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.
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.
Slow Cooker Italian Pork with Rosemary and Garlic
Pork Loin
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 recipe is 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!
Slow Cooker Italian Pork
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
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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 Pulled Pork
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
See more slow cooker recipes.
See more pork recipes.
NOTE: This recipe was last updated 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.
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?
Oh, I forgot to answer your question about Johns Roast Pork. No I haven’t been there but, I do like Dinic’s. I discovered them in the Reading Terminal and I LOVE their brisket.
Mary, you just made my weekend! I love hearing feedback like this. I’m so happy that you’re happy and excited. Great food IS exciting! As for the garlic, use 6 cloves and cut them in half like in the recipe. Cloves are the smaller sections of the garlic bulb. Don’t put the whole garlic bulb in the meat unless you’re trying to keep away vampires! It’ll be too much. If the garlic cloves are small, use a few more of them -OR- use the larger ones from the bulb to cut in half. YES, try the meatballs next!!
Can you do me a little favor and rate (1-5 stars) the recipe in the recipe card? It helps with Google rankings. Have a great weekend!
OK Joanne u r seriously my new BF! N I mean BESTTTTTTT! Lol I didn’t see ur message till I had my meat in my bun ! I will def use ur suggestion next time! N TRUST me this maybe on a weekly rotation! Lol THAT GOOD!! I went into my panic mode realizing there wasn’t even a drop of juice left the olive oil just disintegrated into all the meat! But after some Google searches in crisis I found chicken stock could be used! N it worked like magic just heated up a lil bowl n dipped sandwich in every bite n it didn’t change ur recipes flavor at all which is what I was most worried about! Just made it extra juicy!! If ur from Philly did u ever hear of Johns Roast Pork in South Philly? Well let me tell u this gives them some serious competition!! N their pretty much rated #1 in the city! U r AMAZZZZZZINNNGGG!!! Could u just clarify the exact Garlic clove amount inc the what’s left just throw in the crock pot? I did the 6 halves tucking it in the meat but I had a whole head garlic was I supposed to chop that up as well and toss in? I am seriously sooo excited with this recipe!! can’t wait for my son to try it!! I’m onto ur meatballs soon can’t wait!!
Hi Mary. I’ve made this recipe many times over the years. I imagine yours doesn’t have the moisture because of the pork for some reason. The pork fat contributes to the juices. If there isn’t any fat, that may be why. At the point you’re at with cooking it. I’d just add 1/2 cup of water to it and taste it. If it’s still not enough, add a little more maybe up to a cup. I’ve done that before if it came out strong tasting. I hope this helps and good luck!
Hi Joanne!
I’m in abit of a crisis with ur delicious looking pork with rosemary recipe! Pls help ASAP if u can as I just got done shredding the meat but for some reason all my liquid juices gravy went poof! It does not look filled to the top like urs! What did I do wrong? I’m afraid when i go to heat it up it will be dry since no liquid? No one else seems to have this issue? So prob me! Lol I’m thinking I have to run to the store to buy gravy but then that’s gonna mess up the recipe! Or should I just add more olive oil in with it that would kind of make sense but afraid it’s be too oily? Pls helpie 🙂 thanks Joanne!
Thanks for the nice comment. I appreciate your feedback.
Your Italian pork recipe is delicious. I made it twice now and everyone enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Diana. I’m glad you liked it.
Thanks Diana. It’s one of my favorites and I just love the ease of it to feed a large group.
This recipe is awesome thank you for sharing!
Rusty, you are absolutely right! I meant a boneless pork loin. I removed “tender” from every mention of “tenderloin” in this article.
Btw, this recipe makes a lot so, you may want to either cut it down in half or freeze the leftovers. I’ve found that adding sauerkraut to it is a nice
variation for leftovers.
Thanks for correcting me and don’t hesitate to do it in the future. I see subscribed to my newsletter too. Welcome! Happy New Year to you and your family!
Thanks so much, Joanne! I believe you’re talking about a loin roast; tenderloins are about 2 inches in diameter and are always boneless. (This article explains it SO much better than I can: http://www.finecooking.com/article/pork-loin-vs-tenderloin) Now that I know what to pick up at the market, I can try your lucious-looking recipe later this week. We’re looking forward very much to having it for dinner in our household. I’m a newcomer, but excited about your site and have signed up for updates. Happy New Year to you and yours!
Hello Rusty. It is a whole boneless pork tenderloin. That recipe used a whole 8 lb piece of meat that I cut into two pieces to fit in my Crock Pot. If the recipe is too big, you can certainly half the recipe. I’d make the whole 8 lbs and freeze what you don’t use but, do what you want. Happy New Year Rusty and I hope you’ll come back to visit soon!
The recipe looks delicious. I am a little confused about the cut of meat: Is this a boneless pork loin or several tenderloins to total 8 pounds? Many thanks!
Thank Annie. I have lots of Italian recipes on my blog. My mother was an excellent cook and I learned some of her fabulous Italian recipes.
This looks ah-mazing! After my first trip out of the country last year (to Italy!) I have been basically wanting to make everything Italian, so absolutely going to try this!!
Hi Tish! I’m so happy to see you stopped by my blog and commented. To answer your question, it may not take longer with the bone because I suspect there will be fewer pounds of meat in your bone-in roast than this recipe states. If you are using a slow cooker with a bone-in roast that fits in the crock pot, I think 9 hours on low setting would be enough time. You can always make it the sy before you serve it to make sure you have enough time.
Hope you’ll come back and visit the blog soon! Happy New Year!
Sounds good Jo. I do not use a slow cooker but I am going to givr this a try. I prefer to have the bone in my pork, will this make a difference in cook time?