Tender Pork Roast in Crock Pot
This Crockpot Pork Roast requires no pre-cooking, but you still end up with succulent meat and flavorful, umami-rich gravy!
“This was SOO yummy! I seared the roast just like the notes said to do and it locked in the flavor and made it so tender and flavorful! Will definitely be making it again.”
—Andrea
Get Ready For The Most Tender And Flavorful Crockpot Pork Roast
After years of experience working with all cuts of meat (including a Butchery class in culinary school where I got very up close and personal!), I can confidently say that the humble boneless pork shoulder deserves more attention.
This versatile and affordable cut, sometimes confusingly called “pork butt” is a hidden gem in the kitchen.
Pork shoulder transforms into a tender, flavorful masterpiece after slow cooking. This Crockpot Pork Roast recipe gives you fall-apart-tender meat, soft carrots and onions, and a rich umami-bomb gravy – all with minimal effort, thanks to the magic of your slow cooker.
Why You Will Love This Pork Roast Crock Pot Recipe
- Create simple yet powerful flavors with everyday ingredients like carrots, onions and garlic.
- The slow-cooking technique is foolproof, practically guaranteeing success for seasoned chefs and kitchen novices.
- Makes 6 to 8 servings, so if you’re feeding a smaller crowd, you’ll be left with leftovers that you can repurpose into satisfying pork sandwiches.
Slow Cooker Pork Roast Ingredients
- boneless pork shoulder (butt) roast – this is a rich, tender cut of meat when cooked properly, and we’ll need 3 pounds of it.
- carrots – provide a sweet contrast to the savory pork.
- onion – adds a depth of flavor to the gravy.
- garlic – infuses the dish with an aromatic essence.
- chicken broth – this will form the backbone of the gravy.
- fresh thyme – elevates the dish with an herbal note.
- salt and pepper – to season everything perfectly.
- cornstarch – to thicken the gravy.
- butter – adds richness to the gravy.
- soy sauce – an umami bomb that takes the gravy to the next level.
What Liquid Is Best For Pork?
While some crockpot pork roast recipes are made using water for the bottom of the slow cooker, chicken broth is the best choice.
We’ll be using the liquid left in the crockpot at the end of the cooking time to make gravy, so broth will be much more flavorful than water!
How To Cook A Pork Roast In A Crock Pot
1. VEGGIES. Place the carrots, garlic and onions in the bowl of a 5 quart or larger slow cooker.
2. MEAT. Rub the roast all over with salt and pepper and place it on top of the vegetables.
3. BROTH. Pour the broth around the roast. Place the thyme on top of the roast.
4. COOK. Cover the slow cooker, and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours, or until the meat pulls apart easily.
5. SLICE. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and slice it or gently pull it apart in big chunks.
6. START GRAVY. Transfer 2 cups of the liquid from the slow cooker bowl into a medium sauce pot and heat it to simmering over medium-high heat.
7. THICKEN. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Slowly add this cornstarch mixture to the liquid in the sauce pot, stirring constantly.
8. SIMMER. Heat the gravy to simmering, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook 2 minutes or until the gravy has thickened.
9. FINISH. Whisk in the butter and soy sauce.
10. SERVE. Remove the onions and carrots from the crock pot with a slotted spoon. Serve the pork with the onions and carrots, drizzled with the gravy.
How Long To Cook Pork Roast In Crock Pot
This crock pot pork roast cooks to perfection in 4 hours on the HIGH setting or 8 hours on the LOW setting.
Pork Roast Temp When Done
To be safe to eat, pork needs to reach an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees F.
This recipe will probably get the meat quite a bit hotter than that, but that’s OK for this cut. The low and slow cooking process will make it incredibly tender and succulent.
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Crock Pot Pork Roast Recipe Home Chef Tips
- For an extra layer of flavor, you CAN (although it’s not necessary) sear the roast in a skillet until it’s browned on all sides before putting it in the crockpot.
- If you have kitchen twine, feel free to bundle the thyme sprigs together for easier removal at the end.
How To Serve Crockpot Pork Roast
Serve your masterpiece on a pretty serving platter, with the meat surrounded by the tender carrots and onions. Drizzle some of the gravy over the platter, and serve the rest of the gravy at the table.
If you’d like to add a starchy side dish, I recommend one of the following:
How To Store Slow Cooker Pork Roast
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Crock Pot Pork Roast FAQs
Ensure you’ve allowed sufficient cooking time. If necessary, extend the cooking time until the pork reaches your desired tenderness.
It’s pretty difficult to overcook a roast in a crock pot, but exceeding the recommended cooking time may result in a drier texture.
The roast does NOT need to be completely covered in liquid, but liquid should be covering the bottom of the slow cooker bowl.
Yes, the longer the crockpot roast cooks, the more the collagen will break down, making the meat softer.
Either works! Cooking pork in a crock pot on low allows the connective tissue in the pork to break down more gradually, which creates a more tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. But cooking on high works well when you need a faster preparation.
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Pork Roast (Crock Pot Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots peeled, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
- 4 garlic cloves smashed
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
- 3 pound boneless pork shoulder butt roast
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Instructions
- Place carrots, garlic and onions in bowl of 5 quart or larger slow cooker.
- Rub roast all over with salt and pepper and place on top of vegetables.
- Pour broth around roast. Place thyme on top of roast.
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours or until meat pulls apart easily.
- Transfer roast to cutting board and slice or gently pull apart in big chunks.
- Transfer 2 cups of liquid from slow cooker bowl into medium sauce pot and heat to simmering over medium-high heat.
- In small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Slowly add cornstarch mixture to liquid in sauce pot, stirring constantly.
- Heat to simmering; reduce heat to medium-low and cook 2 minutes or until gravy has thickened.
- Whisk in butter and soy sauce.
- Remove onions and carrots from crock pot with slotted spoon. Serve pork with onions and carrots, drizzled with gravy.
Notes
- For an extra layer of flavor, you CAN (although it’s not necessary) sear the roast in a skillet until it’s browned on all sides before putting it in the crockpot.
- If you have kitchen twine, feel free to bundle the thyme sprigstogether for easier removal at the end.
This was SOO yummy! I seared the roast just like the notes said to do and it locked in the flavor and made it so tender and flavorful! Will definitely be making it again
I’m so glad to hear you liked it so much, Andrea. Thanks for sharing!
Followed recipe but mine came out terrible and unappetizing.. Disappointed. While says you do not have to brown meat first, the picture clearly has the meat browned. Crockpots do not brown meat. I didn’t brown it first. I should have known. Will never make again because even with browning not a fan of the thyme.
I’m sorry to hear this wasn’t a hit for you, Stephanie. The recipe card note does say that you can sear the roast before putting it in the crockpot, so that’s always an option if you’d like to try again in the future. And maybe rosemary would be more to your liking than thyme?