Mediterranean Pork with Couscous {Slow Cooker} -- The Cheat Code Jake’s Dad Approved

Christmas week approaches and the pierogi operation is in full production. I spent Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights making batches of pierogi in my tiny apartment kitchen. The counter is barely three feet long and I'm six feet tall, so the ergonomics are catastrophic, but I've found a rhythm: make dough, rest it, make filling, roll, cut, fill, seal, boil, drain, fry in butter for the ones being eaten fresh, freeze the rest. Final count: I made 120 pierogi across three nights. Potato and cheese (Babcia's recipe, now committed to memory), sauerkraut (still working on the balance — mine are a little too sour), and a new experiment: a cheddar and bacon pierogi that is absolutely not Polish tradition but tastes incredible. Babcia would be appalled. I'm keeping them a secret. I packaged them in Ziploc bags — twelve per bag — with handwritten labels. Embarrassingly proud of them. These are going to Mom and Dad, Kevin, two guys from the brewery, and Steve and Rachel Katz. Not Babcia. I'm not giving pierogi to Babcia. That would be like bringing a painting to the Louvre. At the brewery, we're in the holiday rush. Fireside is the number two seller behind the flagship IPA, which for a seasonal is remarkable. The head brewer told me they're "definitely" bringing it back next year with expanded distribution. My beer. Year two. I'm twenty years old. Packers are having a solid season and Dad's Sunday visits to my apartment for games have become routine. I make food — last week was buffalo chicken sliders, this week was pulled pork from the slow cooker (my first time using a slow cooker, which is basically cheating because you just throw stuff in and wait, but the pulled pork was tender and smoky and Dad ate three sandwiches). He brings the beer. We yell at the TV. It's our thing. Sunday at Babcia's was dedicated to Wigilia prep. She's making the full Christmas Eve spread: mushroom soup, carp (traditional — I hate carp but it's mandatory), herring, pierogi, beet soup with uszka, kutia (a wheat berry dessert), poppy seed cake, and more. I helped chop mushrooms. My knife skills are getting better. Babcia watched me and only said "slower" twice, which is progress.

The pulled pork was such a win—Dad’s three-sandwich endorsement basically made my week—that I went right back to the slow cooker. Once I realized how foolproof the thing is, I wanted to push it somewhere new, somewhere a little further from the game-day playbook. This Mediterranean version with olives, tomatoes, and couscous felt like the right move: same low-effort, throw-it-in-and-wait approach, but with a flavor profile that has nothing to do with football. Here’s how it came together.

Mediterranean Pork with Couscous {Slow Cooker}

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 8 hours | Total Time: 8 hours 15 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lbs boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 3 large chunks
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juices
• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 cups dry couscous
• 2 cups boiling water or chicken broth (for couscous)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Fresh parsley and crumbled feta for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Season the pork. Pat the pork shoulder chunks dry with paper towels. Season generously on all sides with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and cumin.
2. Load the slow cooker. Place the diced onion and garlic on the bottom of the slow cooker. Lay the seasoned pork on top. Add the diced tomatoes (with their juices), olives, chicken broth, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Give it a quick stir around the edges without disturbing the pork too much.
3. Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4 to 4 1/2 hours) until the pork is fork-tender and pulls apart easily. No checking, no stirring—just let it go.
4. Shred the pork. Use two forks to shred the pork directly in the slow cooker, then stir everything together so the meat absorbs the braising liquid. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
5. Make the couscous. About 10 minutes before serving, place dry couscous in a heat-safe bowl. Add olive oil and a pinch of salt. Pour 2 cups of boiling water or hot broth over the top, stir once, cover tightly with a plate or plastic wrap, and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
6. Serve. Spoon couscous into bowls or onto a platter. Ladle the pork and its braising juices generously over the top. Finish with fresh parsley and crumbled feta if using.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 490 | Protein: 36g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 44g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 580mg