This crock pot pork roast is tender pork loin simmered in a slow cooker in a rich and flavorful gravy. A quick and easy dinner option that always gets rave reviews!
I love to pull out my crock pot on busy days when I want to come home to dinner waiting for me. Some of my favorite slow cooker recipes include slow cooker pot roast, crock pot BBQ chicken and this juicy and tender pork roast.
When I want an easy dinner that I know the whole family will love, I turn to this crock pot pork roast. The meat comes out perfectly every time, and pairs so well with potatoes and a vegetable for a complete meal.
Table of Contents
Slow Cooker Pork Roast Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need olive oil, pork loin, salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, chicken broth, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, cornstarch, butter and parsley.
How Do You Make Crock Pot Pork Roast?
The first step is to season your pork loin roast and sear it in a skillet on the stove top before placing it in the crock pot. If you’re short on time and don’t want to brown your pork first, you can place the meat directly into the slow cooker and skip the searing step. I think it’s really worth the additional time and effort because it adds a lot of extra flavor.
The pork goes into the crockpot with the rest of the ingredients including garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, chicken broth and herbs. This forms the base of the gravy. The gravy is thickened at the end of the cooking time. Add a sprinkle of parsley, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Crock Pot Pork Roast
- Leftovers will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container, and can be frozen for 2 months.
- If you want to be able to cut your finished roast into slices, cook it for 6 hours on low. For even more tender, shredded meat, go for an 8 hour cook time.
- Use leftover pork in a sandwich, on top of a salad or diced and put into soup or chili.
- I like to serve my roast with classic side dishes such as funeral potatoes, roasted acorn squash, balsamic brussels sprouts, roasted potatoes and carrots, cauliflower mashed potatoes, collard greens, creamed spinach or mashed red potatoes.
Quick Tip
I typically use a 6 quart oval crock pot as I’ve found it’s the right size to fit pork loin. If you have a smaller slow cooker, you can cut the pork into segments to fit into the pot.
Recipe FAQs
Different cuts of pork take different amounts of time to cook. This recipe calls for a pork loin, which cooks for about 6-8 hours on low heat. If you want your pork to be tender enough to shred, cook it for 8 hours. You can cook the pork for about 6 hours if you’d prefer to cut the meat into slices. You can also use a pork shoulder or pork butt roast for this recipe. This cut of meat is naturally not as tender as pork loin, and therefore takes longer to cook. You should plan to cook a pork shoulder for 8-10 hours on low heat.
You can absolutely put raw pork in a slow cooker. Be sure that your meat is thawed before you place it in the crock pot. Frozen meat will take longer to come to a safe temperature and could pose a food safety risk.
The key to a tender and juicy pork roast is to make sure it’s at least halfway submerged in liquid as it cooks. It’s also important to place the roast fat side up in the pot. As the pork cooks, the fat will melt into the meat which will prevent it from getting dry.
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Flavor Variations
While this recipe is fabulous as-is, you can easily add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
- Protein: Instead of pork loin, try using chicken thighs, pork shoulder, chuck roast or even pork tenderloin. If you choose pork tenderloin or chicken thighs, you’ll want to cook for 4-6 hours on low.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add some veggies during the last two hours of the cook time. Some great options include potatoes, carrots, onions or mushrooms.
- Flavorings: You can add more flavor to the sauce with lemon juice, fresh thyme, a packet of onion soup mix, fresh rosemary, or even a splash of apple cider for a little sweetness.
Once you try this pork roast recipe, you’ll find yourself making it on a regular basis. It’s easy enough for a busy weeknight, yet elegant enough to serve to company.
More Crock Pot Classics
Slow Cooker Brisket
8 hrs 35 mins
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
6 hrs 15 mins
Crockpot Little Smokies
2 hrs 5 mins
Mississippi Pot Roast
8 hrs 20 mins
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
8 hrs 20 mins
Crock Pot Pork Roast Video
Love This Recipe?
Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Crock Pot Pork Roast
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided use
- 3 pounds pork loin can also use pork shoulder or pork butt
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons butter cut into slices
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat.
- Season the pork loin generously on all sides with the salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
- Place the pork in the pan. Cook for 5-6 minutes per side, or until deep golden brown.
- Place the pork in a slow cooker. I recommend using a 6 quart pot. If you have a smaller crock pot, you can cut the roast into segments to fit into the pot.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the last tablespoon of olive oil, chicken broth, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and minced garlic.
- Pour the chicken broth mixture over the pork. Cover the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4 hours.
- Remove the pork from the crock pot. Place the meat on a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a small pot. Place the pot on the stove over medium heat and bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup of cold water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Cook for 1 minute, or until sauce has started to thicken.
- Add the butter to the pot and stir until it has melted. Take the pot off the heat.
- Slice or shred the cooked pork and drizzle the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- I typically use a 6 quart round or oval crock pot as I’ve found it’s the right size to fit pork loin. If you have a smaller slow cooker, you can cut the pork into segments to fit into the pot.
- You can add some vegetables such carrots and potatoes to the crock pot. Just be sure to cut them into large pieces so that they don’t get overly soft after the long cooking time. If you prefer firmer veggies, add them halfway through the cooking time.
Making this tonight!
I have a 5.2 lb pork butt. What adjustments would you recommend for the larger size?
I think it would be fine to just double all the amounts in the recipe!
Delicious! I would definitely make this again. Served with mashed potatoes and fresh carrots and applesauce. ☆☆☆☆☆
Amazing pork roast this was! I loved how juicy and tender it was. Can’t wait to make it again.