Slow Cooker Roast
Published 1/12/2025
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Our slow cooker pork roast is a game-changer, offering a fall-off-the-bone tenderness that’s hard to resist. It’s a unique blend of flavors, thanks to our special dry rub and the magic of slow cooking. Plus, the added bonus of a homemade gravy makes this the best slow cooker pork shoulder roast you’ll find online.
This crock pot pork roast is one of Fit Foodie Finds’ most popular dinner recipes! Lots of people have made this recipe their own. Scroll down to the comment section to leave a review or take tips and tricks from other readers.
Featured Comment
“So good! My foodie sister loves it. Made it as described, the little sweet cinnamony depth added so much. Pork tender not dry. Veggies firm but stewed in the juices. Smelled it all day and were starving when it was ready! Thank you!!“ -Rick
I can’t count the amount of times I’ve made this crock pot pork roast. My family begs for it and I always oblige. They love that it’s a full meal in one dish – juicy, tender pork roast and stewed root vegetables.
Our secret ingredient: The flavors are savory with a hint of sweet all thanks to our secret ingredient of a little balsamic vinegar.
What You Need for Our Slow Cooker Pork Roast
Our crock pot pork roast is made with a boneless pork shoulder, a homemade pork dry rub, and a mix of hearty root vegetables like carrots and potatoes.
The roast is cooked in a flavorful liquid made from balsamic vinegar, red wine, and chicken broth, which later transforms into a delicious gravy.
PS: using a slow cooker is a great way to make mealtime easy. Check out some of our favorite crockpot freezer meals that you can make and freeze for later!
What cut of pork is a pork roast?
We recommend a boneless pork should or pork butt.
We’ve tried this recipe with leaner cuts of pork such as a pork loin and it just isn’t the same. You really need the fat from a pork shoulder to make this “fall-off-the-bone.” Trust us.
A Few Tips on How to Make Slow Cooker Pork Roast
- Be generous with the seasonings.
- When chopping the vegetables, be sure that all the vegetables are cut around the same size so that they cook evenly.
- We sear the pork shoulder on all sides before placing it in the slow cooker. When you do this, be sure that the olive oil in your cast iron skillet is HOT. We are going for a quick sear that will brown the meat perfectly.
- We recommend cooking your pork shoulder in the crock pot on HIGH for 6-8 hours.
Substitutes and Variations
- Pork: We recommend using a boneless pork shoulder for this recipe. It shreds easily and the flavor is out of this world. A pork butt will also work. However, if you have another cut of pork you need to use, go ahead and use it. It may not shred the same, but it will taste delicious. Just be sure it is about 3 pounds.
- Veggies: try using sweet potatoes, onion, garlic, fennel, or rutabaga.
- Red wine: if you don’t red wine on hand, you can absolutely sub for more chicken broth.
Cuts of Pork
Not sure where all the different cuts of pork come from on the pig? We made it easy. Check out more details on everything pork in our favorite pork recipes round up!
Do I need to add liquid to slow cooker pork?
Yes, we recommend adding liquid to slow cooker pork! It creates a delicious gravy and adds moisture to the cooking environment to keep the pork nice and moist.
Can you cook pork roast in crock pot for too long?
It is hard to overcook a pork roast! There is a sweet spot when the pork becomes tender and fall off the bone. When that happens. keep an eye on the pork before it becomes mushy!
Storage
To store this slow cooker pork roast, let the pork cool completely before placing it in an airtight container. You can keep pork roast in the refrigerator for up to 7 days!
What goes with pork roast?
Pork roast goes well with just about anything! It tends to be a heavier meal, so pairing it with something a little lighter is always a good idea! Here are our favorite pairings with this slow cooker pork roast!
Slow Cooker Pork Roast
Ingredients
- 6 medium russet potatoes, quartered
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 6 medium carrots, diced into 4 pieces each
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 3 lbs. boneless pork shoulder roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 sprigs rosemary, bundled
- 6 sprigs thyme, bundled
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
Pork Dry Rub
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon*
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Thickener
- 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- First, prepare your pork dry rub by mixing together all of the spices in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Then, prepare veggies. Quarter 6 russet potatoes, chop a white onion, dice 6 medium carrots into 4 pieces each, and roughly chop 4 cloves of garlic.
- Place the veggie medley on the bottom of your crockpot.
- Next, rub your pork shoulder roast with the dry rub. Make sure that every nook and cranny is covered in rub.
- Heat around 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium/high heat. When olive oil is fragrant, sear pork shoulder for 2 minutes on each side.
- Then, place the pork roast in crock pot on top of the veggies. Make sure you scrape the skillet to get all of the delicious bits of rub off of it and add that to the crockpot, too.
- Create herb bundle, by using bakers twine to tie together thyme and rosemary and set that on top of the pork.
- Next, in a large Pyrex, mix together balsamic vinegar, red wine, and chicken broth. Then, pour that on top of the pork roast.
- Cover crockpot and turn to high. Let cook for around 6-8 hours (flipping pork roast halfway through cook time, if you can, if you can’t no worries!).
- Remove meat and vegetables from the crockpot and discard the herb bundle. Using two forks, pull the pork roast apart into chunks and set aside.
- Place 1/2 cup of the liquid left in the crockpot into a microwave safe Pyrex. Whisk in cornstarch. Place cornstarch mixture into the microwave for 45 seconds (mixture should be thick a gelatinous). Remove from the microwave and whisk the cornstarch mixture into the existing liquid in the crockpot until it thickens into a thin gravy.
- Place pork and vegetables back into the crockpot or transfer it to a platter and mix, coating everything in gravy.
Tips & Notes
- If you already have our homemade pork dry rub on hand, use around 1/2 cup of rub for a 3 lb. piece of meat.
- Gravy: feel free to double the gravy ingredients (balsamic vinegar, red wine, and chicken broth) if you like more gravy.
- Cinnamon: we love how a little bit of cinnamon can really elevate the flavors in this crock pot pork roast. If you don’t love cinnamon, feel free to omit.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Pork Recipes
- Instant Pot Pork Roast
- Lemongrass Ginger Baked Bone in Pork Chops
- Instant Pot Pork Chops
- ALL Pork Recipes
Photography: photos taken in this post are by Erin from The Wooden Skillet.
I love to have a pork roast cooking when I’m expecting family to come in. I generally just rub it with some pork butt seasoning and let it cook. This recipe brought pork roast to a whole new level! The gravy is amazing, but the meat is so flavorful without it! I had small red potatoes and their creamy texture with the gravy was awe inspiring !