This 5-ingredient slow cooker garlic parmesan pork stew is the kind of holiday weekend comfort I grew up on out here in the Midwest—simple, rich, and ready when you are. It leans on tender, well-marbled pork, the kind my dad used to bring home from the local butcher, and lets the slow cooker do all the work while you go about your day. By the time supper rolls around, those little bites are falling-apart tender and nestled in a creamy, garlicky, parmesan-laced gravy that bubbles gently in the crock. It’s the kind of set-it-and-forget-it meal you put on in the morning and don’t fuss with again until you’re ladling it into bowls for the folks you love.
Serve this stew in wide, warm bowls so those creamy, garlicky juices have room to pool. It’s wonderful ladled over fluffy mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or simple white rice. A basket of crusty bread or warm dinner rolls is perfect for soaking up every last bit of that parmesan gravy. If you like a little color on the table, add a side of steamed green beans, roasted carrots, or a simple lettuce salad with a tangy vinaigrette to balance the richness.
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Pork StewServings: 6
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds well-marbled boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch bite-size chunks
1 (22- to 26-ounce) family-size can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (plus a little extra for serving, optional)
2 tablespoons minced garlic (fresh or jarred in oil or water)
Directions
Trim any very thick, hard pieces of fat from the pork shoulder, but leave the nice marbling. Cut the pork into roughly 1 1/2-inch bite-size chunks so they’ll stay tender and not shred away completely in the long cook.
In a large bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of mushroom soup, heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese, and minced garlic until smooth and well combined. This will look thick now, but it will loosen as the pork releases its juices in the slow cooker.
Place the pork pieces in the bottom of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker, spreading them into an even layer so they cook evenly and stay mostly submerged in the sauce.
Pour the garlic-Parmesan cream mixture evenly over the pork, using a spatula to scrape the bowl so you get every bit. Gently stir just enough to coat all the pork bites in the sauce, then smooth the top so everything is nestled down in the creamy mixture.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, without lifting the lid. The pork is done when the bites are very tender when pierced with a fork and the sauce is bubbling around the edges and slightly thickened and creamy.
Once the pork is tender, give the stew a gentle stir to mix the bubbling, umami-rich cream with the rendered pork juices. Taste and, if you like, stir in an extra small handful of Parmesan right at the end for a deeper cheesy flavor.
Turn the slow cooker to WARM if you’re not serving immediately. Just before serving, ladle the tender, marbled pork bites and plenty of the creamy garlic Parmesan sauce into bowls. If desired, sprinkle a little extra Parmesan over the top and serve hot.
Variations & Tips
If you prefer, you can use boneless country-style pork ribs or another well-marbled cut in place of pork shoulder; just be sure the meat has good fat running through it so it stays moist and tender. For a slightly lighter version, you can swap half of the heavy cream for whole milk or evaporated milk, though the sauce will be a bit thinner. If you enjoy mushrooms, you can stir in up to 1 cup of sliced fresh mushrooms along with the pork—they’ll cook down and blend right into the creamy sauce without changing the ingredient count if you see them as part of the stew’s vegetable base. For a touch of color, sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over each bowl at the table instead of adding extra ingredients to the pot. If you need to stretch the stew for more people, serve it over a generous bed of mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles rather than adding more meat. Food safety tips: Keep raw pork refrigerated until you’re ready to prep, and wash your hands, cutting board, and knife thoroughly after handling it. Cut the pork into evenly sized pieces so they cook at the same rate. Always cook pork to at least 145°F, though in this stew it will go well beyond that to become fork-tender; what matters is that it reaches a safe temperature and simmers long enough to soften. Don’t leave the slow cooker on the “Warm” setting for more than about 3 to 4 hours after it’s done, as the sauce can separate and the food should stay above 140°F to remain safe. If you have leftovers, cool them promptly, refrigerate within 2 hours, and reheat only what you’ll eat, bringing it back to a good simmer before serving.
