This slow cooker 3-ingredient poor man pork and turnips is the kind of supper my grandmother leaned on when times were lean and the table was full. She could take one cheap cut of pork shoulder, a sack of turnips, and a little pantry seasoning and stretch it to feed eight hungry folks without anyone feeling shorted. The meat cooks low and slow until it practically falls apart, the turnips turn soft and golden around the edges, and everything sits in a rich, savory broth that tastes like it took all day—because it did. It’s simple, humble Midwestern cooking, the kind of April dinner that fills the house with good smells and has everyone wandering into the kitchen asking when it’ll be ready, then going back for seconds once it hits the table.
Serve this pork and turnip supper right from the slow cooker, with a big spoon so everyone can dig down into the broth. It’s wonderful ladled over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or plain white rice to soak up the juices. A simple side of buttered peas or green beans, or even a bagged salad, is all you need to round it out. If you have crusty bread or warm dinner rolls, they’re perfect for mopping up the savory broth at the bottom of the bowl.
Slow Cooker Poor Man Pork and TurnipsServings: 8
Ingredients
3 to 3 1/2 pounds bone-in pork shoulder (also called Boston butt), excess fat trimmed
3 pounds turnips, peeled and cut into large chunks (about 1 1/2-inch pieces)
2 packets (about 1 ounce each) dry onion soup mix
Directions
Place the peeled, chunked turnips in an even layer on the bottom of a large slow cooker (5- to 7-quart). This makes a bed for the pork and keeps it up out of the direct heat so everything cooks gently together.
Pat the pork shoulder dry with a paper towel and trim off any very thick, hard pieces of outer fat, leaving a thin cap for flavor. Lay the pork shoulder on top of the turnips, fat side up if there is one, so the melting fat can baste the meat as it cooks.
Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the top of the pork and down around the sides onto the turnips. The soup mix will season the meat and vegetables and create a rich, savory broth as it mingles with the juices.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or until the pork is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork and the turnips are soft, golden at the edges, and almost melt-in-your-mouth. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking so you don’t lose heat and moisture.
Once the pork is tender, use two forks to gently pull the meat into large, rustic chunks right in the slow cooker, nestling it back down among the turnips and mixing lightly so every bite gets some broth and seasoning. Taste a bit of the broth and turnip; if you’d like stronger flavor, you can stir in a spoonful or two of the broth from the bottom over the top.
Turn the slow cooker to WARM and let the pork and turnips rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. This gives the juices a chance to settle and soak back into the meat and vegetables. Serve hot, making sure each portion has some tender pork, soft golden turnips, and a ladle of the savory broth.
Variations & Tips
If you don’t have dry onion soup mix, you can make a simple stand-in with 3 tablespoons dried minced onion, 2 teaspoons beef or vegetable bouillon granules, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, and a pinch of black pepper for each packet. For a slightly richer dish, scatter a few peeled, chunked carrots in with the turnips; they’ll caramelize at the edges and sweeten the broth. If pork shoulder isn’t available, a small pork picnic roast can work, though it may be a bit fattier—just trim what you can. For a leaner option, you can use pork loin, but it won’t be quite as fall-apart tender and may cook a bit faster, so start checking at 6 to 7 hours on LOW. To stretch the meal even further, shred the cooked pork more finely and stir it thoroughly into the turnips and broth, then serve over rice or bread so everyone still gets plenty. Food safety tips: Always thaw pork completely in the refrigerator before adding it to the slow cooker; never cook from frozen, as the center may stay too long in the temperature danger zone. Keep the slow cooker on LOW or HIGH while cooking and avoid leaving it on WARM for more than 3 to 4 hours after it’s done. Leftovers should be cooled and refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking and used within 3 to 4 days, or frozen for longer storage. Reheat leftovers until steaming hot all the way through before serving.
