This slow cooker pork roast is fall-off-the-bone delicious and all you have to do is throw everything in the slow cooker and you’re golden. Make this crock pot pork roast for dinner this week; you’ll have tons of leftovers!
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!
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.
Best Ever Crock Pot Pork Roast!
No matter what time of year it is, I love a good pork roast recipe. I am not sure if it is nostalgia or if it’s something my body always craves but it seems to always hit the spot.
The best way to eat pork roast (in my opinion) is after it’s been slow-cooked surrounded by delicious root vegetables and smothered in the sauce it was cooked in. Many people like to make slow roasted pork shoulder in the oven, but the pork roast in crock pot is the way to go!
Preparing a pork roast in crock pot makes life easy, peasy. You know the phrase “set it and forget it”? It is the truest statement when it comes to this slow cooker pork roast recipe. Let’s break this recipe down!
PS: if you’re like man, I wish this was an Instant Pot Pork Roast recipe, no fear! We have one of those too!
How to Make Slow Cooker Pork Roast
Any leg work that comes from this recipe happens at the beginning. Once your meat is prepped and everything is chopped, all you have to do is throw it in the slow cooker.
Here is a quick rundown of how to make the most tender, flavorful crock pot pork roast. on the internet!
Prepare Pork Shoulder
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.
Pork Seasoning
Another very important part of this recipe is the dry rub! We have developed the best dry rub for pork. For each pound of pork you cook, we recommend using about 2 tablespoons of rub.
Whether you are going to use our favorite rub or your favorite rub, be sure that you cover every inch of the meat and let it sit. Doing this will ensure that your meat is flavored to perfection as well as have a nice crispy exterior.
The Best
Homemade Pork Rub
This 7-ingredient pork rub recipe will quickly become your go-to pork dry rub. Whether you’re making chops, ribs, loins or a roast, you’ll love this savory and sweet dry rub.
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!
Prep Vegetables
There is nothing like root veggies with pork roast. We cook and serve this pork roast with carrots and potatoes. We used these vegetables because they are hearty root veggies that can stand a long cook time without turning into mush in the slow cooker.
Here’s a tip!
When chopping the vegetables, be sure that all the vegetables are cut around the same size!
What other vegetables can I use?
We recommend using other root vegetables because they will all cook similarly. Here are some more options:
- sweet potatoes
- onion
- garlic
- fennel
- rutabaga
Sear + Slow Cook Pork Shoulder Roast
The key to getting delicious browned pork is to sear the pork before placing it into the slow cooker!
You don’t want to cook the pork for long in the cast iron, we are solely searing the meat to get a delicious crust that gets the juices flowing before placing the meat in the slow cooker.
A tip on searing pork
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.
Once you have seared the meat, you place all the vegetables in the bottom of the slow cooker, place the meat on top of the veggies, and add all the liquid. The cook time for the pork is about 6-8 hours on high.
You read that correctly, 6-8 hours on HIGH or until the pork can easily shred and has an internal temperature of 145ºF.
MAke Gravy
Why do we need to add balsamic vinegar, red wine, and broth to the bottom of the slow cooker? Because it will make some of the best gravy that you have ever tasted.
There is nothing worse than a dry pork roast. Adding liquid to the slow cooker helps to keep the pork roast moist. And? After the pork roast has cooked in the slow cooker all the delicious meat juice and vegetable juice drip into the bottom of the slow cooker.
This creates the gravy you will use to serve with the slow cooker pork roast!
How to Make the Gravy
To make your gravy after the pork is ready, remove the pork and the vegetables from the slow cooker. From there you remove about 1/2 cup of the gravy and whisk it with about 1.5 tablespoons of cornstarch.
Once the corn starch has dissolved in the liquid, microwave it for about 45 seconds, then pour that liquid back into the slow cooker and whisk it into the rest of the liquid. This should create a thin gravy in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Everything You Need to Know about Pork Roast in Crock Pot
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.
If you can’t do red wine or balsamic vinegar, feel free to sub for more broth. However we highly recommend following the recipe as written for the ultimate flavor!
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!
You can flavor pork with any of your favorite spice rubs. We recommend the best dry rub for pork. No matter what spice rub you use, be sure to use enough SALT!
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!
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!
Crock Pot 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 facts
Similar recipes:
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’m so glad I stumbled upon this recipe. It’s absolutely delicious and has quickly become a family favorite.
