Lean pork roast slow cooked with vegetables and apples in a sweet and savory maple balsamic sauce, this crock pot pork recipe is meat-and-potatoes comfort with a lighter seasonal touch. While we often think of the slow cooker first for tougher, fattier cuts of meat (like Slow Cooker Pulled Pork), it can also work famously with leaner cuts, including Crock Pot Pork Chops and today’s tender pork loin. Tuck some seasonal vegetables in with the meat—I opted for crockpot pork roast with potatoes and carrots, plus apples for good autumn measure—and you have an all-in-one, make-ahead dinner that can do so many things. It feeds a crowd, yields tasty leftovers (pork sandwich anyone?), pleases picky eaters, and will warm your belly and soul on a chilly night to come.
How to Make Crockpot Pork Roast
Once the pork is browned in a skillet (worth it for the caramelization and yummy sauce it creates, trust me!), this recipe is largely hands-off. Depending upon your slow cooker model (this is mine) and the weight of your pork roast, your cooking time may vary. See the tips below to make sure you do not overcook the pork.
The Ingredients
Pork Roast. Pork roast is a lean, tender cut of pork. It is mild on its own, meaning it can easily take on flavors in a wide variety of recipes.
Veggies. Red onion adds beautiful color, and carrots provide a hint of sweetness. The Yukon gold potato adds a delightful, creamy element to the dish. Plus, this mixture of veggies is rich in antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins.
Granny Smith Apple. Tart, flavorful, and firm enough to hold up during the slow cooking process.Cornstarch. Helps create a beautifully browned exterior on the pork that locks in its juices. Spices. For pork roast seasoning, I used black pepper, salt, and dried thyme. They add delicious flavor to the outsides of the pork roast. Crockpot Pork Sauce. The scrumptious pork sauce is made from chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, and cinnamon. It’s a balanced, satisfying blend of sweet and savory with a hint of warmth.
The Directions
Storage Tips
To Store. Refrigerate pork roast and vegetables in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days. To Reheat. Gently rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the microwave. To Freeze. Freeze pork roast and vegetables in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
Slow Cooker. For making this crock pot recipe on repeat. Cast Iron Skillet. Creates a beautiful sear on the pork.Spatula. Made from heat-resistant rubber.
This old-fashioned pork roast in the slow cooker reminds me of Sundays after church at my Grandma Dorothy’s, when she always had a home-cooked meal ready.
Unlike tough, fatty cuts of meat, leaner cuts like pork tenderloin and pork loin do not become more tender the longer they cook.Some crock pot models run hotter than others, so it can be difficult to pinpoint how long to cook pork in a slow cooker. Check your meat early—you can always cook it longer, but once it is overdone, it’s hard to go back. A 3-pound pork loin will take 2 to 3 hours to cook in a crock pot on low.
Use an instant read thermometer to check the pork for doneness.
This thermometer is my absolute favorite and well worth the price for the lightening fast read time and dead accuracy. That said, an inexpensive one like this is still effective and will save you from overcooking your meat.Pork is considered done at 145 degrees F. I remove mine 5 to 10 degrees early and let it rest. The carryover cooking will bring it to a safe temperature.
Slow cook on LOW.
It is better to cook pork roast in the crock pot on LOW heat.High heat in the slow cooker will dry out the meat on the outside before the inside finishes cooking, no matter how early you check it.
Sauce it up.
This slow cooker pork roast with vegetables and gravy creates its own sauce (no brown gravy mix here!). If you cook the meat a little too long, spooning that sauce generously over the meat will help rehydrate it. Plus, it tastes delicious!Best Pork Sauce Ever: Don’t miss the sticky apricot glaze on the Slow Cooker Pork in The Well Plated Cookbook!
Other names for pork roast can include: loin roast, center cut pork roast, pork center loin roast (or some combo of those words), pork center cut rib roast, pork loin center rib roast, and pork loin rib half… you get the idea.
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