A boneless pork shoulder is cooked low and slow on the stovetop with herbs, spices, and vegetables until it is fall apart tender in this pork pot roast dish. This is an excellent alternative to classic pot roast.
This pork pot roast is a simple, warming dish made with inexpensive ingredients. If you want a Sunday-dinner pot roast but can’t afford a beef chuck roast, consider this less expensive version that will cost you around half the price (depending on pricing in your region).
PORK POT ROAST INGREDIENTS
- Pork – Choose one of the shoulder cuts, picnic or butt. Purchase a boneless portion or have the bone removed by the butcher.
- Spices – The meat is seasoned simply with salt and black pepper.
- Olive oil is used to sear the meat and sauté the veggies. If it can withstand mild heat, you can use your preferred oil.
- Produce – Onions, celery, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and a bay leaf give the meal flavor. Along with the pork roast, carrots and little red potatoes are prepared.
- Tomato paste adds taste and color to the pantry. After sautéing the veggies, deglaze the saucepan with white wine. The braising liquid is chicken broth.
RECIPE TIPS
- Choose little red potatoes and avoid chopping them in half or quarters for the potatoes. Because of the extended boiling period, entire potatoes will keep their shape the best.
- Depending on the cut of pork used, a slit where the bone was removed may exist. To keep the piece together, tie it using kitchen twine.
- To make it simpler to take the thyme and rosemary sprigs from the pot, tie them together with kitchen thread.
- Arrange the carrots and potatoes around the roast in a saucepan large enough to hold it. Everything fit in a 7-quart enameled cast iron Dutch oven, although it was tight.
HOW TO MAKE PORK POT ROAST
Tie the roast together with kitchen rope to keep it from falling apart and to guarantee uniform cooking. Season the meat with salt and pepper on all sides.
In a big, heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the pork for about 3 minutes on each side.
When a crust forms on the outside of the pot, the meat will come loose. Give it another minute if it is clinging to the pot.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Place the pig roast on a skillet or a big dish. Cover the meat loosely with foil to keep it warm.
Do not clean the pot. Return it to medium heat. Mix in the onions and celery. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly.
Add the garlic and tomato paste to the saucepan next. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Scrape any pieces from the bottom of the saucepan with the white wine. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until most of the wine has evaporated.
Return the pork roast to the pot, along with any juices collected on the pan.
Pour in enough chicken broth to cover the thickest portion of the roast by 14 inches. Arrange the potatoes, carrots, herbs, and bay leaf around the roast after that.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the broth to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pan.
- Cook the pork pot roast for about 3 hours, or until cooked. Insert a fork into the meat and twist it. It should be easy to stretch and rip.
- Keep the liquid at a simmer throughout the cooking period. Reduce the heat if it’s boiling too quickly. If it’s not simmering, turn it up. Check on it every 12 hours or so, especially after adjusting the heat.
SUBSTITUTIONS AND VARIATIONS
- If you don’t have fresh herbs, use dried herbs in a smaller quantity. Use around 12 teaspoon of each.
- If you don’t have wine, use chicken stock to deglaze the pan. Use the same quantity and follow the same directions.
SERVING AND STORING
Serve the roast alongside the carrots and potatoes, as well as rice, crusty bread, Texas toast, or your favorite side dish.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight jar for 3-4 days or freeze for 2 months.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the best cut of pork for pot roast?
Pork shoulder is the greatest cut. It is a tough cut of beef that benefits from extensive cooking durations at low temperatures. Picnic shoulder and pork butt (also known as Boston butt) are two slices of the shoulder that work nicely together.
How long does it take to cook a pork pot roast?
A 4-5 pound roast will take roughly 312 hours to cook on the stovetop.
MORE RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE
Pork Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 4-5 pound Boneless Pork Shoulder picnic or pork butt
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion finely diced
- 1 Celery Rib Diced
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- ½ cup White Wine
- 2-3 cups Chicken Broth enough to cover ¼ of the roast
- 3-4 Thyme Sprigs
- 1 Rosemary Sprig
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 2-3 Carrots cut into ½ inch rounds about 1 – 1½ cups
- 1 pound Small Red Potatoes keep whole do not cut
Instructions
- Tie the roast together with kitchen rope to keep it from falling apart and to guarantee uniform cooking. Season the pork with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a big, heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pork shoulder when the oil is heated but not smoking.
- Cook for about 3 minutes, or until golden. When a crust forms on the outside of the pot, the meat will come loose. Give it another minute if it’s difficult to lift and clinging to the pot.
- Cook for 3 minutes on each side after turning the pork a quarter turn. Repeat with the remaining two sides until all sides are browned.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Remove the pork roast from the cooker and set it on a big dish or pan. Cover loosely with aluminum foil.
- Do not clean the pot. Return it to medium heat. Mix in the onions and celery. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add the garlic and tomato paste to the saucepan next. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often, while stirring thoroughly.
- Stir in the white wine while carefully scraping any particles from the bottom of the saucepan. Cook until most of the wine has evaporated, about 1-2 minutes.
- Return the pork roast, along with any juices that have accumulated on the pan, to the pot. Add enough chicken broth to cover the thickest section of the roast 14 times.
- Then, surround the roast with potatoes, carrots, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the broth to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pan.
- Cook for about 3 hours, or until the meat is soft. When a fork is inserted and twisted, it should readily yield and rip.
- Keep the liquid at a simmer throughout the cooking period. Reduce the heat if it’s boiling too quickly. If it’s not simmering, turn it up. Check on it every 12 hours or so, especially after adjusting the heat.
- Remove and discard the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf stems. Serve the roast alongside the carrots and potatoes, as well as rice, crusty bread, Texas toast, or your favorite side dish.
Notes
- If you don’t drink wine or don’t have any on hand, use broth instead and proceed as directed.
- Use a saucepan large enough to hold the roast and lay the carrots and potatoes around it.
- Tie the rosemary and thyme together with kitchen string to make picking off the stems easier.