Slow Cooker Italian Pork Roast
Ingredients
1 (3 lb) pork butt boneless
1 ½ tablespoons fennel seed
1 teaspoon oregano dried
1 teaspoon rosemary dried
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon kosher salt see note 1
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic
½ cup chicken stock or broth
1 cup white wine
1 ½ pounds baby gold potatoes
3 carrots large
1 to 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
fresh herbs like parsley or basil, to garnish, optional
Directions
Add the fennel seed, oregano, rosemary, red pepper flake, peppercorns, and salt to a mortar or spice grinder. Grind until well-blended, but still somewhat coarse.
Chop the garlic.
Peel the carrots and chop them into 2- to 3-inch pieces.
Remove the string from the pork roast. Pat it dry with paper towels, then coat all over with the seasoning blend.
Add the olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Once hot, brown the pork roast on all sides.
While the pork is browning, add the carrots and potatoes to the slow cooker.
Once browned, nestle the pork roast into the potatoes and carrots.
Add the garlic to the pan the pork was browned in. Cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant and somewhat golden.
Add the wine and chicken stock to the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits and leftover spices on the bottom. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the mixture has slightly reduced.
Pour the cooking liquid over the pork roast, potatoes, and carrots.
Cook for 4 hours on high heat.
At the 4-hour mark, remove the lid and flip the roast for even cooking. This step can be optional if need be, but will produce a more tender roast.
Cook for another 2 hours on high.
Remove the lid and check for doneness. At this point, the pork should be fall-apart tender and shred easily with 2 forks.
Stir the red wine vinegar into the cooking liquid. Taste all components of the dish for seasoning.
Shred the pork apart with 2 forks. You can shred it more finely for sandwiches and in thicker pieces if serving by itself.
Serve.
