SLOW COOKER PORK ROAST RECIPE (2024)

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Slow Cooker Pork Roast made with simple ingredients, ready to cook in minutes! Fall-apart tender pork with a flavorful gravy on top make this crock pot pork recipe amazing. Now with Instant Pot instructions!

SLOW COOKER PORK ROAST RECIPE (1)

Crock Pot Pork Roast made with broth, balsamic vinegar for a great boost of flavor, soy sauce, honey and garlic.This crock pot pork dinner goes together in minutes and is made in your slow cooker or Instant Pot. The gravy is made with the juice that cooks off the roast too. It’s moist and flavorful and perfect for a family dinner or entertaining guests. Updated with nutrition information!

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Easy Slow Cooker Pork dinner

Today I’mbringing you a delicious dinner that cooks to perfection in the crockpot! Don’t you love meals like that? I know I do.Just a handful of ingredients and you can practically forget about it. I served this pork roast with brown rice and a side of green beans. Healthy, easy to make and minimal effort. I’ve used bone-in pork roast as well as boneless pork roasts and I think they’re both amazing. I tend to use the boneless variety more often because I buy them in bulk at Costco.

SLOW COOKER PORK ROAST RECIPE (2)

How long does it take to slow cook pork?

When you cook a pork roast in a slow cooker, how long you cook it for depends on how large your roast is. I use a small 3-4 pound boneless pork roast for this recipe and I like to cook it in a slow cooker on LOW for 10-12 hours. You can cook it on HIGH for 6-8 hours, but I think the texture and flavor is better when you cook it on low.

I cook this Pork Roast recipe in a 4.5 quart basic crock pot. (Basic but so pretty!)

Can I make Pork Roast in an Instant Pot?

Yes! I’ve also begun making this in my Instant Pot and it’s AMAZING. It’s quite a bit faster than using a Slow Cooker (it takes about 2 hours total!) and I think I like the results even more! I use a small, 2-lb Pork Sirloin Tip Roast from Costco and add the remaining ingredients. It’s fall apart tender and so flavorful! Instant Pot instructions included below- I’ve even made it in my baby 3-qt Instant Pot with great success! Scroll down to find the full instructions.

SLOW COOKER PORK ROAST RECIPE (3)

Slow Cooker Pork Roast Recipe ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this recipe:

PORK ROAST: You’ll need a 3-4 lb pork roast of any type, really. Sometimes I use a boneless pork roast from Costco. Other times I use a larger, bone-in roast from the grocery store. Both work well! If you do use a bone-in roast, it can be larger, because of course, the bone has some weight.

— BROTH: You’ll add 1 cup broth to the slow cooker. My favorite to use is chicken broth, but you can use vegetable broth if you prefer.

— FLAVOR: To add flavor, we use 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2-4 TBSP honey and 2 tsp minced garlic. Feel free to adjust to your liking, using more honey or less depending if you like sweeter recipes or not.

— THICKENING AGENT: To thicken the gravy, we use 2 tsp cornstarch at the end of the recipe.

SLOW COOKER PORK ROAST RECIPE (4)

How to make this Crock Pot Pork Roast recipe

First I spray my crock pot with non stick spray. Place your boneless pork roast in your crock pot.

Measure all of the remaining ingredients except the cornstarch in a 2 cup measuring cup. I prefer to use chicken broth, but you can also use vegetable broth or even beef broth if you’d like.

Whisk the sauce ingredients and then pour over the pork roast. Place the lid on the crock pot and cook on high for 6-8 hours or low for 10-12 hours.

When the roast is done, strain out about 1/4 cup of the liquid into a separate bowl and stir the cornstarch into that liquid.

Add about 1/2 cup additional juice from the crockpot and microwave for about 1 minute. Taste the gravy and add water as needed.

Use tongs to pull the pork roast out from the crockpot and onto a serving plate. I like to shred the roast and drizzle some gravy on and serve with additional gravy.

SLOW COOKER PORK ROAST RECIPE (5)

How do you cook a Pork Roast in an Instant Pot?

Place Pork Roast roast in Instant Pot. Combine remaining ingredients (except cornstarch) in a small bowl, increasing broth from 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups. Whisk together and pour over roast.

Lock lid on and set Instant Pot to Manual High Pressure for 65 minutes (for a 2-lb Sirloin Tip Roast that was fall-apart tender. Add 10 minutes per additional pound of pork roast.)

When timer beeps, let it Natural Pressure Release.

Remove lid and ladle out about 1/4 cup of the juice and strain into a measuring cup.

Whisk in 2 tsp cornstarch. Add in additional juice to make 1 cup.

Microwave on high for 30 seconds and whisk again. Drizzle sauce over meat prior to serving.

Can I use a pork loin roast in place of a pork roast in this slow cooker recipe?

Pork loin comes from a different section of the pig as a pork roast does. It’s a longer, thinner piece of meat and it’s very tender. I think the flavors in this recipe would work beautifully for a pork loin, I’d just decrease the cooking time to 4-5 hours.

