Balsamic Beer Braised Pork Roast Recipe
This super easy Balsamic Beer Braised Pork Roast Recipe makes the tastiest pork roast that is fork tender and falling off the bone.
Growing up in the South had many culinary advantages that I took for granted. Along with hushpuppies, grits, biscuits, sweet tea, there was pork BBQ. There were BBQ restaurants in every little town and some in between, not to mention friends and family that owned smokers that we regularly benefited from.
As an adult I married a self-proclaimed pork BBQ connoisseur, whom, since a youngster has traveled much of the Carolinas, as well as a big part of Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia always on the hunt for the best local BBQ smokehouse. He can attest to the the variety of styles from state to state, and even the varieties within each state.
After trying so many different pork BBQs over the years, he’s now kind of picky. He certainly has his favorites, but now (ahem) he has a new one: Balsamic Beer Braised Pork Roast. I think I knocked his socks off with this one, y’all. And I’m telling ya, this recipe couldn’t be easier. We’ve tried all of the ways of cooking pork roasts over the years, some successful and worth the effort, while others were not so much, but this recipe for Balsamic Beer Braised Pork Roast beats them all in my opinion. I know our resident pork BBQ expert agrees.
There’s not much messing around with this recipe. It begins with a basic browning of the roast, then a mixture of beer, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano and brown sugar is poured over the roast. The roast is then covered and popped in the oven to forget about for a few hours. That’s all there is to it. No special equipment is needed, just a heavy duty oven-safe pot with a lid. No special ingredients are called for, just basic pantry items. No special experience is required, if you can brown a piece of meat and whisk some ingredients together, you’re good to go! And I promise, you’ll be impressing even the pickiest of pork BBQ fans. No doubt.
The pork falls off the bone for this pork roast recipe and can be easily shredded or chopped up to use in sandwiches, tacos, burritos, or a crowd favorite, Loaded Pulled Pork Nachos, which are perfect for football season! It’s a versatile recipe that we’ve served over and over again with much success. I hope you enjoy it as much as we have!
Another tasty recipe using beer for braising is this Beer Braised Chicken Recipe. It’s super easy too!
Balsamic Beer Braised Pork Roast Recipe
*A bone-in pork butt roast may be used; take into account the weight of the bone and adjust cook time as necessary. Roast should be done when bone easily pulls apart from meat.
Balsamic Beer Braised Pork Roast
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Originally published August 18, 2014.
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Hi Amy…This looks delicious!! Do you think I could cook this roast entirely on the stove-top…skipping the oven (mine is broken) Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks in advance.
Yes, I think so, but obviously cook time will need to be lengthened quite a bit. Not sure what that would be, maybe an additional hour or two on medium temperature at least? You will also see best results if using a cast iron dutch oven or pan with lid.
i have an 8# boneless roast. how long must i cook it. it was on sale and seemed like a good idea until i froze it whole.
Whoa, that’s a doozy of a roast, Joyce! For an 8 pound boneless pork butt roast (NOT a pork loin), I would begin checking it for fork tenderness at about 4 1/2 hours, then every 45 minutes to an hour after that, making sure to keep it covered while cooking. Of course, it needs to be totally thawed in the refrigerator before cooking.
We don’t have pork very often but this looks so good that might soon change! I can’t resist a recipe that is easy and delicious – will be giving it a try soon!
Do you think you can make this in the crock pot?
I love everything about this! I need to try it soon!
I just pulled this Balsamic beer braised pork butt from the oven and had my first taste. This pork is to die for! It melts in your mouth. The balsamic, brown sugar and beer combine to a wonderful flavor. Make this now!
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What kind of beer do you recommend? Can’t wait to try this. We stocked up on pork butts when they went on sale (4 of them) and I need a good alternative to just smoking it as usual. Thanks!
Any kind of beer will work. I think I used a local IPA, but any kind will do.
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Would you please suggest a non-alcoholic substitute for the beer in this recipe? Thank you.
A non-alcoholic beer may work.
This is ridiculously good and so easy. I made this with 90 Shilling and served it with your Sour Cream, Cheddar and Chive drop biscuits and some wilted greens. Everyone loved it. Thank you for sharing such consistently awesome recipes that are easy to recreate at home. 🙂
Hi Amy! This looks so good. Would like to try with a pork shoulder instead.Do you think it could work maybe? Love the Autumn weather for yummy comfort recipes. Thanks so much.
