Assorted pork chops are on sale this week at $2.19 a pound. That is a great price and I could not pass it up, especially when I saw a juicy chunk of pork shoulder roast included in the package. Finally, I have an excuse to pull out that slow cooker that has been pushed into the dark recesses of the corner cabinet. Now that it is out, rest assured I will once again put it to good use.
A pork roast is one of the hardest thing to cook. Unlike beef, it is recommended that pork be cooked through to a temperature of between 165°F to 170°F and this is not always easy to achieve even when a thermometer is used. I have the tendency to over cook it resulting in hard and dry meat. That is why I much prefer to do a pot roast instead. That way, I know I will get a tender, moist, and flavorful chunk of meat. The other option is to cook it in a slow cooker.
Pork goes well with sweet and tart fruits. I decided to pair it with dried cranberries this time and I am so glad I did. The rich and flavorful sauce is slightly tangy and reminds me of Tu Kar Chor or stewed pig trotters in black vinegar, something I have not eaten since the birth of my boys. Ro-Ri San thinks this Slow Cooker Cranberry Pork Roast is the best pork roast I have made so far. I think so too. 😀
- 3½ lbs (1.6 kg) pork shoulder roast
- 3 tbsp canola oil
- 2 onions, peeled and sliced
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 3½ lbs (1.6 kg) pork shoulder roast
- 1 cup (140g) dried cranberries
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- Lightly sprinkle salt and pepper over pork roast. Set aside.
- In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoon canola oil. Fry onions for about 2 minutes. Add dried rosemary and fry for another minute. Transfer to slow cooker insert.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of canola oil to the pan. Brown pork roast on all sides. Transfer to slow cooker insert.
- Pour 1½ cups (360ml) water into pan. Add dried cranberries, cinnamon stick, dark soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Bring it to a boil and allow sugar to dissolve. Turn off heat and pour sauce over pork roast in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for 6 hours. After 4 hours, turn the pork roast. Mix corn starch with ¼ cup (60ml) water. Pour into the slow cooker and continue to let it cook for another 2 hours.
I served this with rice but mashed potatoes or slices of crusty bread to soak up the sauce would also be delicious.
Enjoy…..and have a wonderful day! 😎
This looks absolutely delicious Biren.I love to cook pork -it is so versatile!Thanks for the recipe.
You are most welcomed, Aban! Thanks for visiting!
That looks marvellous! So beautifully caramelised, juicy and hearty. I can imagine your family seated around the table, tucking in appreciatively as it snows outside 🙂
We really enjoyed this dish. We ate it with rice and it was so good. 🙂
Wow, this looks amazing. You are exactly right with the pairing of cranberries… YUM!!
Thanks Ramona! I was really happy with the results. 🙂
Hi Biren!
What a very beautiful roast! I love Pork and cranberries…..I will have to give this a whirl. 🙂
Thanks for visiting, Nicole! 🙂
What a beautiful pork pot roast! I usually think of cranberries with chicken and turkey, not pork. Well, you have expanded my thinking about that. Your roast looks absolutely delicious and with the slow cooking in the cranberries, I bet it is delicious!
I think we all agree that cranberry is wonderful with turkey. Gotta have that cranberry relish for Thanksgiving. 🙂 It does however pair surprisingly well with pork too. I hope you will give it a try. 🙂
WOW! This pork roast looks wonderfully delicious. Will definitely love to this for my family one day 🙂
Thanks Ann! It really does remind me a little of tu kar chor or chee kiok cho. 🙂
You make me want to buy a slow cooker! This pork roast looks delicious!
A slow cooker can be pretty handy for those who are working outside the home. Put in the ingredients, plug it on, and you will have a wonderful dish waiting for you when you get home from work. 🙂
Six hours cooking time must make this pork roast very tender and very flavorful. Slow cooking really makes a big difference.
Yes, the meat was very tender and the best part is that there is hardly any fuss involved. The slow cooker just does it all. 🙂
Looks delicious and easy to cook!
Good for this coming festive season.
Will let you know the feed back.
Thanks for visiting, Katie! Have a wonderful celebration! 🙂
This looks wonderful. I just got a recipe for Pork roase w/ rhubarb. I’m going to add it along with the cranberries. YUmmmy
Thanks Judy! I have never tried pork roast with rhubarb. Will keep that in mind the next time I make this. 🙂
This look delicious. Would a pork butt roast work for this recipe? Would I need to trim the fat cap off?
The good thing about using a slow cooker is that you can use more or less any cut of meat. I would trim some of the fat off the pork butt roast.