Slow-Cooker Pork Pot Roast (from Cook's Country)

By zircon50

Ingredients

• 2 (2 1/2- to 3-pound) boneless pork shoulder roasts, netting removed and tied according to photos at left
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 3 tablespoons Minute Tapioca
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1 pound carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 pound parsnips, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from cookscountry.com

Preparation

Step 1

How we use your e-mail address

How we use your e-mail address

Beef shoulder is the classic choice for pot roast recipes, but we wondered whether pork shoulder could be used as a worthy substitute. After all, pork shoulder’s fat content and marbling are similar to beef chuck’s, meaning it requires the same low-and-slow cooking to become tender. But when we tested this theory in our Slow-Cooker Pork Pot Roast recipe, we ended up with watery, thin sauce, while the potent flavors of red wine, beef broth, and canned tomatoes completely overwhelmed the flavor of the pork. For the full-flavored Slow-Cooker Pork Pot Roast recipe that we were after, we eliminated the broth and cut back on the amount of wine and tomato juice we added. A small amount of instant tapioca produced just the right thick texture for the sauce. And to lighten the flavor of the sauce, we switched from red wine to white wine, adding a splash of white wine vinegar at the end of cooking to refresh the wine flavor.

1. Pat roasts dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown roasts all over, about 10 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.

2. Add onions and additional 2 teaspoons oil to empty skillet and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in wine and simmer, scraping up any browned bits with wooden spoon, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in tapioca, tomatoes, and thyme; transfer to slow cooker.

3. Toss carrots, parsnips, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and remaining oil in bowl until vegetables are well coated. Scatter vegetable mixture over pork. Cover and cook on low until meat is tender, 9 to 10 hours (or cook on high 4 to 5 hours).

4. Transfer roasts to cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 10 minutes. Remove twine from roasts and cut meat into 1/2-inch-thick slices; transfer to serving platter. Using slotted spoon, transfer carrots and parsnips to platter with pork. Stir vinegar into sauce and season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing sauce at table.