A roundup of 8 simple and delicious slow cooker recipes featuring pork from bloggers you love and the Ohio Pork Council!
Raise your hand if you are like me… on days when you use the slow cooker, you feel so proud of yourself. It’slike for once, you REALLY have your act together. I absolutely love my slow cooker (this is the one I currently use) and I feel like such a rock star when I remember to put ingredients in it in the morning, and a ready meal appears at night in time for us to sit down for dinner. I don’t often get to feel like a rock star parent (just ask me how many times I’ve put ingredients IN the slow cooker and forgot to turn it on… ooops!), so when I do, it’s a wonderful thing.
Today, I’ve partnered with 8wonderful bloggers, my friends at The Ohio Pork Council and the Ohio Soybean Council to bring you a roundup of simple slow cooker recipes featuring pork. These recipes are so easy and amazingly good, you’ll feel like a rock star each time you prepare one in your slow cooker to feed to your family.
A 5-pound bone in pork shoulder is the star of this recipe from Nutmeg Nanny. Tender and fall off the bone perfection is the result after a low and slow day in the slow cooker. Brandy suggests serving this Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Pork on a bun or even better, over rice! Check out the recipe over at Brandy’s site, Nutmeg Nanny.
This recipe from Foxes Loves Lemons takes me away on those busy weeknights when I’d rather be sitting on the beach instead of shuffling kids around town to various activities. If I can’t get myself to Hawaii at least I can savor some of those delicious tropical flavors! Find Lori’s Hawaiian Pulled Pork Tostada recipe on her blog, Foxes Loves Lemons.
I rarely make ham at home, unless it’s a holiday, and I have no idea why because we love it and it’s so easy! I’m taking a cue from Rachel and I am going to make this flavorful ham recipe in my slow cooker.The combination of maple syrup and dijon mustard is a definite winner for a family friendly, weeknight meal. Check out the recipe for 5 Ingredient Slow Cooker Maple Dijon Ham from Rachel Cooks.
You know when your family of 5 eats every last morsel of a meal, you’ve hit a dinnertime home run. That’s what happened with Rachel when she served up these pulled pork sandwiches on a busy weeknight!Not a single nibble was left. Considering the slow cooker did most of the work, that’s definitely a busy weeknight dinner success story!You can find the recipe for Slow Cooker Apple Cider Pulled Pork on Baked by Rachel.
Again, ham… why don’t I make you more often? Especially since you are so very easy to make? This slow cooker ham recipe from Lemons for Lulu looks like a lifesaver for those crazy, busy weeknights! The tangy and sweet apple ginger glaze gives it an extra boost of flavor to make it something extra special. You can find the recipe for Apple Ginger Slow Cooker Ham over on Lemons for Lulu.
This recipe from my friend Gina proves that sandwiches don’t have to be boring at all! Shecooked a bone-in pork shoulder with some apples and seasonings low and slow all day to create the pulled pork, then made sandwiches topped with this flavorful carrot apple slaw. How smart is that? You can find the recipe for BBQ Apple Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Carrot Apple Slaw over on Running to the Kitchen.
What I love the most about this slow cooker pulled pork recipe from Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean is that instead of making a traditional pulled pork sandwich, she turned her slow cooker creationinto pulled pork lettuce wraps with rice. This option goes great with the Asian inspired flavors in this recipe, but I bet would work well with other flavors as well! So smart! You can find the recipe for Slow Cooker Asian Pulled Pork over on The Lean Green Bean.
Here’s another quick and easy dinner idea for acrazy weeknights. Simple combine your pork shoulder with pineapple bits and other spices and seasonings, let it cook all day in your slow cooker, and at dinnertime you can sit down to these fabulous sandwiches! Kristy also suggeststopping a salad with this pulled pork creation or wrapping it up in tortillas. All great ideas for mixing things up! You can check out the recipe for Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pulled Pork over on Chocolate Slopes.
I hope this roundup of wonderful slow cooker recipes featuring pork has inspired you to save yourself a little time and to try cooking pork in the slow cooker more often!
For more great recipes and to find out more about Ohio Pork, visit the Ohio Pork Council website!
Disclosure: Thank you to the Ohio Pork Council and the Ohio Soybean Council for sponsoring this campaign. All opinions expressed are my own.
FAQs
Can You Put Raw Meat in the Slow Cooker? It is safe to add raw meat to a crock pot or slow cooker if it will be cooked through completely. Tough cuts like pot roast, pork shoulder, and stew meat can be browned first and then cooked through in the cooker or simply added to the crock pot.
