Easy Slow Cooker Pork Roast with Apples & Cider - Juicy & Tender

Name: Slow Cooker Pork Roast With Apples & Cider
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 480 min
Total time: 495 min
Ingredients: 4-5 pound pork roast (butt, shoulder, or picnic roast; bone-in is fine); 2 apples (cored and cut into large pieces (skin on)); 1 large onion (peeled and cut into thick slices); 1 ½ cups apple cider (apple juice is fine if you can't find cider); 1 tablespoon garlic powder; 1 tablespoon salt; 1 tablespoon dried parsley; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 teaspoon black pepper

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This super easy Slow Cooker Pork Roast is savory, tender, and just a little bit sweet from the apples and cider. The meat cooks low and slow until it’s fall-apart tender, making it perfect for a cozy family dinner!

A plate with shredded pork, rice with vegetables, and a small salad sits on a striped towel. Nearby are a bowl of shredded pork, apples, and a glass of apple juice on a light blue surface.

👩‍🍳 This savory & sweet pork roast becomes so tender it pulls apart easily with just a fork. The low and slow cooking method ensures the meat stays incredibly moist and flavorful, creating that perfect texture!

My 2 Best Tips For Making Slow Cooker Pork Roast
Slow Cooker Pork Roast With Apples & Cider Recipe
How To Make Pork Roast With Apples & Cider
Recipe FAQs
More Yummy Pork Dinner Recipes To Try

My 2 Best Tips For Making Slow Cooker Pork Roast

Don’t Skip the Resting Time: After cooking, let the roast rest in the slow cooker for 10-15 minutes before shredding. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring every bite is incredibly juicy and flavorful. (I add the shredded meat back into the juices because we like it super juicy when serving!)

Save and Use the Cooking Liquid: The liquid at the bottom of the slow cooker is liquid gold! It’s packed with flavor from the pork, apples, and seasonings. Stir some back into the shredded meat, or strain and save it as a base for gravy or soup.

🩷 Melissa

The sweet apples and savory seasonings create an incredible flavor that infuses the entire roast — it’s really such a yummy meal!

I served this recipe with an apple rice pilaf and it was so good! (See the recipe card for how to make the pilaf, too.)

Pork roast is one of the more affordable cuts that feeds a crowd, and the leftovers make amazing pulled pork sandwiches or tacos. One recipe gives you multiple meal options throughout the week!

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Slow Cooker Pork Roast With Apples & Cider

By: Melissa Griffiths

Prep: 15

Cook: 8

Total: 8 15

Servings:

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Ingredients

▢ 4-5 pound pork roast, butt, shoulder, or picnic roast; bone-in is fine
▢ 2 apples, cored and cut into large pieces (skin on)
▢ 1 large onion, peeled and cut into thick slices
▢ 1 ½ cups apple cider, apple juice is fine if you can't find cider
▢ 1 tablespoon garlic powder
▢ 1 tablespoon salt
▢ 1 tablespoon dried parsley
▢ 1 teaspoon dried thyme
▢ 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Place the onion slices and apple pieces in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Pour in the apple cider.
In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, salt, parsley, thyme, and black pepper. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork roast.
Place the seasoned pork on top of the apples and onions.
Cover and cook on Low for 8–10 hours or High for 6-8 hours, until the pork is fall-apart tender.
Turn off the slow cooker and let the meat rest in the liquid, covered, for about 10 minutes.
Shred the pork with two forks and stir back into the slow cooker with the apples, onions, and pan juices. Adjust salt to taste.

Notes

Slow Cooker Size: 6-quart

Recipe Tips & Variations:

The apples and onions get so cooked that they just kind of melt. You should have no chunks left and if there are they will be so tender. I just stir them back into the shredded pork.
For extra depth of flavor, brown the pork roast in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker. It just depends on the day if I do this or not.
Use a sweet apple variety like Honeycrisp or Fuji for the best flavor.

Apple Rice Pilaf Recipe: I served this recipe with an apple rice pilaf and it was so good! Here’s how you make it:

Sauté 2 apples, half an onion, a carrot, and a rib of celery that are all cut into uniform sizes (small chopped, no need to peel the apple, make sure the carrot isn’t in big pieces) in 2 tablespoon of butter until the onion is tender.
Add 2 cups of rice to the pan and add 4 cups of chicken stock and cook like you would rice (bring to a simmer, reduce heat, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender).
Add salt to taste and done! (This is also great with additional fresh herbs that you may have, just stir them in at the end.)

Serving Suggestions: Serve with mashed potatoes, an apple rice pilaf, roasted veggies, or on rolls as pulled pork sandwiches.

Yummy Leftovers: Pork roast leftovers are excellent for pulled pork sandwiches—just pile onto buns and top with coleslaw.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 8 servings, Calories: 356kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 51g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 143mg, Sodium: 988mg, Potassium: 992mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 36IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 30mg, Iron: 2mg

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How To Make Pork Roast With Apples & Cider

A raw pork roast, a bowl of herbs and pepper, a measuring cup of broth, and a wooden board with sliced apples and onions are arranged on a kitchen counter.

Step 1: Cut apples and onions and mix seasonings for rub.

A slow cooker filled with slices of apple and onion placed on a gray countertop, with a tray of raw meat partially visible to the right.

Step 2: Place the onion slices and apple pieces in the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour in the apple cider.

A raw seasoned pork roast sits in a white slow cooker on a grey countertop, surrounded by sliced green apples and liquid at the bottom.

Step 3: Rub the spice mixture all over the pork roast. Place the seasoned pork on top of the apples and onions.

A cooked pork roast seasoned with herbs sits on top of apples and onions inside a white slow cooker, with a plate and serving utensils nearby.

Step 4: Cover and cook on Low for 8–10 hours or High for 6-8 hours, until the pork is fall-apart tender. Turn off the crock-pot and let the meat rest in the pot for 10 minutes.

Shredded cooked pork in a slow cooker with two metal forks resting in the juicy, tender meat. The meat appears moist and flavorful, with visible broth and pulled pieces.

Step 5: Shred the pork with two forks and stir back into the slow cooker with the apples, onions, and pan juices.

A bowl of shredded pork garnished with herbs sits on a striped towel, next to a spoon. Two apples and a blue crockpot are in the background.

Step 6: Adjust salt to taste and serve.

Recipe FAQs

Do I need to brown the pork roast before putting it in the slow cooker?

Browning isn’t required, but it does add extra depth of flavor by creating a caramelized crust. If you have time, sear the seasoned roast in a hot skillet for 2-3 minutes per side before transferring to the crockpot. However, the recipe works perfectly fine without this step.

What if I can’t find apple cider – can I substitute something else?

Yes! Apple juice works perfectly as a substitute for apple cider. You can also use chicken broth, beef broth, or even just water if needed. The apple cider adds sweetness and flavor, but the dish will still be delicious with other liquids.

How do I know when the pork roast is done cooking?

The pork is ready when it easily shreds with two forks and has an internal temperature of at least 145°F (though it will likely be much higher after 8+ hours). The meat should pull apart easily and be fall-apart tender throughout.