Slow Cooker Pork Stew Recipe – Sweet and Savory Meals

Introduction

Nothing brings warmth and comfort to the table quite like a slow-cooked pork stew. Perfect for busy days, this Slow Cooker Pork Stew Recipe delivers melt-in-your-mouth pork with a sweet and savory flavor profile that will satisfy even the heartiest appetites. It’s a crowd-pleaser, ideal for family dinners, meal preps, or serving at potlucks—thanks to its tender texture, balanced tastes, and simplicity.

Why You’ll Love This Sweet and Savory Pork Stew

The magic of this recipe lies in the slow cooker, which transforms pork shoulder into juicy perfection. Adding root vegetables, a hint of tomato, and a blend of mild spices brings out both sweet and savory notes, making this dish distinctly satisfying. Serve it over mashed potatoes, rice, or on its own for a deliciously full meal everyone will love.

The Secret to Flavorful Slow Cooker Pork Stew

A critical step is browning the pork before adding it to the slow cooker. This adds deep, savory flavor. Then, a combination of onion, carrots, potatoes, garlic, diced tomatoes, and a dash of brown sugar creates a harmonious blend of sweet and savory. Letting everything simmer low and slow melds the tastes together for irresistible results.

Assembly and Cooking Tips

After preparation, add all your ingredients to the slow cooker, pour in broth for richness, and let the appliance do all the work. The slow, gentle cooking breaks down the pork to fork-tenderness and infuses the broth with a robust taste. Before serving, you can thicken the stew with a cornstarch slurry if desired.

Serving Suggestions for a Hearty Meal

Ladle the stew into warm bowls and top with fresh parsley for a burst of color and brightness. Pair with crusty bread or steamed rice to soak up the delicious gravy. A simple green salad makes the perfect companion to round out the meal.

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

This recipe yields approximately 6 hearty portions. Each serving typically contains around 350-400 calories, depending on the cut of pork and vegetables used. It’s a comforting meal packed with protein, fiber, and flavor.

Slow Cooker Pork Stew – Sweet and Savory (Recap)

A blend of slow-cooked pork, tender vegetables, and balanced sweet-and-savory notes makes this stew a comforting, crowd-pleasing meal that’s easy enough for weeknights yet impressive enough for company.

💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this recipe to automatically generate an organized shopping list with all ingredients sorted by store section—perfect for efficient grocery trips and meal planning.

Instructions

1. Season pork cubes with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high. Brown the pork in batches until golden on all sides, transferring to the slow cooker as you go.
2. Add diced onion, garlic, carrots, and potatoes to the slow cooker.
3. Stir in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, thyme, paprika, and bay leaf. Combine well.
4. Cover and cook on Low for 7-8 hours or High for 4-5 hours, until the pork and vegetables are tender.
5. For a thicker stew, mix cornstarch with water, then stir into stew. Cook on High for an additional 15 minutes, until thickened.
6. Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Weekly Meal Planning

This recipe is a star in weekly meal prep and planning. Save and schedule this recipe to plan meal days and generate smart shopping lists that consolidate ingredients from all scheduled meals.

Planning Benefits:

• Automatically calculates total ingredient quantities across multiple recipes
• Organizes shopping lists by grocery store sections for smooth grocery runs
• Prevents duplicate purchases and missing ingredients
• Makes weeknight meal prep efficient and hassle-free

Pro tip: When planning several meals in a week, schedule your recipes to spot ingredient overlaps. For example, if this stew and a breakfast frittata both use potatoes, the list tallies the total potatoes needed—eliminating guesswork and cutting down on food waste.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 7–8 hours (Low) or 4–5 hours (High)
Total Time: 7–8 hours 20 minutes (Low), 4–5 hours 20 minutes (High)