SLOW COOKER PORK ROAST RECIPE (6)

How to make pork roast gravy

This recipe includes broth, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey and garlic not only to flavor the pork, but also to make a delicious base for gravy! Prior to serving, ladle out about 1/4 cup of the juice in the crock pot and strain into a measuring cup. I like to strain it to remove all the bits and pieces the pork meat gives off as it cooks. It’s not necessary, but I like to have a smooth gravy. Whisk in 2 tsp cornstarch. Add in enough juice to make 1 cup. Cornstarch is used as a thickening agent.Microwave on high for 30 seconds and whisk again. Drizzle sauce over meat prior to serving.

You can use flour if you’d prefer, but I’d switch to heating the gravy in a small saucepan on the stove (instead of using the microwave like the directions indicate) so that you can whisk continually to smooth out the flour lumps.

SLOW COOKER PORK ROAST RECIPE (7)

Slow Cooker Pork Roast

Slow Cooker Pork Roast made with simple ingredients you have in your pantry! Fall-apart tender pork with a flavorful gravy on top make this recipe amazing. Now with Instant Pot instructions!

4.74 from 129 votes

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Course: dinner, Instant Pot, Main Course, Main Dish, Slow Cooker

Cuisine: American

Keyword: slow cooker pork roast

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 6 hours hours

Total Time: 6 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 331kcal

Author:

Ingredients

  • 2-4 lb pork roast
  • 1 cup broth
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 2-4 TBSP honey
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 2 tsp cornstarch

Instructions

How to cook a pork roast in a slow cooker

  • Place roast in slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients (except cornstarch) in a 2-cup measuring cup. Whisk together and pour over roast.

  • Cook on low 10-12 hours for that fall-apart, insanely tender type of meat. (Or on high 6-8 hours.)

  • Prior to serving, ladle out about 1/4 cup of the juice in the crock pot and strain into a measuring cup.

  • Whisk in 2 tsp cornstarch. Add in enough juice to make 1 cup.

  • Microwave on high for 30 seconds and whisk again. Drizzle sauce over meat prior to serving.

How to cook a Pork Roast in an Instant Pot

  • Place Pork Roast roast in Instant Pot. Combine remaining ingredients (except cornstarch) in a small bowl, increasing broth from 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups. Whisk together and pour over roast.

  • Lock lid on and set Instant Pot to Manual High Pressure for 65 minutes (for a 2-lb Sirloin Tip Roast that was fall-apart tender. Add 10 minutes per additional pound of pork roast.)

  • When timer beeps, let it Natural Pressure Release.

  • Remove lid and ladle out about 1/4 cup of the juice and strain into a measuring cup.

  • Whisk in 2 tsp cornstarch. Add in additional juice to make 1 cup.

  • Microwave on high for 30 seconds and whisk again. Drizzle sauce over meat prior to serving.

Video

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Leftovers freeze well! Place in an airtight freezer bag and freeze for 3-4 months. Thaw on countertop, then reheat on stove or in the microwave and serve again!

Nutrition

Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 635mg | Potassium: 877mg | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1.5mg


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What to serve with pork roast?

I like to serve this pork roast with other comfort food favorites like Alfredo Potatoes, fresh Buttermilk Bread or Creamy Parmesan Potatoes and Peas. Finish off with Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert!

Can I add vegetables to this pork roast recipe?

There is a lot of moist flavor in this recipe so I think adding vegetables is a great idea! I’d cut the vegetables in larger pieces and add them after the pork has been able to cook for a few hours. Vegetables like quartered potatoes (or whole baby red potatoes) and carrots would be fantastic. I also think adding chunks of cabbage would be delicious; I’d just add in a teaspoon of brown sugar to compensate for the bitter flavor that cabbage has. Have you added vegetables to this slow cooker pork roast recipe before? I’d love to hear what vegetables you added and how it turned out!

SLOW COOKER PORK ROAST RECIPE (8)

What broth do you cook a pork roast in?

Several people have asked what type of broth to use in this recipe. I really think you can use any broth you have on hand! Just to experiment, I’ve used chicken broth, beef broth and even vegetable broth. All were wonderful! The other flavors in the recipe are much stronger than the flavor of the broth, so even with the slight taste differences in each broth, the end results were very, very similar. I most often use chicken broth because I have that on hand in my pantry all the time.

SLOW COOKER PORK ROAST RECIPE (9)

Looking for more Pork recipes? Check these out:

  • Best Pork Tenderloin Marinade recipe
  • Sausage Potato Boat Recipe
  • Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Recipe
  • Crock Pot Ham Recipe
  • Bacon Wrapped Meatballs Recipe
  • Grilled Italian Sausage Recipe
  • Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin Filet Recipe
  • Sausage and Peppers Recipe

Crock Pot Pork Roast made with broth, balsamic vinegar for a great boost of flavor, soy sauce, honey and garlic. This crock pot pork goes together fast and is made in your slow cooker. The gravy is made with the juice that cooks off the roast too. It’s moist and flavorful and perfect for a family dinner or entertaining guests.