Gladys
Of course! I hope you enjoy it. Let me know how it turns out.
Do you think this would work as well in a crockpot? I’m having family over and would love to make but need to free up my oven to cook other things. Thanks in advance!
I’m trying it today in my Crock-Pot. I followed the recipe with the same ingredients AND I browned the roast in the oil in a skillet. THEN I put it in my crock-pot on low and plan to cook it for about 10 hours… fingers crossed!
Please let me know how it turns out, Kelly, and I will add the information to the post if that’s okay with you?
I browned the pork roast in the oil in a skillet and then put it in a warmed crockpot and covered it with the remaining ingredients. I cooked it on LOW for 8 hours and it was terrific! Thanks Amy!
I seasoned the roast with salt and pepper BEFORE browning it, btw…
I made this recipe today and it is absolutely delicious. All evening I have been brainstorming recipes I can use the roast with. Thank you for sharing this. Absolutely a keeper!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It is a great recipe for using with all kinds of things. Let me know if you come up with any good ideas. I’m thinking pulled pork sandwiches, burritos, and loaded pork nachos, for examples.
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Has anyone tried throwing some potatoes and carrots in with the roast?
That would be delicious!
Really flavorful, but WAY too much black pepper. Everything was spicier hot than I’d like. Next time I’ll cut back to 1 tsp. Cooked it up with red potatoes – Will make this again, but modified.
agreed with the other comments. This is delicious and super easy, I always seem to have the ingredients on hand and I’ve made it 3 times since learning about it a few months ago. Simply amazing.
So delighted to hear it, Walter! It’s a favorite go-to for us.
I’m trying this tonight for my hubby’s birthday. I have everything except Balsamic vinegar. Any other vinegar I could use? Suggestions appreciated!
Apple cider vinegar will work well too. I hope you enjoy it!
Trying this today in the crock pot and having loaded pulled pork nachos for the Super Bowl! Can’t wait to try it!
Go pork! Go team!
TRying this today with Purple Cabbage/Onion
Oooh! I hope you enjoy it, JC.
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a pork butt roast is a shoulder roast that is where it is cut from. but what i want to know is why 15 minutes at 450 what does that do? i don’t see where it would accomplish anything…thanks william
Used the recipe on pork ribs and put it in a crock pot~ Everyone LOVE it!
Thank you
I have a roast that’s around 7-8 lbs. Would you double all the ingredients? And do you have a recommendation on cook time??
I didn’t have beer, so I substituted what I DID have in the fridge: Hard Apple Cider!
That sounds like a fantastic substitution. I hope it turned out delicious for you, Jennifer!
I have cooked this several times (I also add liquid smoke) and the family raves over it. Had a pack of chicken breasts and thought, “What the heck?!?” Hope this recipe is as good on chicken as it on pork! Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you for sharing, Pamela! It’s one of our favorites. Please let me know how the chicken goes. I bet it will be delish!
It was amazing! My daughter insisted on taking some over to her friend/neighbor to try. I guess it’s pretty good when your kids pass it around the neighborhood lol.
That is fabulous! I’m getting ready to make a couple for the weekend just to have on hand for sandwiches, tacos, and nachos. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it!
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Annyeong haseyo. I found your recipe on Pinterest. I made it yesterday. OMGosh! It was off the hinges. I was squealing in delight when I grabbed it with the tongs and it started falling apart. The sauce is gourmet. I told my husband and my family, “This is the sh*t.”
So happy to hear you enjoyed it, Kepanie. Wish I could have heard you squeal too! 😉
Thanks for the great recipe! I have made this several times for sandwiches with garlic mayo, grilled onions and provolone on home made hamburger buns (my kids’ have several allergies including nuts and sesame, so only home made breads here!). My family and I just love the pork! I do reduce the final cooking time closer to 2 hours. This will be served in our home for many years to come, I know. I love how much flavor you get for such little effort. ???? SO GOOD!
So happy to hear that it’s a family favorite, Kellie!
My local butcher said they only carry the roasts with the bone in them, have you ever tried that and how long did it take?
Hello Becky! I have cooked this used this recipe with a bone-in roast. When I cook it with a bone, I cook it for the suggested time (3 hours total, minimum), then check to see if the bone pulls out easily from the meat. If it does, then I call it done. Of course with this roast, I’ve let it go another hour when I’m not in a hurry and it’s even better. I hope that helps. Please let me know if you need any other tips and I’d love to hear how it turns out.
