Description
A hearty and flavorful slow cooker pork roast featuring tender pork shoulder, aromatic herbs, and perfectly cooked potatoes and carrots. This easy recipe uses a searing step for enhanced flavor and slow cooking for tender, falling-apart meat and vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Seasoning
- 4 pounds pork shoulder roast
- 1 tbsp avocado oil (or olive oil)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (plus extra for sprinkling)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (plus extra for sprinkling)
Vegetables
- 1 large white onion, diced 1/2 inch
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds potatoes, cut into 3 inch pieces (about 4 potatoes)
- 1.5 pounds carrots, cut into 3 inch lengths (about 8 carrots)
Liquids and Herbs
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 6 sprigs rosemary, sage, and thyme (2 sprigs each, or 4 sprigs of one herb such as rosemary) or 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provence
Instructions
- Heat and Sear the Pork: Preheat a large cast iron pan on the stovetop until hot but not smoking. Add the oil, then sprinkle the pork roast with salt and pepper. Sear the pork on each side for 4-5 minutes until browned.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Remove the roast from the pan and place it in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Sauté Onion and Garlic: Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the same cast iron pan. Sauté briefly until the onion starts to soften.
- Add Broth and Season: Turn off the heat. Add chicken broth to the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over the pork in the slow cooker.
- Add Vegetables and Herbs: Arrange the potatoes and carrots around and on top of the roast. Tuck the herb sprigs into the vegetables and around the roast.
- Cook Slowly: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. The pork roast should be fork-tender and the vegetables cooked through.
- Serve: Remove vegetables and discard herb sprigs. Serve vegetables in a bowl along with the pork. Optionally, lift the tender roast carefully onto a serving platter and arrange the vegetables around it. Use cooking juices for gravy if desired.
Notes
- Salt is added during cooking for seasoning; adjust salt to taste after cooking, especially if making gravy.
- Any type of potatoes work, with Yukon gold or red potatoes recommended for their texture.
- Fresh herbs can be substituted with 2 teaspoons of dried Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provence.
- To make gravy, carefully drain cooking liquid and use as base for gluten free or paleo gravy recipes.
- Cooking times vary by slow cooker; check for fork tenderness after 6 hours on low to avoid overcooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
