Slow Cooker Pork Roast
Slow Cooker Pork Roast made with pork shoulder slow cooked with onion, seasoning, and broth until it’s tender and juicy and falling off the bone!
Slow Cooker Pork Roast is an easy weeknight dinner, and perfect for busy days when you don’t have time to stand over the stove. It’s also made with simple ingredients, cost effective, and produces the most tender pork roast you’ve every had in your life!
If you like this recipe, you may also like my other pork recipes like Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder, or my Slow Cooker Pork Loin Roast!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Insanely Tender. Cooking pork in the slow cooker makes it so incredibly tender and juicy, you’ll be able to cut it with a fork. I used bone-in pork shoulder butt, and I could just lift the bone away from the meat without having to cut into it.
EASY to make. This recipe is pretty easy to make, and if you’re still new to cooking it can be a great weeknight meal to add to your rotation.
Set It and Forget It! You can set this up in the morning, then go about your day until dinner is hot and ready hours later. Perfect for busy weeknights or lazy Sundays!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Pork Roast. This recipe works best with a pork shoulder, or a pork shoulder butt. I used a bone-in roast, but boneless pork shoulder will also work.
The cook times can vary depending on the size of your roast, with larger pieces taking longer to cook. Use a sharp knife to cut off any large pieces of fat before cooking.
Pork shoulder or “picnic roast” is taken from the shoulder of the pig, from right above the front leg. Pork butt is higher on the leg than the pork shoulder, but technically still on the “shoulder” area of the pig. It can also be called “Boston butt”.
I don’t recommend using other cuts of pork like pork tenderloin for this roast dinner, because it is a lot leaner and won’t have the same flavor or texture.
Onion. This adds flavor to the roast. You can use regular yellow onion or white onion.
Spices. I like to use some common pantry ingredients that add extra flavor for my pork rub, like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, sage, and cinnamon. Along with kosher salt and black pepper.
We’re also using some fresh rosemary sprigs and some fresh thyme.
You can also try my popular Dry Pork Rub, which has a sweet, spicy, and savory flavor profile
Broth. I use vegetable broth or chicken broth. You can turn this into a pork gravy, too.
You can use beef broth, but I think it has a much stronger flavor so I usually stick with chicken or vegetable.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Adding some olive oil helps keep the pork from sticking to the pan when you sear it in the skillet before slow cooking.
Kitchen Tools
For this crockpot pork roast recipe you’ll need a 6-7 quart slow cooker, a large skillet, and a pair of tongs.
How to Make Slow Cooker Pork Roast
Time needed: 6 hours
- Add the spice rub.
In a small bowl mix together the spice mixture. Pat the pork roast dry with a paper towel, then rub the spice mixture evenly over the roast.
- Sear the meat, then add to the slow cooker.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned pork roast and sear for 2-3 minutes on all sides, until golden brown. Place the onions on the bottom of the slow cooker, then place the pork roast on top of the onion slices. Pour the broth into the pot and place the rosemary sprigs to each side.
- Cook until tender.
Place the lid on to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or until the roast is fully cooked and fork-tender. Discard the rosemary sprigs before serving.
How to Make Pork Gravy
This slow cooked pork roast goes nicely served with potatoes or rice, and a flavorful gravy on top. Here’s how I usually make it. If you don’t have the individual seasonings, you can also use 1-2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning, or any leftover fresh herbs you have.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add 3 tablespoons of gluten free flour and whisk until the flour begins to turn brown and smell slightly nutty.
- Add 2 cups of chicken broth or vegetable broth, whisking everything together.
- From the bottom of the slow cooker, ladle about 1 cup of the pork drippings and broth mixture through a fine mesh sieve into the saucepan, whisking everything together. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon each of dried rosemary, garlic powder, thyme, kosher salt, black pepper, and onion powder. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until gravy thickens.
Recipe Variations
- For a complete meal, you can also add baby potatoes, sweet potatoes, or chopped carrots around the side of the roast. Make sure they’re cut to about 1-2″, so they cook through all the way.
- Make this crock pot pork roast spicy with a dash of cayenne pepper, hot sauce, or red pepper flakes.
- If you’re going to make pork gravy for the roast, I would throw 2-3 cloves garlic in the crockpot with the broth to add some flavor to the drippings.
- Try serving this juicy pork roast with my Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes, or Instant Pot Green Beans.
- Instead of the slow cooker, you can add this to a baking dish and cover with tinfoil to bake.
Recipe Tip! This is perfect for meal prep! Serve this pork roast over rice with veggies, make pork sandwiches with some BBQ sauce and coleslaw, or in a veggie soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
A pork shoulder roast has connective tissue that will break down as the pork cooks at the right temperature. If your roast is tough, it simply needs more cooking time. A 4 pound roast should take about 6-7 hours in the slow cooker on low, adding more time if you have a bigger roast. That being said, if it’s been a lot more time than what was called for, your pork roast may be over-cooked.
Recipe Tip! While searing the roast first helps lock in a lot of flavor, you can skip that part and just add everything to the slow cooker if you’re in a rush. It will still taste great!
More Slow Cooker Recipes
- Slow Cooker Cabbage Soup
- Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
- Slow Cooker Pork Chops
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
- Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
Storage
Refrigerate leftover pork roast in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months.
Cooking Tips
- My 4 pound pork shoulder roast took 6 hours on low to finish cooking and be very fork-tender. If you have a bigger or smaller roast, you may need to increase or decrease the cooking time.
- I recommend cooking this on low, because the connective tissue in the roast will break down more and be really tender and juicy. If you cook this on high, it may be tougher. A larger roast (more than 4 pounds) may take 7-8 hours to finish cooking.
- I do not recommend using a frozen pork roast, because it is too thick to stay in the safe cooking temperature zone for the right amount of time. Defrost the frozen meat in the refrigerator before cooking.
If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a 5 Star review below, and tag me with a photo of your finished recipe on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish!
Slow Cooker Pork Roast
Ingredients
- 4 pound pork roast , shoulder or butt
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth, gluten free
- 3 springs fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Equipment
- 1 6-7 quart slow cooker
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix together the herbs and spices. Pat the pork roast dry with a paper towel, then rub the spice mixture evenly over the roast.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the roast and sear for 2-3 minutes on all sides.
- Place the onions on the bottom of the slow cooker, then place the pork roast on top of the onion slices. Pour the broth into the pot and place the rosemary sprigs to each side.
- Place the lid on to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or until the roast is fully cooked and fork-tender. Discard the rosemary sprigs before serving.
Notes
- My 4 pound pork roast took 6 hours on low to finish cooking and be very fork-tender. If you have a bigger or smaller roast, you may need to increase or decrease the cooking time.
- I recommend cooking this on low, because the connective tissue in the roast will break down more effectively. A larger roast (more than 4 pounds) may take 7-8 hours to finish cooking.
- I do not recommend using a frozen pork roast, because it is too thick to stay in the safe cooking temperature zone for the right amount of time.
Nutrition
We are a participant in both the RewardStyle and Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which are affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and through RewardStyle.
