Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder
Pork shoulder gives you the sort of tender, substantial dinner that's pleasant to come back to after a busy day. The vegetables and gravy belong right there with it.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 600 min
- Total
- 610 min
- Original yield
- Serves 8
- Ingredients
- 21 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Dinner
- Primary protein
- Pork
- Cuisine
- American
- Cooking method
- Slow cooker
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: over 60 minutes
A few quick notes
1. Brown it before it goes in
That skillet step adds a lot here. After searing the pork, scrape up the browned bits with the water and add them to the slow cooker liquid so that flavor doesn’t get left behind.
2. Use LOW if you can
The pork can cook on HIGH, but LOW is the better setting for tenderness. Pork shoulder needs time for its collagen to break down properly, and the longer gentle cook gives it that softer texture.
3. Build the base before adding the pork
Put the onion, garlic, celery, potatoes, and carrots in first, then set the seared pork on top. It keeps the vegetables in the cooking liquid and lets the pork season everything as it cooks.
Get to know the ingredients
Pork shoulder
Boneless pork shoulder is the right cut for this long cook. Pat it dry before seasoning so the spice rub clings well and the meat browns properly in the skillet.
Yukon Gold potatoes
The potatoes go in halved, not diced small. That larger cut helps them hold up through the long slow cook with the pork and carrots.
Cornstarch slurry
Whisk the cornstarch with the measured water before it goes into the slow cooker. Stirring in a smooth slurry helps the cooking juices thicken into gravy without little dry pockets of starch.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 8. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 7 steps completeMake room for Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
The last little job
Once the pork and vegetables are out, thicken the juices right in the slow cooker. Cover it on HIGH until the gravy thickens, then spoon that gravy back over the pork and vegetables to serve.
A little more help as you go
Let the juices do their work
Freshly shredded pork can soak up more flavor if it rests in the cooking juices for a few minutes before serving. It’s a small pause that makes sense after such a long cook.
Season at the end if needed
The pork starts with a salt and spice rub, then cooks with broth, soy sauce, vinegar, maple, mustard, and herbs. Taste the finished gravy before serving and add salt and pepper only if it needs it.
A few questions you might have
Do I really need to sear the pork first?
It’s strongly worth doing for this recipe. Searing browns the outside of the pork, and the deglazed skillet liquid carries those browned bits into the slow cooker.
Can I cook it on HIGH instead of LOW?
Yes. The recipe gives a HIGH option, but LOW is preferred because the pork shoulder turns more tender as the collagen breaks down over the longer cook.
What does the deglazing water do?
After the pork is seared, the water loosens the browned bits stuck to the skillet. Those bits get whisked into the cooking liquid instead of being left in the pan.
When do the vegetables come out?
Take the pork and vegetables out before thickening the gravy. The cornstarch slurry goes into the liquid left in the slow cooker, then the finished gravy is poured over everything to serve.
Why mix the cornstarch with water first?
Cornstarch thickens more evenly when it’s whisked with water before being added. Stir the slurry into the hot slow cooker juices, then cover and cook until the gravy thickens.
Any more cooking tips?
I recommend cooking the pork shoulder on the LOW setting because the collagen in the pork will break down better, and the pork will be more tender. Freshly shredded pork will absorb more flavor if rested in the cooking juices for a few minutes before serving. For the best flavor, don’t skip searing the pork before slow cooking.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: diethood.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
