You can cook this slow cooker pork roast in the oven, in the pressure cooker, or in the slow cooker. The honey butter garlic sauce is delicious! This slow cooker pork roast recipe works great with pork loin, shoulder, or scotch fillet.
This pork loin cooked in the crock pot will blow your mind. It’s easy enough to make during the week and fancy enough to serve to guests.
I will do everything I can to get you to try this, so let me say it again:
Cooking pork loin in the crock pot is one of my favorite ways to prepare this lean and tasty cut of meat. The slow cooker allows the pork to become incredibly moist, tender and flavorful after several hours of simmering.
I love making crockpot pork loin because it’s so easy and convenient Just throw the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning and you’ll come home to a delicious ready-made dinner! No need to slave away in the kitchen after a long day.
In this article I’ll share my tips and tricks for how to cook pork loin roast in the crock pot so it turns out perfect every time. I’ll cover everything from choosing the right cut of meat prep work, seasoning, cooking times, adding vegetables, making gravy, troubleshooting issues, and more.
Let’s get cooking!
Choosing the Right Cut of Pork for the Slow Cooker
The best cut of pork to use for crockpot cooking is a boneless pork loin roast. This is a long, cylindrical cut that comes from the back of the pig. It’s very lean yet still flavorful.
Boneless loin roasts are usually between 2-5 pounds. Aim for a 3-4 lb roast which is the perfect size for most slow cookers. Make sure it will fit in your crock before purchasing!
You can also use a bone-in pork loin roast if you prefer. The bone adds extra flavor as it simmers. Just allow a little extra cooking time.
Do not use pork tenderloin in the slow cooker as it will dry out. Pork tenderloin is better for faster, high-heat cooking methods.
Preparing Pork Loin for the Crock Pot
Prepping the pork loin is easy but here are a few tips:
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Choose a roast that is evenly shaped so it cooks evenly.
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Trim off any large chunks of fat which can make the dish greasy. Leave a thin layer of fat for flavor.
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Rub the pork all over with a little olive oil or avocado oil. This helps the spices stick.
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Generously season the roast with salt, pepper and spices like garlic powder, paprika, oregano, etc. I like lots of flavor!
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Searing or browning the pork first is optional but adds nice caramelized flavor. Just brown for 2-3 min per side in a skillet with oil.
And that’s it! The pork is ready for the slow cooker.
How to Cook Pork Loin Roast in the Crock Pot
Cooking pork loin in the crockpot is very simple:
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Place the seasoned pork loin roast in the slow cooker and add 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth.
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Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours.
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Use a meat thermometer to check doneness – pork should reach 145°F internally.
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Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
And your tender, juicy pork roast is ready to serve!
A few tips:
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Add onion, garlic, carrots, etc. to boost flavor. See veggie tips below.
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Use broth, wine, apple juice or other acidic liquid to help tenderize.
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Add herbs, spices, chili paste, etc. to give flavor variety.
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Flip halfway through cooking for even moistness.
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Use leftover broth for making gravy or sauce.
Cooking Times for Pork Loin in the Crock Pot
Here are the approximate cooking times:
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2-3 lb roast:
- LOW 6-7 hours
- HIGH 3-4 hours
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3-4 lb roast:
- LOW 7-8 hours
- HIGH 4-5 hours
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4-5 lb roast:
- LOW 8-10 hours
- HIGH 5-6 hours
Always use a meat thermometer to confirm doneness rather than relying solely on time. Pork cooks faster in some crock pots.
Adding Vegetables to Pork Loin Roast
Feel free to add vegetables into the crockpot to cook alongside the pork roast. This adds nutrition and extra flavor.
Some good veggie options:
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Onion – boosts flavor, caramelizes nicely
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Carrots – sweeten the broth
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Potatoes – soak up juices, make a complete meal
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Celery – aromatic seasoning
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Garlic – punch of flavor
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Mushrooms – meaty and savory
Chop veggies into large 1-2 inch pieces so they hold their shape and don’t overcook. Put veggies in the bottom of the crock and place pork on top. Delicious!
Making Gravy from Crock Pot Pork Loin
One of my favorite parts of cooking pork in the slow cooker is using the flavorful pan juices to make an easy gravy.