I just made this tonight and love it! My husband really liked it, too. Thank you for sharing the recipe!!! This will be our favorite and staple menu for a holiday or weekend at home without plan. I cannot wait for a snowy day (once, twice or non in a season in Tokyo though), cook and enjoy this pork with wine.
So happy to hear that you enjoyed it, Yaz! It’s a terrific go-to recipe, especially for a snowy day. Happy cooking!
Do you think that a pork sirloin roast would work well? I don’t quite know the difference between pork butt/shoulder and sirloin….but I don’t want to just try it out and get tough meat….
I would not recommend a pork loin for this recipe. I think a pork shoulder works best for this recipe.
NEVER make this with a pork loin. You’ll spend a lot of money that comes out tough and chewy. ALWAYS use pork shoulder, (also known as pork butt). The fat and connective tissue melt through the magic of braising with low, slow cooking and you get an incredibly flavorful meat. Also I strongly recommend that you use bone-in and fat-on pork shoulder. The end result will be more flavorful and more nutritious. Lastly pork shoulder is the least expensive cut from the pig, always a nice bonus. See my comment #54.
I totally agree. Good info, Mike!
This is :an excellent recipe. To make it truly outstanding, do the following:
1) Instead of just “beer”, use a Belgian strong dark ale, the darker and richer the better. The most widely available and easily found Belgian strong dark ale is Abbey Ale from New Belgium. It is also very reasonably priced. Serve the remaining ale mildly chilled, (about 45-50 degrees F), with the pork shoulder. It’s the perfect accompaniment.
2) Use a bone-in, fat-on pork shoulder. It will taste better, and be more nutritious, guaranteed. It is time to end America’s misguided perceptions about boneless, fatless meat. If you wind up with too much fat, skim some off the top of the liquid. Don’t skim it all. You’ll be losing flavor and nutrition. Remember, fat satisfies hunger and contributes to weight control.
3) Brown the pork shoulder well in your preferred oil or grease in your preferred browning pan or pot, (I like a 12 inch Lodge cast iron skillet). If your meat has a nice layer of fat, you won’t have to add any grease or oil.
4) Once the meat cools enough, place it in a 5-6 qt crock pot or slow cooker, (if the meat is too hot out of the fry pan, the stoneware could crack – believe me on this, I’ve done it).
5) Mix up the braising liquid and pour it over the browned pork shoulder and cover with the slow cooker lid.
6) Put the slow cooker on low and cook for 10-14 hours until the meat is coming off the bone and the meat pulls apart easily.
7) Either let the meat cool, pull the bone out and cut thick slices for dinner, or pull it and serve on your preferred rolls. If you pull the meat for sandwiches, be sure to put it back in the slow cooker in the braising liquid. You can leave the slow cooker on warm for serving – works great for parties.
8) For a pork shoulder cooked with this kind of braise, a coarse mustard is the preferred condiment.
9) For a 6 lb pork shoulder, multiply braising liquid ingredient amounts by 1.5 and use a 5-6 qt slow cooker, depending on what the slow cooker will hold. If the fit is a little tight, it’s usually OK, as the meat shrinks away from the sides of the slow cooker as it cooks.
10) For an 8 lb pork shoulder, double all the braising liquid ingredients, (including the beer). Use a 6-8 qt slow cooker, depending on how it fits.
Put the entire recipe in a file on your computer. Every time you cook and serve this, someone is going to ask for the recipe. Having it on computer makes it easy to email to someone as an attachment.
This recipe is very much in a Belgian style, using beer and then a balance of sweet, (the brown sugar) and sour, (the vinegar). If you ever make this with a Belgian sour beer, like a Flanders Red, (Duchesse de Bourgogne or Rodenbach), skip the vinegar.
Thank you so much for all of your input, Mike. Fabulous!
Since I posted the comment about using Belgian beer, this is not a reply, it’s an addendum, (I always remember more things after I do a post):
1) during the cooking turn the roast at least once halfway through, (since I have to check on it more often, I usually turn it 3-4 times). This is so all the meat spends time braising in the liquid. A long grill tongs works well for me. Whatever you use, be careful, keep the meat under control – the liquid is HOT and will burn you. 2) The times for cooking are variable because all slow cookers are different – different temperatures and different geometry. Also the meat cuts are different. If you use a meat thermometer, check the doneness when temp hits 193, if the meat doesn’t fall apart easily then, keep cooking. Usually at 203 degrees, its good to go. I don’t use a thermometer, I just check now and then. Your nose will also tell you when it’s getting done.
