Early Summer Comfort: Just 4 ingredients. Perfect for those busy weekend afternoons when you want a home-cooked meal with zero babysitting.

This 4-ingredient slow cooker peach glazed pork is my kind of early summer comfort food: minimal effort, big payoff, and zero babysitting. It leans on pantry staples and a bag of frozen peaches (or canned) to create a glossy, golden-amber glaze that clings to tender, slow-roasted pork. I first threw this together on a busy Saturday when I wanted something that felt like a Sunday supper but didn’t want to be tied to the stove. Everything goes into the slow cooker, you walk away for the afternoon, and come back to a pot of juicy, fall-apart protein in a sweet-savory peach sauce.

Serve this peach glazed pork piled over creamy mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or simple white or brown rice so all that golden glaze has something to soak into. On warm afternoons, I like it with grilled or roasted green beans, a crisp side salad, or corn on the cob. Leftovers make great sandwiches on soft rolls with a little coleslaw, or you can tuck the shredded pork into tortillas with sliced jalapeños and a squeeze of lime for a sweet-and-spicy taco night.

Servings: 6

3 to 3 1/2 lb boneless pork shoulder or pork butt, trimmed of excess hard fat

Lightly trim any large, hard pieces of fat from the pork shoulder, leaving some marbling so it stays juicy and tender as it slow-roasts.

Place the pork shoulder in the bottom of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker, fat side up if there is a clear fat cap. This lets the fat slowly baste the meat as it cooks.

Scatter the frozen peach slices evenly around and on top of the pork. If using canned peaches, drain them well first, then arrange them the same way.

In a small bowl, stir together the peach preserves and the dry onion soup mix until you have a thick, fragrant paste. It won’t be perfectly smooth, and that’s fine.

Spoon the peach-onion mixture over the top of the pork, spreading it so most of the meat is coated. Some will slip down the sides and mix with the peaches—that’s what creates the glossy, golden-amber glaze as it cooks.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the pork is very tender and easily shreds with a fork. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking so you don’t lose heat or moisture.

Once the pork is done, carefully lift it out onto a cutting board or large plate. Skim off any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid in the slow cooker, if needed.

Using two forks, shred the pork into large, juicy chunks or strands, discarding any large pieces of fat. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and gently stir it into the peach glaze so every piece is well coated.

Taste the sauce and adjust if needed: if you want it a bit sweeter, stir in another spoonful of peach preserves; if it seems too thick, splash in 2 to 4 tablespoons of water and stir until glossy and silky.

Turn the slow cooker to WARM and let the pork sit in the glaze for 10 to 15 minutes to soak up the flavors. Serve the pork straight from the slow cooker, spooning plenty of the golden peach sauce over each portion.

For a little heat, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or a finely chopped jalapeño to the peach-onion mixture before spreading it over the pork. For a smoky twist that feels almost like summer barbecue, stir 1 to 2 teaspoons smoked paprika into the glaze, or splash in a tablespoon of your favorite smoky barbecue sauce (this will technically add a fifth ingredient, but a tiny splash won’t change the spirit of the recipe). If you prefer chicken, substitute 3 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs and reduce the cook time to about 4 to 6 hours on LOW, 3 to 4 hours on HIGH, until very tender; avoid using chicken breast alone, as it can dry out with long cooking. To make it slightly lighter, you can trim more exterior fat from the pork and chill the cooked glaze in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes, then scrape off the solidified fat before reheating and mixing back with the shredded meat. For meal prep, cook the pork on a weekend afternoon, then portion it into airtight containers with some of the glaze and refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months; reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of water if the sauce thickens too much. Food safety tips: Always wash your hands, cutting board, and knife thoroughly after handling raw pork. Keep the pork refrigerated until you’re ready to start the slow cooker, and don’t leave it sitting out on the counter. Make sure the pork reaches a minimum internal temperature of 145°F, though for shoulder you’ll usually go well above that (195°F+ for shredding) by the time it’s tender. Once cooked, don’t leave the pork at room temperature for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if your kitchen is very warm). Cool leftovers promptly and store them in shallow containers in the fridge. When reheating, warm the pork until it’s steaming hot all the way through (165°F) before serving.