There is something mighty comforting about a slow cooker meal that asks almost nothing of you and still fills the house with the kind of smell that says supper will be worth waiting for. This old-fashioned August Fair style dish leans on just four ingredients and turns them into a rich, sweet-savory main that feels right at home after a long summer day of canning, mowing, or sitting out on the porch until the light starts to fade. It has that vintage Midwestern spirit of making do simply, cooking low and slow, and letting time do the hard work.
Serve this tender, sauce-glazed meat over mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or plain white rice to catch every bit of the burgundy sauce. If you want to round out the plate, sweet corn, green beans, creamy coleslaw, or a simple sliced tomato salad all fit the season beautifully, and a soft dinner roll on the side never goes amiss.
4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Vintage August Fair
Servings: 6
Ingredients
3 to 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
1 cup deep burgundy barbecue sauce
1 packet dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup grape jelly
Directions
1. Place the pork shoulder roast in the slow cooker.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the barbecue sauce, dry onion soup mix, and grape jelly until well combined.
3. Pour the sauce mixture over the roast, cover, and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until very tender.
4. Shred or pull the meat apart gently in the cooker, toss it with the sauce, and serve hot.
Variations & Tips
Use a different roast: If pork shoulder is not what you have on hand, a chuck roast will also cook down beautifully with the same sauce. It will give you a slightly beefier, deeper flavor, but the method stays just the same.
Make it sweeter or tangier: For a sweeter county-fair style finish, add an extra spoonful of grape jelly. If you like a sharper edge, choose a tangier barbecue sauce so the final dish does not lean too sweet.
Serve it sandwich-style: Pile the shredded meat onto toasted sandwich buns and spoon extra sauce over the top. Add a scoop of coleslaw if you like, and you have an easy supper that feels fit for a picnic table at the edge of the fairgrounds.
Don’t rush the tenderness: The roast is ready when it pulls apart easily with a fork. If it still feels tight, give it another 30 to 60 minutes. Slow cooker suppers have a way of rewarding patience, and this one is no exception.