Garlic & herb slow cooker pork roast is tender, juicy, and flavorful. Cooked low and slow until fall-apart tender, this pork roast can be served alone, over mashed potatoes, or on a sandwich.
The slow cooker is a fantastic way to prepare dinner whether you're at work or busy at home.
You'll love this slow cooker pork roast because it's versatile - serve over mashed potatoes, on a sandwich, or on its own with a side of vegetables. Plus, leftovers reheat beautifully, making it a great way to meal prep for several days.
This pork roast is slow cooked until fall-apart tender and juicy. Garlic, onions, and a blend of a few simple herbs and spices flavor this roast, with very little prep work involved.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Pork roast - Pork butt or pork shoulder work best in this recipe.
- Broth - Broth can be pork, chicken, beef, or vegetable - feel free to use what you have on hand.
- Onion - Slice your onion into thick wedges - they will cook down almost entirely in the slow cooker.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic will give you the best flavor, but can be substituted with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder if needed.
- Herbs and spices - Salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, and rosemary. Herbs can be substituted with an Italian seasoning blend.
What type of roast should I use?
For this recipe, you'll want to use a 3-4 pound pork butt or pork shoulder.
A pork shoulder or pork butt works best in the slow cooker because it is a fattier cut of meat. The slow cooking allows the fat to melt away, flavoring your meat and keeping it nice and juicy. Any remaining fat can be removed from your pork before serving.
I do not recommend using a pork loin as a substitution, because it is a less fatty cut of meat and would end up overcooked if prepared in this manner. A pork loin would need about half as much time in the slow cooker. (Check out my recipe for oven roasted pork loin!)
How long do I cook a pork roast in the slow cooker?
How long do I cook a pork roast in the slow cooker?Pork roast cooks down best on low heat, for 9-10 hours. Once your pork roast can easily be shredded with a fork, you'll know it's ready.
If you don't have time, you can cook your pork roast on high heat for 5-6 hours instead.
Can I overcook my pork roast?
It is difficult to overcook a roast in the slow cooker. Roasts do well the longer they cook, because they become more tender over time.
With the added broth in the slow cooker, your pork should not turn out dry. However, if you find yourself with dry, overcooked pork meat, here are a few tips.
Shred your pork and add a sauce or gravy. Make a gravy from the remaining drippings in the bottom of your slow cooker, or add barbecue sauce to make a pulled pork sandwich.
If reheating dry meat, add a splash of water, then cover with a damp paper towel. This will help your meat retain moisture.
Ways to serve pork roast
Serve your pork roast over mashed potatoes, with the cooked onions and juices from the bottom of the slow cooker. Or, make a gravy with the drippings.
Pile shredded pork onto your favorite lightly toasted sandwich bread. We like to add mayonnaise and dijon mustard (this is how we use up all of our roast leftovers now!).
This pork roast is also great on its own. Try serving with a side of oven roasted potatoes or green beans.
Garlic & Herb Slow Cooker Pork Roast
Ingredients
- 3 pound pork roast butt or shoulder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 large onion thick sliced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
Instructions
- Season your pork roast on all sides with salt, pepper, and paprika. Set aside.
- Add onions and chicken broth to the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker. Add seasoned pork roast on top. Sprinkle top of roast with garlic, thyme, and rosemary.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 9-10 hours, or until roast is fall-apart tender. A larger roast will take longer to cook. Or, cook your roast on high heat for 5-6 hours.
- Shred roast with a fork, removing any remaining fatty pieces before serving. Serve over mashed potatoes, or on a sandwich.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Chicken broth can be substituted with beef, pork, or vegetable broth.
- Pork shoulder or butt are the best options for this recipe. Pork loin should not be substituted in this recipe - it is a leaner cut of meat and will turn out dry and overcooked.
- If making as sandwiches, we recommend lightly toasting your bread and adding mayonnaise and dijon mustard.
- Leftovers reheat well the next day - store leftover meat with some of the liquid from the bottom of the slow cooker to keep moist.
I have a 7 or 7.5 pound roast. Will it still cook all the way through and be falling apart when it's done? I'll add more spices, of course. Thanks!
Hi Julianne, a 7+ pound roast will take longer to be fall apart tender. I did a little research on similar recipes, and for a 6 to 7 pound roast they recommended closer to 14 hours on low. You could also try using a combination of high and low heat to reduce the total time slightly - for example starting the roast on high for two hours, then reducing the heat to low for another 8-10 hours. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
This was phenomenal. Not a fan of slow cookers in general due to lack of developed flavor but a shoulder roast lends itself well to this kind of cooking. Flavor is simple but delicious.