This is my go-to June dinner when I’d rather be out in the yard than standing over the stove. It’s just three ingredients and a slow cooker, and by the time everyone wanders in hungry from the sunshine, the meat is fall-apart tender and swimming in a deep, glossy crimson glaze. It reminds me of the kind of simple, set-it-and-forget-it roasts my dad loved on busy summer evenings—hearty, comforting, and ready whenever we were.
Serve this slow-cooked glazed protein piled onto soft sandwich rolls with a scoop of coleslaw, or alongside buttered corn on the cob and a simple green salad. It’s also great over mashed or baked potatoes to soak up all that dark, sticky sauce. For a lighter plate, spoon it into lettuce cups with sliced cucumber. A pitcher of iced tea or lemonade and some sliced watermelon on the table makes it feel like a full, easy summer supper.
Dad’s June 3-Ingredient Slow Cooker RoastServings: 6
Ingredients
3 to 3 1/2 lb boneless pork shoulder (or beef chuck roast), trimmed of excess hard fat
1 1/2 cups thick barbecue sauce, dark and tomato-based
1/2 cup cola or root beer (not diet)
Directions
Lightly trim any thick, waxy pieces of fat from the outside of the pork shoulder or beef chuck roast, leaving some marbling so it stays juicy.
Place the roast 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 baste the meat as it cooks.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the barbecue sauce and cola or root beer until smooth and pourable.
Pour the barbecue mixture evenly over the roast, turning the meat once with tongs to make sure it’s coated on all sides. Nestle it back into the sauce so the top is well glazed.
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 meat is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork. Try not to lift the lid during cooking so you don’t lose heat and moisture.
Once the roast is tender, use two forks to gently shred or break it into large chunks right in the slow cooker, mixing it into the dark crimson sauce so every piece is coated and glossy.
If you prefer a thicker, stickier glaze, remove the lid and cook on HIGH for another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce clings heavily to the meat and looks shiny and reduced.
Taste and adjust by adding a spoonful more barbecue sauce if you like it sweeter and saucier, then switch the slow cooker to WARM. Keep covered until you’re ready to serve so dinner is handled and waiting whenever everyone comes in from outside.
Variations & Tips
You can swap the pork shoulder for an equal amount of beef chuck roast if your family prefers beef; it will give you the same fall-apart texture with a slightly richer flavor. For a bit of heat, stir 1 to 2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes or hot sauce into the barbecue mixture before pouring it over the meat (this technically adds another ingredient, but you can let each person add heat at the table instead to keep it truly 3-ingredient). If you need it a little less tangy for picky eaters, choose a sweeter barbecue sauce or stir in a spoonful of brown sugar when you mix the sauce and cola. To make this more weeknight-friendly, you can cut the roast into 3 or 4 large chunks before cooking to help it become tender a little faster. Leftovers reheat well and are great tucked into tortillas, over rice, or on top of baked potatoes. For food safety, always start with fully thawed meat and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to cook. Cook the roast until it reaches at least 190°F internally so it shreds easily and is safely done, checking with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part. Don’t leave the finished dish at room temperature for more than 2 hours; cool leftovers promptly, store them in shallow containers in the refrigerator, and use within 3 to 4 days, or freeze for longer storage.
