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Slow Cooker Pork Roast

Slow cooker pork roast with pull-apart tender pork bathed in savory pan juices. Season, sear, then set and forget until the meat shreds easily and falls into juicy shreds for a classic crockpot Sunday dinner.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520

Ingredients
  

Pork roast base
  • 3.5 lb pork shoulder or butt
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 black pepper to taste
  • 1 garlic powder to taste
  • 1 smoked paprika to taste
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion 1 large, sliced
  • 4 garlic 4 cloves, minced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 fresh rosemary 2 sprigs
  • 1 fresh thyme 2 sprigs
  • 1 mashed potatoes or rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Season the pork
  1. Season pork roast generously on all sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
  2. Let the seasoned pork sit while you prep the slow cooker aromatics.
Sear for flavor
  1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, then sear pork on all sides until browned, about 2–3 minutes per side.
Slow-cook
  1. Place sliced onion and garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker, then set the browned pork on top.
  2. Combine chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce, then pour around the pork and add rosemary and thyme.
  3. Cook on Low 8–10 hours (or High 4–5 hours) until pork shreds easily, with the juices bubbling gently around the meat.
Shred and serve
  1. Shred the pork with two forks, then toss it with the juices until coated and pull-apart tender.
  2. Serve over mashed potatoes or rice, spooning extra pan juices over the top.

Notes

Pro tip: If the top isn’t submerged, spoon juices over the pork once during cooking so every shred stays glossy. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months (freeze juices with the meat). For a lower-sodium option, use reduced-sodium chicken broth and swap the Worcestershire/soy sauce for low-sodium versions.