Slow cookers are marvelous for making moist and tender roasts. I’ve made pork roast a lot, and have a number of recipes on the blog for using up the leftovers. This time I had an idea for a gluten free gravy for it, so I tried it. DH approved, going back for seconds!! The cut I use most is the Boston butt, which is actually the shoulder, because it holds up very well to long cooking.
Begin with spraying the crock with cooking spray to keep the vegetables from sticking. Then cut a very thick slice of onion, about one inch, and break into rings. Scatter those in the bottom of the pot. Add a couple of garlic cloves, peeled and roughly smashed. Add about 1/4 cup of water, just to cover the bottom of the crock under the onions. Don’t worry, pork has a lot of water that will come out during cooking.
Set a 3-5 pound pork roast on top of the onions and garlic, sprinkle with your favorite seasonings. I used lemon pepper.
For this recipe, I used my smaller 4-quart Hamilton Beach Progammable slow cooker with the oval crock. Setting the cooker on low, I selected six hours. After that time, it will automatically reset to ‘warm’.
At the end of a good sewing day, a juicy and deliciously tender pork roast is waiting.
Now for the magic. Take the roast out carefully and set on a plate to rest. Tent with foil to keep it warm. Using tongs, pull out the big pieces of onion and garlic, and place them in a blender (or food processor).
Then, pour the remaining liquid in a fat separator. See how the fat rises to the top? It may take more than one time to get all the liquid done. I have a glass fat separator as well, but it seems fragile, and this plastic one is unbreakable.
Pour the juice into the blender, stopping before you get to the fat. Refill and keep going until all the liquid is separated. Discard the fat.
Blend on a high speed until smooth.
Pour into a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, to thicken the gravy. The longer it is boiled, the thicker it will get. The liquid evaporates and the solids that were blended in create the sauce.
Serve! Tender pork roast with a flavorful, reduced-fat, gluten-free gravy without flour is ready to eat.
If you like other veggies like celery or carrots, throw some of those in the pot too, it won’t matter. I served this with a potato to soak up more of the gravy. You could use mashed potatoes, rice or noodles as well.
The best thing is, no recipe is really needed. Just make the veggies big and chunky so they are easy to pick up after cooking to put in the blender. Store the gravy separate from the meat, and you can use it as liquid in some of these recipes for leftovers. Try the Leftover Pork Roast Enchiladas.
Or try my Leftover Pork Roast Farfalle Pasta
What’s in your slow cooker on a cold day?
Amazon affiliate links – 4-quart Hamilton Beach Progammable slow cooker and
fat separator. Thank you for using my links when you can.
From My Carolina Home 
Sounds yummy. Thanks for sharing what you did. I’ll have to get a roast and try this myself.
Yummmm…….we enjoy using a Sous Vide for our slow/controlled cooking….but that takes some getting used to!
Great idea for using the roasted aromatics as thickening for the gravy. Just had yummy pork roast last evening and ate all the onions and garlic so will have to try your technique the next time. Thanks.
Fortunately, we don’t have to eat gluten free, so I add a little corn starch to the remaining cooking juices after cooking beef or pork roasts. Chicken…fried….gets a good thick country white gravy. Your roast and “left over” dishes look yummy. I have pinto beans and ham in my slow cooker today. Supposed to have a fast, bone chilling cold (for here) come in tonight and leave Sunday morning, headed your way. If we should lose power, I can make bean and cheese burritos or just reheat beans and cornbread. I love having a gas cook stove!!! Happy weekend, Carole!!
Southern stock: beans! and some sort of pork, bacon or hamhocks. My folks from Oklahoma so it’s pinto beans, although I’m very fond of butter beans (limas!) and navy beans.
I have some ham leftover from Christmas, but it’s from Hickory Smoked Ham, so had a sweet flavor, not sure if it will work but expensive stuff (we combined our employers’ gift cards!) and I have enough frozen for two more meals. I also have turkey frozen, Carole, but years ago found out my family doesn’t enjoy leftover turkey soup (frankly, it tastes more gamey to me, what changed?) so I suppose that will be casserole or salad at some point. I’ll check out your recipes, the kids love enchiladas, that’s where the turkey should shine!
Hi Carole….It looks and sounds delicious, and this is the cut of meat I use to make my pulled pork. I actually begin by putting the onions and garlic in the bottom of the Crock Pot, but have never tried making gluten free gravy for a roast. I have several pork roasts in the freezer and will make one over the weekend with your GFG. Thanks for sharing.
I have been making both pork roast and beef roast in my crock pot for years and love the way they turn out – I have different seasons for them that I use and love – it is great having a favorite way to make them mine never turn out in the oven they are tough – the crock pot is the only way I make them.
I use my Instant Pot as a slow cooker to make some great roasts. This sounds yummy! I just wish my DH would eat onions/onion flavored food! I like to season with garlic, pepper, salt, and any other seasoning I’m in the mood for, and then sear my beef roasts on each side, kind of like blacken it, then add to the pot and pour a can of cream of chicken soup on top. That makes an awesome gravy! And there’s no “foreign material” as DH calls it!! LOL You could also use cream of celery or cream of mushroom soup for different flavor!
Hello Carole, Your Roast, Gravy and Potato look so delicious! We use our slow cooker for quite a few delicious meals, year round. Plus, like you, we try new recipes and also reuse favorite recipes. I have not seen a fat separator before, well I am sure I have on your posts but I am not remembering it. It is something I would love to get. We avoid fat as much as possible. Thank you for sharing another fabulous recipe and some great leftover meal ideas also! Have a fantastic day!
This sounds great, Carole – smart idea to blend up the onions to use in the gravy!
Looks so yummy. I use the Butt roast for my tamales. I need to try your recipe.
Looks and sounds delicious. I must look out for one of those fat separators.
I just finished eating, but your pork roast made me hungry all over again! I love onions and garlic and celery. Your slow cooker is fancier than mine, I need to remember that I could slow cook stuff. Interesting gadget, that fat separator, never seen one before. Good night, Carole.
I like to use the pork tenderloin as a roast. I can usually find a good deal at one of the markets every couple of months and half of one is often enough for a while. I also like chuck roast. That’s actually my favorite. I haven’t done one in a while, so I should look at the shops and see what I can find soon. That gravy is a great idea. I’m not a big gravy fan, but with a roast, sometimes it’s the perfect thing. Thank you!