This 5-ingredient slow cooker supper is the kind of dependable meal that makes a busy evening feel a whole lot easier. A bone-in pork picnic roast cooks low and slow until it turns tender and savory, with just a handful of everyday ingredients doing all the heavy lifting. It is a practical family-style dish that feels especially fitting for Election Night, when everyone is in and out of the kitchen, wanting something hearty, warm, and ready when they are.
Serve this pork with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, rice, or soft sandwich rolls to soak up the flavorful juices. For simple sides, I like green beans, corn, a crisp slaw, or a big mixed salad, and if you are feeding a crowd, setting out pickles, extra sauce, and buns lets everyone build their plate just the way they like it.
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Election Night Supper
Servings: 8
Ingredients
1 bone-in pork picnic roast, about 6 to 8 pounds
1 large onion, sliced
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 can cola, 12 ounces
1 packet dry onion soup mix
Directions
1. Scatter the sliced onion across the bottom of the slow cooker to make a bed for the roast.
2. Place the pork picnic roast on top of the onions, fat side up if possible.
3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the barbecue sauce, cola, and dry onion soup mix until combined.
4. Pour the sauce mixture over the roast, cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours, until the pork is very tender and pulls apart easily.
5. Carefully transfer the cooked roast to a large pan or cutting board. Remove the bone and any large pieces of fat, then shred or chop the meat.
6. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and stir it into the juices. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes so the meat can soak up more flavor, then serve hot.
Variations & Tips
For milder flavor: Use a sweet, mild barbecue sauce if you are serving younger kids or anyone who does not like smoky or spicy flavors. This keeps the pork rich and comforting without too much bite.
For extra sauce: If your family likes saucier pulled pork for sandwiches, stir in an extra half cup to one cup of barbecue sauce at the very end after shredding. That is especially handy if you plan to serve the meat on buns.
Make-ahead tip: You can slice the onion and mix the sauce the night before, then keep them in the refrigerator so the slow cooker is easy to assemble in the morning. On busy days, that little bit of prep makes supper feel almost effortless.
Picky eater tip: Serve the shredded pork plain on the side for anyone who prefers less sauce, and offer buns, mashed potatoes, or noodles separately. Letting everyone build their own plate usually makes this meal a lot more family-friendly.
Storage tip: Leftover pork keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheats nicely with a splash of the cooking liquid. It is also wonderful tucked into baked potatoes, quesadillas, or grilled sandwiches the next day.