What is a recommended way to eat? Sanwhich? Rice? Any side recommendations? Or condiment recommendations?
This roast is very flexible! A sandwich, taco or burritos are great options. Over rice is nice. You can also enjoy it as a main entree with sides like green beans, coleslaw, or roasted potatoes. I like to reserve some of the juice from the pan and make a sauce to serve alongside.
I made this for New Year’s Day and it was awesome! I took Mike’s advice on the beer and got a nice dark ale. Will definitely be making this again – ate it as an entree this time with leftovers in lettuce wraps, and I’m thinking it will be great for Super Bowl Sunday tacos.
It will be perfect for Super Bowl Sunday tacos! Great idea, Molly.
Do you think a risotto will work as a side with this?
Risotto or any kind of rice dish would be a nice compliment.
Made this roast tonight and was one of the best tasting pork roasts I have done. I did increase the balsamic to 1/3 to 1/2 a cup. It was fantastic and the family loved it.
So happy to hear that, Rick! Glad y’all enjoyed it.
Made this for the first time tonight, using Long Trail Double Bag Ale, and loved it! We have a lot of great pork recipes, but this is the new favorite. Already calculating whether we would need to double, or even triple it to make enough to feed our kids, their spouses and grandchildren.
So happy to hear that, Jeanne! It’s so great for feeding a crowd.
I used the recipe for a 2.65 lb pork loin rib end roast. Do I need to alter anything?
I think you should be good. There may be quite a bit of juice leftover which is lovely for drizzling!
This was FANTASTIC! My guests loved it and I was very pleased..
So happy to hear it, Franklin! Thank you.
I just took the bone out of the roast, as mine went in at 2:30 pm and it’s now 7 pm. I have rice in the rice cooker and just put some asparagus in a baking dish topped with EVOO, lemon pepper, rosemary garlic and some seasoning salt and slices of garlic. Some of the meat stuck to the joint bone and so I tasted it and just kept saying “OMG! OMG, OMG!” LOL. it is THAT’S good. I put it back in the oven for a little longer. This butt was 6 pounds. I doubled all of the sauce Ingredients. I used Long board pale ale, and also a Sierra Nevada. I also added more garlic powder and added some onion powder. I was a bit apprehensive on the pepper, Cuz of an above comment, and so I added 2 top. Not 4 top in doubling. However, I think I could have added more pepper and/or added some jalapeño or cayenne from my garden and it would have been great!
Thank you, Amy for sharing this recipe! I can’t believe it’s been posted so long and I didn’t see it!
I’m happy to hear that you enjoy it, Karen! It’s a forever favorite.
I came across this recipe a few months ago. Since I have probably made it at least a half dozen times. It is probably one my favourite meals now! My 8 and 5 year old even gobble it up no problem. It is so flavourful!
I’m so happy to hear that, Jane!
Is there a recommended cook temperature I should target? I need to cook a larger roast (6-8lb) and love this recipe. I figure using my meat thermometer would be better than guessing on times.
I would add an extra 30-45 minutes for a 6-8 pound roast. The roast will be done much sooner. The extra cook time makes it fall-apart tender.
Made this today and it was delicious!!! Looking forward to leftovers tomorrow!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Susie! The leftovers are usually even better.
Despite what some reviewers said, I made this with a pork loin roast and it was delicious. Roast was tender and the sauce was so good.
I didn’t read about not using a pork loin roast, and that’s what I used. Threw some onions and poblano chiles in the braising liquid too. One reviewer said she used a loin roast and turned out great…fingers crossed!!
This is an AWESOME recipe! Easy and versatile…..Thanks!!
I love this dish. I have used the leftovers for street tacos. Unbelievable!
Such a great use for leftovers, Tracy.
This recipe is amazing! I make it 2-3 times a month, especially when we are having visitors. I throw it in my slow cooker in the morning so the house smells wonderful all day and it falls apart without any effort at all by dinner time. My kids love it too which is a huge bonus for me!
It does make the house smell wonderful! I’m glad you and your family enjoy it as much as we do.
This recipe was great! I did substitute coconut sugar for the brown sugar and cooked it in the crock pot on low for 8 hours. Turned out amazing!
Amazing
This looks SO DELICIOUS!
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