Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder
Slow cooker pork shoulder is a whole Sunday dinner in one pot. The roast, the potatoes and the carrots all cook together on low, and the liquid left at the bottom turns into a gravy in about five minutes. It is the pork version of a pot roast, and it costs a good deal less than beef.
This is the kind of dinner for a cold weekend when you want the house to smell like something good all afternoon. It feeds eight, and the leftovers are just as good the next day.
Pot roast, not pulled pork
Pork shoulder is the same cut we use for Crockpot Pulled Pork. The difference is where you stop. Pulled pork cooks until it is soft enough to shred into strands. For this roast you stop a little earlier, when a fork slides in easily and the meat breaks into big tender chunks that still hold together on the plate.
You will see pork shoulder sold as Boston butt or pork butt. It is all the same cut, from the shoulder. Boneless is easiest here. A bone-in roast works too, but it needs about an hour longer.
How long to cook pork shoulder in a slow cooker
About 8 hours on low for a 3 to 4 pound boneless roast, or 5 to 6 hours on high. Low is better if you have the time. The collagen that makes shoulder tough needs long, gentle heat to soften.
The USDA’s safe temperature for pork is 145F, but a shoulder at 145F is still tough. It needs to reach about 190F to 195F inside before it turns tender. Past 200F it starts to fall into shreds, which is great for sandwiches but not for this dinner. Check with a fork first: if it slides in and twists easily, it is ready.
Does it need liquid?
A little. The roast and vegetables release plenty of juice as they cook, so one cup of broth is enough. Too much liquid boils the meat instead of braising it and leaves you with thin gravy. The liquid should come about a third of the way up the vegetables, not cover the roast.
A few things that make it better
- Put the potatoes and carrots on the bottom. They take longer than the meat to soften, and the bottom of the crock is where the heat is.
- Sear the roast first if you have ten minutes. The browned crust adds a lot of flavor to the gravy. Skip it on a busy morning; the recipe still works.
- Cut the vegetables large. Two inch pieces hold up to eight hours. Small pieces turn to mush.
- Keep the lid on. Every time you lift it, the slow cooker loses heat and needs time to recover.
- Skim the fat before you make the gravy. Shoulder is a fatty cut. Let the liquid sit for a minute, spoon the fat off the top, then thicken what is left.
Questions people ask
Can I use a bone-in pork shoulder?
Yes. Add about an hour on low, and pull the bone out before serving. It should slide out clean when the roast is done.
What are the common mistakes?
Cooking it too short, using too much liquid, and cutting the vegetables small. The first gives you a tough roast, the second thin gravy, and the third mush.
Can I put it in frozen?
No. Thaw it in the fridge first. The USDA advises against slow cooking frozen meat, because it spends too long warming through the unsafe temperature range.
Can I add other vegetables?
Parsnips and celery work well. Put them on the bottom with the carrots. Save softer vegetables like green beans for a side dish.
How long do leftovers keep?
Three to four days in a covered container in the fridge, with some of the gravy spooned over so the meat stays moist.
More recipes you’ll love: Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin, Crockpot Pulled Pork, Instant Pot Pot Roast, and our full Easy Crockpot Dinner Recipes roundup.
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Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder
- Total Time: 8 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Boneless pork shoulder cooked low on a bed of potatoes, carrots and onion, then served in tender chunks with a gravy made from the pot.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 lb boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (only if searing)
- 1 1/2 lb small yellow potatoes, halved
- 4 medium carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into wedges
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- Chopped fresh parsley, to serve
Instructions
- Pat the pork dry. Mix the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and thyme, and rub it all over the roast.
- Optional: heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the roast on all sides, about 3 minutes per side.
- Spread the potatoes, carrots, onion and garlic over the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker.
- Whisk the broth, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard together and pour it over the vegetables.
- Set the roast on top of the vegetables.
- Cover and cook on LOW for about 8 hours, or on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours, until a fork slides into the pork and twists easily (about 190F to 195F inside).
- Move the pork and vegetables to a platter and cover loosely with foil.
- Pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan, let it settle for a minute, and spoon off the fat. Bring it to a simmer, stir the cornstarch into the cold water, whisk it in, and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until thickened.
- Break the pork into large chunks, spoon the gravy over the meat and vegetables, and sprinkle with parsley.
Notes
- Go by tenderness, not the clock. If a fork does not slide in easily, give it another 30 to 60 minutes.
- Bone-in shoulder: add about an hour on low and remove the bone before serving.
- Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Store the meat in some of the gravy so it stays moist.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
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