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 my Stuffed Pork Loin with Spinach and Sun Dried Tomatoes or Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin or Roasted 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.
- 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)
- 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.
- Then, season pork by sprinkling the top of pork loin with sage, salt and black pepper.
- Next, pour extra virgin olive oil into the slow cooker and turn on low setting.
- 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!
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.
Serving suggestions
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.
- Serve it over egg noodles.
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:
Stuffed Pork Loin with Spinach and Sun Dried Tomatoes
Roasted Pork Loin with Fennel Seeds & Potatoes
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.
Slow Cooker Italian Pork with Rosemary and Garlic
Ingredients
- 8 lb pork loin (boneless cut in half)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbs fresh rosemary (dried rosemary not recommended)
- 6 cloves garlic (cut in half)
- 1 tsp ground sage
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- First, 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)
- Then, inject with your finger 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.
- Next, sprinkle top of pork loin with sage, salt and pepper.
- Then, pour extra virgin olive oil into the slow cooker and turn on low setting.
- 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 fat, it is easier to remove at the 5-6 hour mark before it starts to shred.
- If you choose to eat pork in a sandwich, assemble in sandwich rolls and enjoy. Serve with cheese or peppers if desired.
Notes
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you made this recipe don’t forget to leave a review!
Categories:
6 Ingredient Dishes, Italian Main Dishes, Italian Recipes, Main Dishes, Pork, Slow Cooker,
That sounds great. I’m glad you liked the recipe. Thanks for the 5-star rating!
Yumm! So good, great for entertaining & easy to make ahead & reheat the day of. Added a splash of pepperocini liquid, and served with rolls, long hots & sharp provolone. This recipe is a keeper!
Hi Kelly. The serving size is about one cup. How many servings you’ll get out of this recipe can also depend on how much liquid you add. I’ve made this recipe without adding any water and other times, I’ve added 1-2 cups of water. Adding liquid with the meat shredding will make more servings. Pork loin is low in calories but, if you don’t remove the fat in the beginning of cooking, you’ll have more fat and calories however, the taste will suffer because the pork fat adds a lot of flavor.
Hello,
I was wondering as far as serving size goes . .it says 1 hram . .os it supposed to be 1 cup?
I make this all the time, my daughter and I love it! I’m trying to log my calories and I want it to be accurate! Thank you!
Hi Sam. You can use fresh thyme instead. Come back and let me know how you like that substitution.
I would love to try your Slower Cooker Pulled Pork but is there something else I can use instead of Rosemary. Growing i had an aunt that used way to much Rosemary in almost every recipe. I can’t even stomach the smell of it now let alone the taste.
I would say about 4 hours for it to shred.
About to make this for a small group. Any refs about how long to cook for a loin that’s a bit over 2 lbs?
Hi Mardella. I would suggest an 8 lb pork loin if you have plenty of other food- sides in particular. If you have limited side dishes and the pork is the only meat, I’d make it a 10 lb pork loin and the seasonings can be about the same as in the recipe. Also, if you’re serving the pork with rolls or in sandwiches, you can probably get away with an 8 lb pork loin. You can freeze leftovers. Hope this helps and happy holidays.
I am hosting a family gathering for around 20-30 people. How many pounds would you recommend?