This Crockpot Pork Roast requires no pre-cooking, but you still end up with succulent meat and flavorful, umami-rich gravy!

A platter of pork roast crock pot with onions, thyme and carrots.

Get ready for the most tender and flavorful Crockpot Pork Roast

The humble boneless pork shoulder doesn’t get enough love, in my opinion. Maybe because it’s also referred to as pork BUTT?

But this affordable cut of meat shines after a low and slow cook time.

This Crockpot Pork Roast gives you tender meat, soft carrots and onions, and a rich umami-bomb gravy, and your slow cooker does most of the work.

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.
Ingredients laid out on a light surface, including a big piece of meat, carrots, onion, butter, herbs spices, garlic, flour and soy sauce.

What you’ll need for this Pork Roast Slow Cooker recipe

  • 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 Pork Roast in Crock Pot

A white slow cooker insert with sliced carrots, onions and garlic inside.

1. VEGGIES. Place the carrots, garlic and onions in the bowl of a 5 quart or larger slow cooker.

A white slow cooker insert with sliced carrots, onions and garlic with a pork roast on top inside.

2. MEAT. Rub the roast all over with salt and pepper and place it on top of the vegetables. 

A white slow cooker insert with sliced carrots, onions and garlic with a pork roast on top inside, with broth being poured in.

3. BROTH. Pour the broth around the roast. Place the thyme on top of the roast.

A white slow cooker insert with sliced carrots, onions and garlic with a pork roast on top inside, after the cook.

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.

A crock pot pork roast being pulled apart on a wooden cutting board.

5. SLICE. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and slice it or gently pull it apart in big chunks.

A stainless steel saucepot filled with brown broth.

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.

A stainless steel saucepot filled with brown broth, with a hand pouring in a white liquid from a measuring cup.

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. 

A stainless steel saucepot filled with brown gravy, with a whisk in it.

8. SIMMER. Heat the gravy to simmering, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook 2 minutes or until the gravy has thickened. 

A stainless steel saucepot filled with brown gravy, with a pat of butter and a splash of soy sauce added to it.

9. FINISH. Whisk in the butter and soy sauce.

A platter of pork roast slow cooker with onions, thyme and carrots.

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.

A platter of pork roast in slow cooker with onions, thyme and carrots.

Crockpot Pork Roast 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 this Pork Roast Crock Pot Recipe

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:

Pork Roast (Crock Pot) storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

A plate of crockpot pork roast with onions, thyme and carrots, and gravy being drizzled over it.

Pork Roast in Slow Cooker FAQs

Why is my pork roast not tender in slow cooker?

Ensure you’ve allowed sufficient cooking time. If necessary, extend the cooking time until the pork reaches your desired tenderness.

Can you overcook a pork roast in a crock pot?

It’s pretty difficult to overcook a roast in a crock pot, but exceeding the recommended cooking time may result in a drier texture.

Should pork be covered with liquid in slow cooker?

The roast does NOT need to be completely covered in liquid, but liquid should be covering the bottom of the slow cooker bowl.

Does pork roast get softer the longer it cooks?

Yes, the longer the crockpot roast cooks, the more the collagen will break down, making the meat softer.

A platter and a plate of a pork roast crock pot recipe with onions, thyme and carrots.
A platter of pork roast crock pot with onions, thyme and carrots.

Pork Loin Roast (Slow Cooker Recipe)

Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes

This Pork Roast Crock Pot Recipe requires no pre-cooking, but you still end up with succulent meat and flavorful, umami-rich gravy!

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

  1. Place carrots, garlic and onions in bowl of 5 quart or larger slow cooker.
  2. Rub roast all over with salt and pepper and place on top of vegetables. 
  3. Pour broth around roast. Place thyme on top of roast.
  4. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours or until meat pulls apart easily.
  5. Transfer roast to cutting board and slice or gently pull apart in big chunks.
  6. Transfer 2 cups of liquid from slow cooker bowl into medium sauce pot and heat to simmering over medium-high heat.
  7. In small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Slowly add cornstarch mixture to liquid in sauce pot, stirring constantly. 
  8. Heat to simmering; reduce heat to medium-low and cook 2 minutes or until gravy has thickened. 
  9. Whisk in butter and soy sauce.
  10. Remove onions and carrots from crock pot with slotted spoon. Serve pork with onions and carrots, drizzled with gravy.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 562Total Fat: 40gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 162mgSodium: 805mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 41g

This website provides estimated nutrition information as a courtesy only. Nutrition information does not include any optional ingredients or toppings. You should calculate the nutrition information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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