Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Pork: Set It, Forget It, Devour

You want an easy win that tastes like you spent hours perfecting it? This is the move.

Sticky-sweet, garlicky pork that shreds with a fork and low-key makes you feel like a kitchen mastermind. Toss it in the slow cooker before work, come home to a house that smells like a five-star takeout joint.

Minimal effort, maximal flex — because who has time to babysit a pan?

What Makes This Recipe So Good

• Hands-off cooking: The slow cooker does the heavy lifting while you live your life.
• Balanced flavor: Honey brings sweetness, soy sauce adds umami, vinegar cuts through, and garlic brings the punch.
• Ridiculously tender: Pork shoulder melts into juicy shreds that soak up the sauce like a champ.
• Meal-prep friendly: Reheats like a dream and works across bowls, tacos, sliders, and salads.
• Budget-smart: Uses affordable cuts and pantry staples without tasting cheap. Win-win.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Pork: Set It, Forget It, Devour

Recipe by Wendy CarterCourse: Dinner, Pork

Servings

6-8

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

6

hours 

Calories

410

kcal

Ingredients

• 3–3.5 lbs pork shoulder (also called Boston butt), trimmed of excess fat

• 1/2 cup honey

• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce

• 1/4 cup ketchup

• 2 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

• 1 tbsp sesame oil (optional but excellent)

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated (optional but recommended)

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/4–1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (to taste)

• 1/3 cup chicken broth or water

• 2 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (slurry, for thickening)

• To finish: Sliced green onions, sesame seeds, lime wedges (optional)

• Serving ideas: Steamed rice, jasmine rice, quinoa, lettuce cups, or toasted brioche buns

Step-by-Step Instructions

• Cut and season: Cut the pork shoulder into 3–4 large chunks. Pat dry and season lightly with salt and black pepper. This helps flavor the meat from the inside out.
• Whisk the sauce: In a bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, ketchup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and broth. Stir until smooth.
• Load the slow cooker: Place pork in the slow cooker and pour the sauce over. Flip pieces to coat.
• Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on Low for 6–8 hours (best texture) or High for 3–4 hours until the pork is fall-apart tender.
• Shred the pork: Transfer the pork to a plate and shred with two forks. Skim excess fat from the cooking liquid if needed.
• Thicken the sauce: Whisk the cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Stir into the slow cooker juices, cover, and cook on High for 10–15 minutes until glossy and thickened.
• Combine and glaze: Return shredded pork to the slow cooker. Toss to coat so every strand gets that sticky honey-garlic shine.
• Serve: Spoon over rice or pile onto buns. Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and a squeeze of lime for brightness. Boom.

Keeping It Fresh

• Fridge: Store in airtight containers up to 4 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
• Freezer: Portion into freezer bags, press flat, and freeze up to 3 months.
  

  Thaw overnight in the fridge for best texture.

• Reheat: Stovetop over medium-low or microwave in 60–90 second bursts, stirring between. Don’t scorch the sugars — they worked hard for you.

What’s Great About This

• One pot, low mess: Fewer dishes, more happiness.
  

  Science.

• Scalable: Double the sauce and use a larger roast for a crowd. The slow cooker won’t complain.
• Versatile: Works in bowls, tacos, sliders, or spooned over roasted veggies.
  

  IMO, it’s the Swiss Army knife of weeknight dinners.

• Kid-friendly flavor: Sweet, savory, garlicky. Add heat at the table if needed.

Nutrition Stats

Per serving (approx. 1/8 of recipe): 410 calories; 26g protein; 20g fat; 28g carbs; 0g fiber; 21g sugar; 770mg sodium (varies by soy sauce and added salt).

Using low-sodium soy sauce and trimming fat lowers both sodium and calories. Swap in pork loin for a leaner profile, though it won’t be quite as juicy.

Easy-to-Miss Errors

• Over-salting early: Soy sauce and ketchup already bring sodium.
  

  Season pork lightly at the start and taste the sauce at the end.

• Skipping the thickener: Without the cornstarch slurry, your sauce can be thin and runny. You want sticky, not soupy.
• Cooking on high heat too long: Going High for 6+ hours can dry the pork.
  

  Low and slow is safer and tastier.

• Not trimming the fat cap: Excess fat results in greasy sauce. Trim, then skim after cooking if needed.
• Forgetting acid: The vinegar keeps sweetness in check.
  

  Leave it out and you get cloying instead of craveable.

Creative Twists

• Korean-inspired: Add 1–2 tbsp gochujang, swap ketchup for 2 tbsp tomato paste, and finish with toasted sesame seeds.
• Pineapple pop: Replace 1/3 cup of the broth with pineapple juice and add pineapple chunks in the last 30 minutes.
• Sticky sriracha: Stir in 1–2 tbsp sriracha to the sauce and finish with lime zest. Spicy-sweet perfection.
• Ginger-scallion: Double the ginger, add 1/4 cup sliced scallions to the sauce, and finish with a drizzle of chili crisp.
• Taco night: Add 1 tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp smoked paprika; serve in tortillas with cabbage slaw and cilantro.

FAQ

Can I use pork loin instead of pork shoulder?

Yes, but expect a leaner, slightly drier result.

Cook on Low and pull it as soon as it shreds to avoid dryness. Add an extra tablespoon of sesame oil or a knob of butter at the end for richness if needed.

What if I don’t have a slow cooker?

Use a Dutch oven at 300°F (150°C) for 2.5–3.5 hours until tender, covered.

Or use an Instant Pot: 60 minutes on High pressure with natural release for 10–15 minutes, then shred and reduce the sauce on sauté.

Is the sauce too sweet?

Balance it. Add 1–2 teaspoons of rice vinegar or a squeeze of lime at the end.

You can also cut honey to 1/3 cup and add 1 tablespoon brown sugar for a deeper, less in-your-face sweetness.

Can I make it gluten-free?

Use tamari or certified gluten-free soy sauce and ensure your ketchup is GF. Everything else is typically safe, but always check labels, FYI.

How do I keep the pork from getting greasy?

Trim visible fat before cooking and skim the liquid before thickening.

If you’re planning ahead, chill the cooking liquid, lift off the solidified fat, then reheat and finish.

Closing Notes

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Pork is your weekday cheat code: low effort, huge payoff, and flexible enough for whatever’s in your pantry. Keep the sauce balanced, thicken it right, and let the slow cooker do its magic.

Serve it your way — bowls, buns, or tacos — and watch it disappear. Leftovers?

If there are any, they’re even better tomorrow.