All meat is best cooked on the bone.
Hoping to make this tomorrow. Got a boneless pork butt before finding this recipe. How would I change anything like timing?
Update: next day, leftover pork , egg, cheese and Dijon sandwich. My new favorite!!
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!!
Loved this. I took the Rosemary and Thyme bundle out halfway, added extra chicken broth, red wine and salt. Cooked on low 10 hours and did not add the corn starch to make a gravy. It really didn’t need it!
The rub is sooooo good! Roast was fall-apart tender and the fatty bits were orgasmic. Highly recommend!!
I followed this recipe to the T. We loved it. The only changes I would make for the next time is to 1.5x the gravy and add about a tsp-1.5tsp more salt, and maybe a better quality wine as all I had on hand was a barefoot cabsav. Loved it and so did the 13 month old!
Excellent recipe. Out of Red Wine (drank it all last week!) so sub’d Red Wine Vinegar cut with water. Also added apples in lieu of potatoes, super tasty.
So glad these substitutions were super tasty!
wow the food is delicious!
This recipe was amazing! I added a little more fluid, more salt, and a little less cinnamon then the recipe called for. The meat was so tender and it had great flavor. I will be making this again.
Love that you made this recipe your own, Lindsay! So glad you enjoyed 😀
Ages 6 thru 72 really enjoyed this meal! Easy and will do again! Still have rub left!
I will however delete the balsamic vinegar as it made the meal almost to sweet.
I will take your recommendation to substitute more chicken broth and maybe a litt bit of basaltic vinegar.
First of all I’m not a hater. If it wouldn’t of been for this recipe I would have never of attempted pork in a slow cooker. So kudos!!! Definitely double if not triple the liquid ingredients…only add an extra splash of wine tho. Definitely needs extra salt and I used sweet potatoes which OMG paired so well with the pork rub. I cooked on low for four hours and on high for two. When I put it on high I took the rosemary and thyme out. I did not use cinnamon. I doubled the garlic as well. It was amazing!!!!
Oooo sweet taters sound AMAZING with this roast, Erin!
This was awful. I’m not sure if I did something wrong but it was almost sour tasting.
The cinnamon was very strong plus the balsamic vinegar🤢
Would not do again. Sorry I feel bad but it was awful.
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear this, Christy. This recipe is one of our top rated and a team fave — did you make any substitutions? Hoping we can get to the bottom of it so you can enjoy this roast as it should taste 🙂
Very disappointing as so many on here thought it was wonderful. Perhaps it was made by all Americans and their stupid cups. A more accurate recipe would be to measure and weigh properly. Then there are no discrepancies for us in Europe who just simply don’t cook with cups.
This recipe is VERY bland. Great if you are marking for an elderly person who can’t have too much spice or flavor.
Who are these elderly you talk about? I’m elderly and like spicy food, particularly from Bangladesh, but I don’t always want spice in every meal. This was simply delicious once I got help with these American cups. Food needs to tasty not always full of spice, and less about the elderly!
I followed this recipe exactly as written (I have a real problem with people altering someone else’s recipe) this recipe was awesome, very tender and full of flavor! I’m going to try your rub recipe to smoke the roast next time.
Don’t see the point of altering a recipe and then saying it’s no good!
I made this recipe exactly as written and was terribly disappointed. I was expecting this roast to be amazing based on the reviews but unfortunately it was not. The veggies were mushy, the roast lacked flavor, but it was moist. Guess that is the silver lining.
It’s done in a slow cooker, so by nature of the utensil, vegetables are going to be soft but all the goodness kept, not thrown down the sink when boiled.
Prepared this recipe without cinnamon and with a little more broth. It turned out great! We’re looking forward to the left overs. Maybe next time will try baby potatoes and onions instead.
Pork roast is my favorite kind of leftover!
Our stove was not working so we seared the pork outside on the grill. The house smelled wonderful all day while we waited for the roast to cook. The large chunks of carrots and potatoes were very satisfying. We paired this dish with Hawaiian rolls for a super easy, hearty meal.
Can you make this with a boneless pork loin roast? Or has anyone had any luck? (Wanting to keep it in crock pot with veggies) And does the meat need to be submerged in liquids while cooking?
Pork loin has a lot less fat than a pork shoulder, but it should still work! It just likely won’t be “fall-off-the-bone!
All meat is best cooked on the bone.