This slow cooker 3-ingredient Italian pork roast is the kind of simple Sunday supper that has quietly fed Midwestern families for generations. My sister-in-law first brought it over one chilly Sunday, and I watched my grandkids go back for seconds, then thirds, until the slow cooker was nearly scraped clean. It’s the sort of no-fuss recipe farm wives used to lean on after church: a good piece of pork, a packet of Italian seasoning, and a little broth to keep everything tender. By late afternoon, the house smells like you’ve been cooking all day, even though the slow cooker did all the work.
Serve this pork roast pulled into big, tender chunks with its savory Italian juices spooned over the top. It’s wonderful alongside buttery mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or simple buttered rice to soak up the drippings. Add a pan of roasted carrots or green beans, or a simple tossed salad if you like something fresh and crisp on the plate. Leftovers make excellent sandwiches on soft rolls with a slice of provolone, or tucked into hoagie buns and toasted until the edges are a little crispy.
Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient Italian Pork RoastServings: 6-8
Ingredients
3 to 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder (or pork butt) roast, trimmed of excess hard fat
1 (0.7 to 1 ounce) packet dry Italian salad dressing mix
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Directions
Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. This helps it brown a bit in the slow cooker and gives you those caramelized edges.
Place the pork roast into the bottom of a large white slow cooker, fat side up if there is a fat cap. Make sure it sits in a single piece in the center so the heat can circulate evenly.
Sprinkle the dry Italian salad dressing mix evenly all over the top and sides of the pork roast. Use your hands to pat the seasoning onto the meat so it sticks, creating a good herb-flecked coating.
Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the roast, not directly on top, so you don’t wash off the seasoning. The broth should come up the sides a bit but not cover the meat completely.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the pork is fork-tender. It should pull apart easily and register at least 190°F in the thickest part for shredding.
Once done, use two forks to gently pull the pork into large chunks and shreds right in the slow cooker, mixing it with the savory juices. Leave some larger pieces if you like that pale pink center with crisped, caramelized edges.
Taste the juices and adjust seasoning if needed. If you prefer a slightly richer flavor, skim off a little excess fat from the surface with a spoon, then spoon the remaining juices over the meat to keep it moist.
Serve the Italian pork roast straight from the slow cooker, making sure each portion gets some of the herb-flecked juices over the top.
Variations & Tips
For a slightly different flavor, you can swap the chicken broth for beef broth or even a cup of dry white wine, which gives the roast a more robust, company-worthy taste. If you like a bit of tang, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar to the broth before cooking. To stretch the meal, tuck peeled chunks of potato and thick slices of carrot around the roast before turning on the slow cooker; just be sure the vegetables are mostly submerged in the broth so they cook through. For a crisper exterior, you can brown the seasoned pork in a hot skillet with a little oil for 3 to 4 minutes per side before placing it in the slow cooker, though it’s not necessary for tenderness. If sodium is a concern, choose a reduced-sodium Italian dressing mix and low-sodium broth, and taste before adding any extra salt at the table. Always handle raw pork with care: use a separate cutting board and wash your hands, knives, and surfaces well with hot, soapy water after trimming the meat. Make sure the pork reaches a safe internal temperature of at least 145°F, though for pulled, fork-tender texture, cooking to 190–200°F is ideal. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers, and reheat only what you plan to eat to at least 165°F before serving.
