen from the spluttering oil!
• Lechon sa Hurno- is the same technique I used for this crispy pork shoulder. It's mostly hands-off cooking as the pork tenderizes and roasts in the oven with hardly any tending. What's great about doing the lechon this way is you draw out a lot of fat from the meat, which will pool in the pan. However, cooking in the oven takes forever and a day, which is not always practical, especially during the hot summer months.