Crock Pot Pork Roast

This is a revised and re-posted recipe for a crock pot braised pork shoulder (often called a "Boston Butt") that I originally posted in 2018.  I've made some modifications in the braising ingredients, including the addition of pineapple juice which I think gives the roast an added dimension of richness and flavor.

This recipe has some of the elements of other pork roast recipes I've posted, for which a repository of links can be found here.  But on this occasion, I wanted simple-simple-simple.  This version requires no browning of the roast beforehand, thus eliminating a lot of work.  As I have learned over the years, that step, required by most braising recipes including a fair number of mine, is mildly superfluous.  There isn't  a significant variation in taste or texture by going through that step.  Yes, some depth to the flavor profile is lost, but what you make up for in time and labor may be worthwhile at times.  This was one of those times.

By all means, however, brown the roast beforehand if you want, but that will mean you will have two pots to clean. Just salt & pepper the roast well, dust it with flour, and then brown the roast on all sides over medium high heat in olive oil.  Then proceed with recipe below. 

For this recipe, you need a roast small enough to fit into the average crock pot.  If you're using a slow-roaster, you can go a bit bigger.  For me, a four pound roast fit perfectly. You can use either a de-boned or bone-in roast.

Ingredients
3 - 4 lb pork shoulder roast (or Boston Butt)
1/2 cup no-sugar added apple sauce (like, Mott's Natural)
1-1/2 tbsp dried rosemary
1-1/2 tbsp dried sage
1 medium shallot, finely diced
1 cup chicken stock (like, Kitchen Basics)
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 whole bay leaves
15-20 whole peppercorns
salt & pepper to taste

The Recipe
Start with a pre-heated crock pot.  To pre-heat a crock pot, fill it with hot tap water and turn it on high for 30 minutes to an hour.  Empty the water before adding your ingredients to the cooker. 

Mix the apple sauce, rosemary, sage and shallots together to form a paste. Season the roast liberally with with salt and pepper, then rub the applesauce paste all over the roast, on all sides.

Place the roast, fat side up, in the pre-heated crock pot.

Add the chicken stock, white wine, pineapple juice and vinegar, then toss in the peppercorns and submerge the two whole bay leaves.  You want the braising liquid to cover only about 2/3 - 3/4 of the roast, so adjust liquid quantities as necessary.

Put the lid on firmly and cook for seven hours.  Start on high and once the liquid is steadily simmering, you can lower the heat to its low setting.

The roast will fall apart when you remove it to a serving platter, so support its weight with a couple of spatulas or large serving spoons.  The cooking liquid is perfect as-is for a gravy on mashed potatoes or my mock version made with cauliflower found here.

On this occasion, I simmered some small red potatoes in chicken stock for 45 minutes.  After removing them to a plate, I smashed them with a fork and splashed on this delicious gravy.  A baked Russet potato works just fine, too!