Crispy-Knuckle Pork Shoulder with Herb Crust
A slow-cooked pork shoulder masterpiece with a golden almond-crunch crust, featuring rich herbs and caramelized garlic for a keto-friendly feast that melts off the bone. This American-inspired slow-cooker recipe (keto, high protein), ready in about 495 minutes, pairs pork shoulder butt, smoked bacon, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 550 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a low-carb week and pairs well with cauliflower rice or roasted green vegetables. 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
- 3 lbs pork shoulder butt
- 6 oz smoked bacon
- 8 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup pork rinds
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
The slow cooker we’d leave this in all day → Best Slow Cookers in 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Trim excess fat from pork shoulder and pat dry with paper towels. Season all sides with 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Place pork in slow cooker and top with 6 oz chopped bacon and 8 minced garlic cloves.
- Step 2: Add 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp chopped rosemary to the slow cooker, then cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours until fork-tender.
- Step 3: Remove pork and bacon from slow cooker; reserve 1/4 cup cooking juices. While pork rests, pulse 1/4 cup crushed pork rinds and 1/2 cup almond flour in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add crumb mixture, and toast for 3-4 minutes until golden and crisp, stirring constantly until aromatic.
- Step 4: Slice pork shoulder into 1/2-inch thick medallions, arrange on a plate, and drizzle with reserved cooking juices. Sprinkle with toasted crumb mixture and extra rosemary for texture.









