Cranberry-Glazed Pork Shoulder with Root Vegetables

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-05 · Updated 2026-04-05

Tender pork shoulder slow-cooked in a sweet-tart cranberry glaze with roasted root vegetables for a deeply flavorful Whole30 dinner. This american-inspired slow cooker (whole30) ready in about 500 minutes pairs pork shoulder, unsweetened cranberry sauce, apple cider vinegar for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 359 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a Whole30 week and pairs well with roasted sweet potato or a simple olive-oil salad. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs, trimmed and cubed into 1.5-inch pieces pork shoulder
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cranberry sauce
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1, diced onion
• 2, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds carrots
• 2, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds parsnips
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cloves, minced garlic
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Place 2 lbs pork shoulder cubes in the slow cooker, then add 1/2 cup unsweetened cranberry sauce, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Toss to evenly coat the pork.
2. Step 2: Add 1 diced onion, 2 sliced carrots, 2 sliced parsnips, and 2 minced garlic cloves to the slow cooker, then pour in 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth. Stir gently to combine.
3. Step 3: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the pork is fork-tender and the vegetables are soft.