Blackberry Jalapeño Pork Roast

This sweet and spicy roast will keep you full and warm on those gray winter days! The blackberries get sweeter as they cook, and with the addition of some heat from a few jalapeños, the unique combination of flavors really hits the spot. If you like your food a little less spicy, you can tame the flame by removing the seeds and ribs of the jalapeños before slicing and adding them to the slow cooker. I like this dish with just a touch of spice, so I add a few slices of jalapeño with seeds and ribs and scrape the rest clean. You still get the wonderful jalapeño flavor with just a little bit of kick!

RUB INGREDIENTS

1 tsp (5 ml) sea salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp (5 ml) granulated onion
¾ tsp granulated garlic
¾ tsp chili powder
½ tsp cinnamon
Pinch of cayenne
ROAST INGREDIENTS

4-5-pound pork roast
3 TBSP (45 ml) coconut oil
SAUCE INGREDIENTS

1 cup (240 ml) apple juice
2 cups (480 ml) chicken broth
2 cups (480 ml) fresh or frozen blackberries
2 TBSP (30 ml) balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ medium yellow onion, chopped
2 jalapeños, stems removed, sliced
½ tsp red chili flakes
Serves 4

In a small bowl, combine the rub ingredients.
Sprinkle the rub over the pork roast, and rub it with your fingers to thoroughly coat all sides of the meat.
In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat.
Place the roast in the skillet and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes.
Transfer the roast to a slow cooker.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the sauce ingredients.
Pour the sauce over the roast in the slow cooker, and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
With 2 forks, shred the pork while it is still in the slow cooker.
Serve the shredded pork with the juices and berries spooned over the top.

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Blackberry jalapeño pork roast is sweet, smoky, and gently fiery all in one pot. A warming rub gives the roast a deep crust before it braises slowly in a blackberry-jalapeño sauce with apple juice and balsamic, then shreds into glossy, jammy strands.

Pro Tips

• Brown the roast hard in coconut oil for about 8 minutes before the slow cooker — that crust stays visible in the shredded meat and deepens the whole sauce.
• The rub's cinnamon and chili powder set the tone: warm, smoky, and just spicy enough to play against the sweet blackberries.
• Fresh or frozen blackberries both work — they break down into the sauce as the pork braises, turning it a gorgeous deep purple.
• The sliced jalapeños (seeds and all if you like heat) are what keep the sauce from tipping into fruit-sweet territory.
• Shred the pork with two forks in the slow cooker so every strand absorbs the blackberry sauce before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen blackberries?

Yes, use them straight from frozen — no thawing needed. They'll break down into the sauce beautifully over the long braise.

Is this pork roast paleo?

Completely: spice rub, coconut oil, blackberries, apple juice, balsamic vinegar, and fresh aromatics. No refined sugar — the fruit does all the sweetening.

What cut of pork roast should I use?

A boneless pork shoulder or Boston butt is ideal for shredding; a loin roast works too but is leaner and shreds slightly drier. A 4–5 pound roast feeds four generously.

How spicy is the sauce?

Mildly warm — two jalapeños give a gentle background heat that balances the berries. Leave the seeds in for more fire, or seed them completely for a mild sauce.

Recipe Card

Stav Kogan

Blackberry Jalapeño Pork Roast

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Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp granulated onion
• ¾ tsp granulated garlic
• ¾ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Method

 

1. ROAST INGREDIENTS 4-5-pound pork roast
2. 3 TBSP coconut oil SAUCE INGREDIENTS
3. 1 cup apple juice
4. 2 cups chicken broth
5. 2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
6. 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
7. 3 cloves garlic, minced
8. ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
9. 2 jalapeños, stems removed, sliced
10. ½ tsp red chili flakes Serves 4 In a small bowl, combine the rub ingredients.
11. Sprinkle the rub over the pork roast, and rub it with your fingers to thoroughly coat all sides of the meat.
12. In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat.
13. Place the roast in the skillet and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes.
14. Transfer the roast to a slow cooker.
15. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the sauce ingredients.
16. Pour the sauce over the roast in the slow cooker, and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. With 2 forks, shred the pork while it is still in the slow cooker.
17. Serve the shredded pork with the juices and berries spooned over the top.

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