Moist Slow Cooker Pork Roast with Herbs & Lemon Zest

I am not a fan of most old-fashioned roast recipes because they always seem under seasoned and overcooked. But no more! This recipe adds lots of my favorite flavors: garlic, herbs, lemon zest for a pork roast that’s anything but bland. Don’t suffer through another slow cooker recipe that’s easy but not worth eating. You’ll love this one.

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shredded pork roast in slow cooker on counter.

The key with this recipe is not to dump everything in and cross your fingers. Take 5 minutes to pat the meat dry and add the seasonings in the right order. This helps them actually stick to the roast instead of just floating around in the liquid. But this is, overall, one of the easiest dinners I make.

What You’ll Need
How to Make a Good Pork Roast
Serving & Storage ideas
Make It Your Own
Faqs
Printable Recipe

What You’ll Need

While this works with both bone-in and boneless roasts, I prefer bone-in when I can find it. The bone helps keep the meat moist during the long cooking time and adds extra flavor to the gravy. But if boneless is all you’ve got, don’t worry – it’ll still turn out great.

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If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can use a Dutch oven at 325°F for about 3 hours.

pork roast ingredients measured out on counter.

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As written, this will make enough for about 6 good-size dinner servings. If you’d like to double or triple this recipe, you can make adjustments in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Just make sure your slow cooker is big enough!

Equipment

Slow cooker

Ingredients

3-4 pound bone-in pork roast (you really want a higher fat cut like pork butt roast or a blade roast)
½ cup water
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon sage
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest

Not all pork roasts are created equal! You want cuts with visible white streaks of fat running through the meat – that’s called marbling and it keeps things juicy during the long cook time.

Best Choices: Pork shoulder, Boston butt, or blade roast. These are made for slow cooking.
Will Work: Sirloin tip or top loin roast (just check them early – they can dry out faster).
Skip These: Tenderloin or center cut loin roast. They’re too lean and will turn into expensive cardboard.

At the store, look for pinkish-red meat with those white fat streaks. If it looks really uniform and pale, it’s probably too lean. When in doubt, ask the butcher for a “pork shoulder roast”

For Gravy

¼ cup water
¼ cornstarch

How to Make a Good Pork Roast

Step One: Prep

Lightly spray the slow cooker with cooking spray and set aside. Rinse pork roast and pat dry.

raw pork roast on plate with wet paper towel nearby.

Step Two: Add Garlic

Place pork roast in a 6-quart slow cooker and spread minced garlic on top of the roast.

pork roast in slow cooker with garlic added on top.

Step Three: Mix

In a small bowl, mix together salt, thyme, sage, cloves, and lemon zest.

Step Four: Season

Sprinkle seasoning over pork roast, making sure to cover the top and sides of the roast.

Step Five: Cook

Add ½ cup water, place the lid on, and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 4-5 hours.

seasoned pork roast in slow cooker with lid on.

Step Six: Make Gravy

Once done, mix ¼ water and cornstarch together. Add to juices in the slow cooker to form a gravy.

cornstarch and water mixed together in bowl with spatula beside.

Step Seven: Slice

Slice or shred pork roast and remove the bone.

Step Eight: Serve

Serve with mashed potatoes and enjoy!

Serving & Storage ideas

The roast keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days and actually gets better on day two. Reheat gently with a splash of water to keep things moist.

Serve for a Sunday dinner with simple, comforting side dishes.

A side of mashed potatoes is easy, and everyone loves them.
These green beans are made with bacon and use one pan.
Whole wheat rolls are easy to make with a bread machine.

Make It Your Own

Here are some ways you can change it up.

Turn leftovers into pulled pork sandwiches on brioche buns.
Swap the herbs for your favorites: rosemary works well here.
Add root vegetables like carrots or parsnips to the bottom of the slow cooker.
Use apple juice instead of water for a subtle sweetness.

Faqs

shredded pork roast with mashed potatoes on plate.

My gravy turned out lumpy, what happened?

The cornstarch wasn’t mixed well enough with the water before adding it. Always whisk the cornstarch slurry until it’s completely smooth, then stir it into the juices slowly.

What’s the best way to shred the pork?

Two forks work fine, but honestly, clean hands are faster and give you better control over the size of the pieces. Just let it cool for a few minutes first so you don’t burn yourself.

My pork roast turned out dry/tough. What went wrong?

Tough usually means it didn’t cook long enough to break down properly. Dry could mean your cut was too lean, you overcooked it, or cooked on high when low would’ve been gentler. A good marbled roast cooked low and slow should shred easily and stay juicy.