Should pork be covered with liquid in slow cooker? ›
If you happen to be home and walking by your crock pot you can spoon some juices over the top of the meat occasionally, but it'll be ok if you don't. (Or you could flip the meat once about halfway through cooking, but again, no worries if you don't.)
What is the best pork for slow cooking? ›
Slow cooking is more forgiving because it's done at a lower temperature so an hour or so too long isn't going to ruin your pork; Pork Shoulder and Scotch Fillet – These cuts have more fat marbled through them so they are natural choices to use for slow cooker pork roasts.
Should you sear pork before slow cooking? ›
This is particularly useful for options like chuck roast, pork shoulder, and short ribs, which tend to become silky and tender when cooked on low heat, per Food Network. While it's tempting to throw such raw meat in the slow cooker, it definitely pays to sear it beforehand.
What is the best liquid to cook pulled pork in? ›
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. Cover and cook on low until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily.
Does pork get more tender the longer it cooks in a slow cooker? ›
At around 2 hours, your pork chops will be cooked through (145°F) and have a texture similar to chicken breast — tender, but firm. Between 3 to 6 hours, the chops will have a texture closer to pulled pork; it will be easy to cut with a fork and will pull easily from the bone.
Why do you put apple cider vinegar in pulled pork? ›
The acid from the apple cider and apple cider vinegar help to tenderize the meat while also keeping it juicy and flavorful. The low and slow cooking method makes it fall apart as soon as your fork touches it and shreds beautifully.
How do you keep pork from drying out in a slow cooker? ›
Cooking a lean roast like pork tenderloin in a slow cooker is tricky because it can quickly turn overcooked and dry. We discovered that nestling two tenderloins side by side, alternating the narrow and thicker ends, helped to insulate the meat and prevented it from overcooking.
Should you flip pork in a slow cooker? ›
Close the Proofer and allow the pork to cook for a total of 10 or 11 hours. Midway during the slow cook process you can turn the pork over once. After 10 hours check the interior of the pork with a thermometer. We recommend a temperature of 195-200 °F / 90-93 °C for tender, juicy pork which pulls apart easily.
Why is my pork tough in the slow cooker? ›
Cook Low and Slow
This long, slow braise breaks down the connective tissue and fat, creating deliciously soft and juicy meat. Each slow cooker meal's cooking time differs depending on the meat and its weight. The low setting is important so you don't overcook it, potentially leaving you with a dry or tough meal.
The Best Cut of Pork for Pulled Pork
You can find bone-in pork shoulders, though I prefer a boneless pork shoulder for more meat in my slow cooker. Choose a pork shoulder that's well marbled (for extra flavor), but not too much fat on the edges. You can trim any excess fat off as well.
Is pork butt the same as pork shoulder? ›
Both come from the shoulder of the pig, but pork butt is higher on the foreleg, while pork shoulder is farther down. As relatively tough and fatty cuts, both benefit from long, slow cooking methods such as roasting, stewing, and braising. But the cuts are different enough that we generally prefer pork butt.
What happens if you don't brown meat before a slow cooker? ›
"Browning, or caramelizing, meat before putting it into a slow cooker isn't 100 percent necessary, but it is well worth the effort for the most flavorful and full-bodied end result," he says. "The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish."
What happens if you don't sear meat before slow cooking? ›
Searing meat before slow cooking adds flavor through caramelization, but it's not mandatory. If you skip searing, you might miss some depth of flavor, but the slow cooker will still cook the meat thoroughly.
Can you slow cook pulled pork the day before? ›
I like to cook the pulled pork overnight and place it in the fridge to keep it fresh during the day, before reheating it for dinner.
Is it safe to put raw meat in a slow cooker? ›
Research conducted by USDA FSIS indicates it's safe to cook large cuts of meat and poultry in a slow cooker. Follow the manufacturer's recipes and safety guidelines. Start clean. Start with clean hands, utensils surfaces and a clean cooker.
Can you put raw meat straight into a slow cooker? ›
Can you put meat straight into a slow cooker? Meat can be added directly unseared and not browned.
How long is it safe to slow cook pork? ›
Cover with the lid and cook, undisturbed, for 8 hours. Open the slow cooker and use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the pork shoulder. Make sure the pork reached a temperature of 145°F (63°C) and allow the pork to rest for 3 minutes to kill germs that could make you sick.
Can you cook raw meat on low in slow cooker? ›
Yes, the slow cooker, a countertop electrical appliance, cooks foods slowly at a low temperature—generally between 170° and 280° F. The low heat helps less expensive, leaner cuts of meat become tender and shrink less.
