How Long To Cook A 10 Pound Pork Shoulder In Oven (And Why)?

Exact Answer: Five Hours

Pork is amongst the most preferred meat item all over the world. Roasted Pork Shoulder is one of the most delectable food items. It tastes the best when cooked to the right tenderness. Hence, it is necessary to know how long it is to be cooked.

Cooking pork shoulder is not simple as a lot of preparation goes into it. It is imminent to know how to cook it, and what temperature to cook it at in an oven.

How Long To Cook A 10 Pound Pork Shoulder In Oven?

There are many options to choose from when it comes to cooking Pork Shoulder. One can cook it in a pan over a stove or cook it in an oven. Many people prefer cooking Pork Shoulder in the oven, as it is easier to adjust temperature and the timing for which the Pork Shoulder is to be cooked.

In general, it can take about 30 minutes to cook one pound of pork shoulder. By that calculation, if a 10-pound Pork Shoulder is to be cooked, it can take about 5 hours or a little over it to prepare and cook it. The time is stated considering that the Pork Shoulder is being cooked at a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit in an oven.

The overall timing can further increase if the oven temperature is set below 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Likewise, the timing can also decrease if the temperature is set higher than 350 degrees. However, 350 degrees is an ideal temperature as cooking above 350 degrees can sometimes lead to the Pork Shoulder being burnt while cooking.

There are other factors like prep time and thickness of the meat, that can considerably increase the time it will take to cook ten pounds of Pork Shoulder in the oven. The maximum time that it should take to cook 10 pounds of Pork Shoulder is about eight hours considering all contingencies.

Why To Cook A 10 Pound Pork Shoulder In The Oven For That Long?

Raw meat has many harmful bacteria that can cause digestive problems for humans, hence, it is necessary to cook Pork Shoulder before eating it. When meat is cooked it takes time irrespective of the temperature.

However, the temperature can increase or decrease the time that is involved in cooking. The reason is that the heat takes time to slowly cook the meat like Pork Shoulder to make it edible for human consumption. 

Besides this, there are many reasons that the Pork Shoulder is to be cooked for a long time. The reasons are as follows:

• The main reason is the temperature at which the Pork Shoulder is being cooked in the oven. There are only a few temperatures that are ideal for cooking the Pork Shoulder to get the proper taste and texture. Going below these temperatures can increase the time it will take to cook Pork Shoulder, and it might not give the perfect texture. Similarly, if the Pork Shoulder is cooked above the ideal temperature it can burn the food.
• Another factor is whether the Pork Shoulder that is being cooked is bone-in or boneless. Boneless meat takes lesser time to become tender as compared to the bone-in Pork Shoulder.
• Other factors include the thickness of the Pork Shoulder. If the pieces of the Pork Shoulder are thick, it will take more time to cook them. Likewise, if the pieces are smaller or thinner, it will take much lesser time.

Conclusion

Pork Shoulders are best when they are roasted in the oven at a constant heat of about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The preparation time can increase the timing of cooking the Pork Shoulder as time goes into thawing the frozen meat and marinating it.

It is a lengthy process to cook the whole 10 pounds as it needs to be done in batches. Time will also increase if the quantity rises. Another thing that can increase the timing is if the oven is not pre-heated.

References

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0309174006001926
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0023643815300311