No matter how many times I make this braised pork it never lets me down. The perfect combination of sweet and salty, it is amazing that an inexpensive cut of pork can be elevated to such greatness with some soy, a little brown sugar, and chicken broth. Slow cooking melds the flavors, and a slow cooker is the perfect tool for this method. Make sure you use a chicken broth with low sodium. Use a regular soy sauce instead of a light one to achieve the best flavor. The cooking time can vary depending on your Crock-Pot and the pork shoulder itself. Keep cooking the pork until it just about falls apart. So check it at 5 hours and don’t be surprised if it takes 7½ hours. Try this easy recipe to see what that slow cooker can really do.
Ingredients
- 1 4-pound piece of bone-in fresh pork shoulder (sometimes called a “picnic cut”)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ pounds carrots cut into 1-inch pieces
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce mixed with 5 tablespoons cold water and 5 tablespoons of cornstarch to make slurry
Preparation
Place the pork in the slow cooker with the fat side down. Pour in the chicken broth, soy sauce, sugar, and black pepper.
Turn the pot to high and cook for 1 hour. Then turn the pork over and cook on low for 4–5 hours or until the meat is fork tender.
Carefully flip the pork over again and add the carrots. Turn the pot to high and continue cooking for 1 hour or until the carrots are soft.
Remove the pork carefully (we use tongs and a spatula) to a cutting board and let cool slightly.
Skim the fat from the top of the braising liquid in the slow cooker then stir in the cornstarch slurry to thicken.
Cut the pork into serving portions then return to the pot. Serve this dish out of the slow cooker with steamed rice on the side.
Makes 6 portions
