Slow Cooker Italian Pulled Pork Recipe (2024)

Last Updated on: 21st January 2024, 06:09 am

This Slow Cooker Italian Pulled Pork Recipe is tender, flavorful, juicy pork recipe that only takes 10 min to prep and is perfect for New Year’s Day, game day, parties, and meal planning. Low-carb, and gluten-free.

Over the years, I’ve gotten many compliments on this Italian pulled pork slow cooker recipe! I’m no stranger to Italian food! My parents were Italian immigrants.

Italian pulled pork is typically made with pork shoulder but, I make mine with pork loin.

You may also like myStuffed Pork Loin with Spinach and Sun Dried Tomatoes orAir Fryer Pork Tenderloin orRoasted Pork Loin with Fennel Seeds with Potatoes.

The aroma of this pork roast will smell amazing creeping through your house, up the stairs and down the hallways. Your family will know they are getting something good to eat soon.

Italian Pulled Pork Recipe

Prep it in the morning and hours later, you’ll have a great meal. This slow cooker pork is deliciously seasoned with EVOO, sage, fresh rosemary and garlic. It’s one of my favorite pork recipes.

Once it’s paired with Provolone cheese, you’ll have a tasty Italian pork sandwich which is perfect for parties. Set it and forget it.

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links and I would receive a small commission on purchases but the price you pay is the same.

Pork Loin

As I’ve mentioned abobe, I don’t use a pork shoulder to make this recipe because I find use pork loin to be easier without sacrificing flavor. This boneless pork loin is seasoned with fresh rosemary and garlic.

It marinates in extra virgin olive oil, ground sage, freshly cracked black pepper and salt while cooking in a slow cooker for 9 hours. It shreds upon moving with a fork.

If you prefer, you can cook it for about five or six hours before it begins to shred and cut it into pieces as you would a roast.

Pork Tenderloin

Alternatively, you can use pork tenderloin to make this recipe. Just use about the same weight as listed in the recipe below. Do not use the ones that are pre-seasoned as it’ll become overly seasoned with the ones you’ll add.

Fresh Herbs

You will use fresh garlic and rosemary to make this Italian Pulled Pork Recipe. The remaining herbs will be dried.

How to Make Slow Cooker Italian Pork

*The full, printable recipe is in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Note: This recipe makes an 8 lb boneless pork roast. You may want to cut the recipe in half.

1. First, place pork into a large Crock Pot and cut 6- 1/2″ slits about 1″ deep and 2-3″ apart into each pork loin (for a total of about 12 slits, 6 in each piece)
2. Next, insert 3-4 leaves of rosemary and one half of a garlic clove into each slit. Throw whatever rosemary and garlic is left into the slow cooker.
3. Then, season pork by sprinkling the top of pork loin with sage, salt and black pepper.
4. Next, pour extra virgin olive oil into the slow cooker and turn on low setting.
5. Next, put seasoned pork loin fat side up, into the slow cooker and cook on low for 9 hours. If you want to remove the large pieces of fat, it is easier to remove at the 5-6 hour mark before it becomes shredded pork.

If you choose to eat pork in a sandwich, assemble in sandwich rolls and enjoy. Serve with Provolone cheese or hot or sweet peppers if desired.

With only a few ingredients, just 10 minutes of prep time and a slow cooker, you can make a flavorful, juicy and tender pork dinner to your hungry family.

Serve it shredded in sandwiches with sharp provolone cheese or cook it about 3 hours fewer if you rather cut it and serve it in full slices next to Garlic Parmesan potatoes.

What’s more, it is fuss free to serve at your next holiday gathering or game day. Set it and forget it. Serve it sandwich rolls at parties. Ring in the NEW YEAR with this DELICIOUS Slow Cooker Italian Pulled Pork with Rosemary and Garlic!

This is my “go to” recipe for when I’m hosting large parties because I can make it weeks in advance, freeze it, and then serve it in the Crock Pot while only giving it a stir once in a while.

Take it to a potluck in this slow cooker carrier! Not only will the pork stay warm, it won’t drip all over your car! This carrier runs about $15 and makes a great gift!

Cooking Time

I cook the pork with the fat attached for the flavor and then remove it after it is cooked. I remove the fat between the 5-6 hour cooking time, before the meat begins to shred. Personally, I don’t like to bite into a piece of fat.

Alternatively, removing the fat is completely optional of course! I know that it may be a food crime in some parts of the US and abroad but, I don’t like biting into a chewy piece of cooked fat.

What can I serve with Italian Pulled Pork?

-This pork recipe is perfect for New Year’s Day and game day! Make it for the Super Bowl! It’s an easy and delicious pork dinner the entire family will love.

Roasted Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Air Fryer Crispy Garlic Parmesan Potatoes + VIDEO

Air Fryer Parmesan Roasted Potatoes + VIDEO

Best Creamy Dill Red Skin Potato Salad

Easy Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad

Other suggestions:

Make shredded pork sandwiches with sharp Provolone cheese, Italian Broccoli Rabe and/or Easy Roasted Red Peppers.

Add sauerkraut to leftovers.

Slow Cooker Italian Pork with Rosemary and Garlic is an affordable, flavorful pork recipe that only takes 10 min to prep. It’s a great party recipe to set and forget. Feeding a large family doesn’t have to cost a lot. Use this pork recipe.

Freezing leftovers makes it the perfect recipe to make ahead for parties and meal planning. Don’t you have enough to do? Don’t fuss.

You may also like:

Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin

Stuffed Pork Loin with Spinach and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Best Pennsylvania Dutch Pork and Sauerkraut Crock Pot Recipe

See more slow cooker recipes.

See more pork recipes.

NOTE: I’ve updated this recipe on December 23, 2021.