When cooking pork in a slow cooker, the most important factor is ensuring the pork reaches a safe internal temperature. Unlike beef or chicken, pork needs to be cooked to 145°F to kill any potential bacteria and parasites. The good news is that slow cookers cook low and slow, making it easy to achieve this safe temperature. But does the pork need to be submerged in liquid the whole time to properly cook and be safe to eat? Let’s take a closer look.
Quick Answer
Pork does not need to be fully submerged in liquid when cooking in a slow cooker. As long as there is some liquid, usually 1/4 cup or more, the pork will cook properly, become tender and reach the safe internal temperature. The steaming action of even a small amount of liquid is sufficient to safely cook pork in a slow cooker.
Why Liquid Is Used in Slow Cookers
Liquid serves several important purposes when slow cooking pork or any meat:
- Provides moisture: Liquid prevents the pork from drying out as it cooks low and slow. The steam created from the liquid keeps things moist.
- evenly: Liquid conducts heat more evenly around the meat than just dry air in the cooker. This helps ensure there are no cold spots and the pork cooks through.
- Flavor: Liquids like broth, wine, juice or even water allow you to add extra flavor to the pork as it cooks and absorbs the tastes.
- Helps build sauce: Many slow cooker pork recipes rely on the cooking liquid to then make a sauce or gravy to serve with the finished dish.
Minimum Liquid Needed
While submerging pork fully in liquid (referred to as braising) is common for stovetop or oven cooking, it’s not required in a slow cooker. Here are some guidelines on how much liquid is needed at minimum:
- Chops, roasts, tenderloins: 1/4 cup liquid
- Ribs, shoulders: 1/2 cup liquid
- Whole pork loins, legs: 3/4 to 1 cup liquid
The denser and larger the cut of pork, the more liquid is recommended. But again, the pork does not need to be fully submerged or swimming in liquid the entire cook time.
Cooking Liquids to Use
Any liquid can be used to provide the moisture and flavoring for pork in a slow cooker. Here are some excellent options:
- Broth: Chicken, beef or vegetable broth work well. Opt for low-sodium to better control seasoning.
- Wine: White or red wine, added at the beginning or end of cooking.
- Fruit juice: Apple, cranberry, orange or pineapple juice.
- Water: Works perfectly fine, especially if adding other flavorful ingredients.
- Tomato products: Diced tomatoes, sauce, juice or a mix all add great flavor.
- Alcohol: Beer, wine, cider vinegar or spirits like rum.
Will Dry Cooking Make Pork Tough?
A common concern with not submerging pork in liquid is that it might end up dry, chewy and tough. However, the moist heating environment and long cook times of the slow cooker prevent this.
As long as the minimum amount of liquid is added, the pork will turn out tender and juicy. The collagen in tougher cuts like shoulder breaks down over hours in the slow cooker, making them fall-apart tender. Quick cooking methods like grilling, broiling or pan frying have higher risks of drying out pork.
Food Safety Tips
Whenever cooking pork, food safety is a priority. Follow these tips when cooking pork in a slow cooker:
- Use a digital instant-read thermometer to check temperature. Pork must reach 145°F.
- Don’t let raw pork sit out for over 30 minutes before cooking.
- Use leftovers within 3-4 days and reheat fully to 165°F.
- Thaw frozen pork in the fridge, not on the counter.
- Keep the slow cooker lid on during cooking, except when checking food.
- Don’t use the “warm” setting to cook; only after fully cooking on “low” or “high”.
Tips for Moist Pork
Besides having sufficient liquid, here are some other tips to keep pork moist and tender in the slow cooker:
- Brown or sear pork before slow cooking to lock in juices.
- Place vegetables under pork to add even more moisture.
- Let pork rest 10-15 minutes before slicing or shredding.
- Slice pork across the grain to prevent stringy meat.
- Add sauce ingredients the last 30-60 minutes only.
- Use a foil sling to easily lift pork out of the cooker.
- Skim excess fat from the cooking liquid before serving.
Best Cuts for Slow Cookers
While any cut of pork can be used, certain types are especially well suited to low and slow cooking. Here are some of the top options:
- Shoulder: Boneless or bone-in, becomes incredibly tender.
- Ribs: Country-style or spareribs cook up fall-off-the-bone tender.
- Roasts: Pork shoulder, loin or fresh ham hold up well.
- Chops: Thin bone-in or sirloin chops stay juicy and tender.
- Tenderloin: Resulting in a super tender and lean roast, perfect with spices or sauce.
Sample Recipe Ideas
Ready to start slow cooking pork without fully submerging it in liquid? Give these delicious recipe ideas a try:
Pulled Pork
A classic, easy shredded pork dish perfect for sandwiches, tacos and bowls:
- – Pork shoulder roast
- – BBQ spice rub
- – 1⁄2 cup chicken broth
- – BBQ sauce
Sweet Chili Pork Ribs
Finger-licking ribs braised in a sweet and spicy sauce:
- – Pork spareribs
- – Jarred sweet chili sauce
- – Chicken broth
- – Minced garlic
- – Fresh cilantro
Cranberry-Mustard Pork Roast
An elegant roast perfect for holidays or dinner parties:
- – Boneless pork loin roast
- – Cranberry sauce
- – Dijon mustard
- – Chicken broth
- – Fresh thyme
Mexican Pork Carnitas
Tender, flavorful carnitas ready for tacos and beyond:
- – Pork shoulder
- – Onions
- – Orange juice
- – Garlic
- – Cumin
- – Lime juice
Conclusion
At the end of the day, pork only needs a small amount of liquid to turn out moist and tender in the slow cooker. Feel free to focus more on flavorful sauces and rubs versus fully submerging the pork in liquid. A little liquid goes a long way. Just be sure to follow food safety guidelines and use a thermometer to verify safe doneness. Now go enjoy some delicious fall-off-the-bone slow cooker pork!