Slow-Cooked Pork Shoulder with Root Vegetables

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-08 · Updated 2026-04-08

A comforting, hands-off meal featuring tender pork shoulder slow-cooked with a medley of root vegetables. This american-inspired whole30 ready in about 500 minutes pairs cut into 1-inch cubes pork shoulder, chopped onion, minced garlic for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. 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, cut into 1-inch cubes pork shoulder
• 4, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces carrots
• 2, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces parsnips
• 1, chopped onion
• 4 cloves, minced garlic
• 1 tbsp, chopped rosemary
• 1 tsp, chopped thyme
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season 2 lbs pork shoulder cubes with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Sear the pork in batches until golden brown on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a slow cooker.
2. Step 2: Add 4 chopped carrots, 2 chopped parsnips, 1 chopped onion, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp chopped rosemary, and 1 tsp chopped thyme to the slow cooker with the pork.
3. Step 3: Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, until the pork is fork-tender.
4. Step 4: Remove the pork and vegetables from the slow cooker. Skim any excess fat from the cooking liquid, then serve the pork and vegetables with the sauce.