Trim your pork roast of any excess fat and season all sides well with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp of EVOO in a large skillet over high heat. Add the pork roast and sear all sides until there is a nice crust on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the root beer, brown sugar, liquid smoke and spices.
Place the pork in the slow cooker and pour the root beer mixture over top of it. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
When the time is up, the pork will be falling apart. At this point, you can enjoy the root beer pulled pork with whatever bbq sauce that you like or you can make a sort of root beer au jus.
If you’d like the au jus, strain the liquid left behind in the slow cooker with a mesh strainer. Add the liquid to a large sauce pan and add 2 tbsp of brown sugar. In a small cup or bowl, stir together 2 tbsp of cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water.
Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the au jus and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer until thickened slightly. Spoon a little onto the pulled pork and stir. Serve with extra on the side, if desired.