SLOW COOKER PORK ROAST RECIPE (10)
SLOW COOKER PORK ROAST RECIPE (2024)

FAQs

Do I need to add liquid to slow cooker pork? ›

You don't need much liquid to slow cook pork since it releases juices while cooking when using the low setting. I use just enough to flavor the pork along with the reserved juices of the pork and serve the extra BBQ sauce on the side. If you wish to add liquid, you can add 1 cup of chicken broth.

Is it better to cook pork on high or low in slow cooker? ›

Low and slow is always the go for a tender pork roast. Depending on the size of the roast and the type of slow cooker, a pork roast is best cooked on LOW for 6-8 hours.

Do you flip pork roast in slow cooker? ›

Sear and slow-cook.

It should come about 1/2 way up the sides of the meat. Cover with a lid and cook on low for 10 hours, flipping the pork butt over halfway through. Note: it's important to not overcook the pork butt, or it'll make the pork tough and stringy.

Is it better to cook a pork roast slow or fast? ›

Overcooking any meat dries it out. A pork loin roast is more tender and juicy when cooked to medium than when it is well done. If you're talking about a pork shoulder or pork butt, it is best braised low and slow to let the collagen soften. As soon as the meat pulls apart with a fork, it is done.

What is the best liquid to cook pork in? ›

Pull the pork from the fridge to take the chill off while you chop a few onions and smash garlic cloves. Transfer everything to a large slow cooker and add a splash of liquid — water is great, but so is broth, apple juice, or beer if you have them handy.

What liquid should I cook pork in? ›

Water: A cup of water helps the pork tenderloin stay moist during cooking. Wine: Red wine lends complexity and enhances the flavor. Soy sauce: Soy sauce adds savory flavor.

Can you overcook a pork roast in a slow cooker? ›

The pork roast is done after about 3 hours on high or about 6 to 8 hours on low. To avoid overcooking the pork, check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer. If overcooked, the pork can become dry and could be difficult to slice.

Is 4 hours on high the same as 8 hours on low? ›

The difference between "High" and "Low" on slow cookers seems to differ with every brand and model. One thing that is consistent, though, is that food takes seven to eight hours to reach a simmer point (around 210°) on low; versus three to four hours on high.

How do you keep pork moist in a slow cooker? ›

Additionally, spray chicken broth or apple juice on the meat to prevent it from losing more moisture in the crockpot. To add a strong flavor during the process, white wine can also be sprayed.

Should I brown my pork roast before slow cooking? ›

Preparing the pork

I prefer to season the meat before adding it to the slow cooker with my favourite spices, along with salt and pepper. I also recommend browning the meat slightly prior to slow cooking which will help maximise the flavour. However, this is a step that can be left out if you don't have enough time.

What liquid is best for slow cooker? ›

To ensure the dinner cooks correctly and doesn't get soggy, decrease the amount of liquids you add. Usually only ½ to 1 cup of liquid does the trick. And, for extra flavorful results, try using liquid like broth, wine, or juice, instead of just plain water.

Why do you put apple cider vinegar in pulled pork? ›

After you've pulled your pork butt, drizzle over the meat and combine. The vinegar adds contrast to the smoky flavor and cuts through the fat in the meat. It also helps mellow out the darker, gamier-tasting parts of the butt. This makes enough for a 8 pound pork butt/shoulder.

Why is my pork tough in the slow cooker? ›

Meat that is over-cooked, even if it's submerged in liquid, will eventually dry-out, and get tough, and different cuts of meat cook differently. There are a few reasons for that. Not having enough liquid in the pot can do it. A poor cut of meat can result in toughness as well.

Why is my slow cooker pork too tough? ›

It's because you haven't let the collagen break down. Extend the cook time, make sure there's enough liquid and keep an eye on the dish.

Should I put water in the pan of a pork roast? ›

Place pork roast (fat side up) into large roasting pan with 1 cup water in the bottom. Bake for 4-5 hours or until desired tenderness. (I typically go 5 hours for pull apart pork roast) Add water as needed during cook time to prevent burning on the bottom of pan.

Can you put meat in a slow cooker without liquid? ›

Water or liquid is necessary to create steam. When cooking meat or poultry, the water or liquid level should cover the ingredients to ensure effective heat transfer throughout the crock. Some manufacturers of slow cookers recommend adding liquid to fill the stoneware 1/2 to 3/4 full.

What happens if you don't put liquid in a slow cooker? ›

Not adding enough liquid can lead to burning.

"It's important to add enough liquid to ensure the bottom of your dish doesn't burn."

Does meat need liquid in slow cooker? ›

There is no need to cover the meat in liquid when cooking with a slow cooker, you only need enough liquid to cover the base of the slow cooker as the meat and vegetables will release liquid as they cook.

Should pulled pork be cooked in liquid? ›

In a Dutch oven: Put the meat in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot, pour in just enough liquid (broth, beer, or anything else) so the meat is partially submerged, then cover it and let the pork cook slowly in a low oven for a few hours.

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