After removing the cooked pork loin, pour the juices from the crock into a skillet. Let simmer and scrape any browned bits off the bottom.
In a small bowl, whisk together:
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1 Tbsp cornstarch + 1 Tbsp water (slurry)
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1/2 cup broth
Whisk the slurry mixture into the skillet with the pan juices. Keep whisking until thickened to your desired gravy consistency, about 2-3 minutes.
Season gravy with salt, pepper and any other seasonings you’d like. Serve drizzled over the pork!
Troubleshooting Crock Pot Pork Loin Recipes
Here are some common issues and how to avoid them:
Pork comes out dry:
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Didn’t cook long enough. Use a meat thermometer to confirm doneness.
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Crock pot runs too hot. Try a heat diffuser or switch to low.
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Pork was overcooked. Don’t cook more than 8-10 hours.
Pork is undercooked:
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Didn’t cook long enough. Increase time or switch to high.
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Roast was too large for crock pot. May need longer cook time.
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Crock pot runs cooler. Try a heating pad underneath.
Pork is bland:
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Seasoning rubbed off. Next time, sear pork first to help seasoning adhere.
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Not enough seasoning used. Amp up herbs, spices, sauces next time.
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Didn’t use flavorful cooking liquid. Use broth, wine, juice instead of water.
Vegetables overcooked and mushy:
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Cut veggies too small. Keep large 1-2 inch chunks.
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Cooked too long. Add veggies halfway through if cooking 8+ hours.
Gravy is lumpy:
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Didn’t make a slurry. Always whisk cornstarch with water before adding.
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Didn’t simmer gravy to thicken after adding slurry.
Follow my tips and you’ll have tender, juicy crockpot pork loin and easy gravy every time! This wholesome dinner is sure to become a new family favorite. Enjoy!
THIS CROCK POT PORK LOIN WILL ROCK YOUR WORLD!!!
OK, I confess. I just like that it (kind of) rhymes and wanted to say it. Again. ?
I’m done with the fun – now down to business!
Even though I made this recipe for pork loin, I’ve found that it works just as well for pork shoulder, so there are pictures of both in this post.
This recipe is great because it looks and tastes like pork that has been roasted in the oven, but it is made in a slow cooker. Hands-off cooking time, slow-cooked until the pork is perfectly tender. When you take it out at the end, the sauce only needs a quick simmer to thicken while the pork rests.
TIPS FOR MAKING SLOW COOKER PORK ROAST
It’s really easy to make slow cooker pork roast as long as you use the right cut of pork and follow these steps:
- Best pork for a pork roast in a slow cooker—I made this recipe for pork loin at first, but it works great with pork shoulder, scotch fillet roast (pork neck, a popular roasting cut of pork in Australia and some parts of Europe), and pork loin. The top picture shows pork loin, and the bottom picture shows pork shoulder.
- Pork loin is a lean cut of meat, so there are only two ways to cook it: quickly and hard until the inside is the right temperature, like with traditional pork roasts, or slowly at a lower temperature. Since slow cooking is done at a lower temperature, leaving your pork out for an hour or so too long won’t ruin it.
- If you want to make a slow cooker pork roast, pork shoulder and scotch fillet are great choices because they have more fat running through them. The fat melts while they cook, making the meat very juicy.
- Because tenderloin is so much thinner than the other cuts above, it cooks much faster. It’s not a natural choice for this recipe. However, I’ve written down how to make this with tenderloin in the recipe notes;
- Add at least salt and pepper to the pork to make it taste better. For this crock pot pork recipe, I use a simple spice mix;
- SEAR! Browning = flavour. You must not skip this step if you want the pork to taste great, whether you brown it before or after slow cooking.
- How long to cook a pork roast in a slow cooker? For a pork loin that is tender and juicy, 4 to 5 hours on low. For a one-hour pork shoulder, cook it on low for 10 hours. 5 – 2. 5kg / 3 – 5 lb pork roast. Shoulder is a tougher cut of pork, so it needs more time to cook so the fibers and fat can break down.
Crock Pot Pork Loin, Easy Slow Cooker Recipe- Family Favorite
FAQ
Is it better to cook pork in a crock pot on high or low?
Is it better to cook pork loin slow or fast?
How do you keep pork from drying out in a crock pot?