A Slow Cooker Pork Loin roast or Pork Shoulder roast that’s cooked in an amazing honey butter garlic sauce! It’s a slow cooker pork roast recipe that works fabulously with pork loin, shoulder and scotch fillet, for your slow cooker, pressure cooker or oven.
Easy enough for midweek yet impressive enough for company, this crock pot pork loin is going to rock your world!
I will do anything I can to try to convince you to try this, so let me say again:
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!
This is a recipe I created especially for pork loin, but I’ve found that it works just as well with pork shoulder so you’ll see photos of both throughout this post.
The beauty of this recipe is that it looks and tastes like a traditional oven roasted pork – but it’s made in the slow cooker. Entirely hands off cooking time, slow cooked to tender perfection and when you pull it out at the end, the sauce just needs a quick simmer to thicken while the pork rests.
ABOUT THIS SLOW COOKER PORK LOIN ROAST
I know there are quite a few types of slow cooker pork loins “out there” so let me tell you what you’re getting with this one.
It’s a spice rubbed pork loin that’s cooked until it’s tender but still sliceable like classic roasts.
It’s cooked partially submerged in a miracle 4 ingredient Honey Butter Garlic Sauce which infuses the pork with flavour, adds juiciness and transforms into an amazing syrupy sauce to serve the pork with. Pork loin is a lean cut of meat so it’s ideal to have a buttery strong flavoured sauce to serve it with!
You get bonus points for basting while it cooks, but even if you don’t, this is how the pork looks straight out of the slow cooker: golden and bronzed, glistening with that honey butter sauce!
TIPS FOR MAKING SLOW COOKER PORK ROAST
Slow cooker pork roast is actually very simple to make as long as you use the right cut of pork and follow a few key steps:
Best pork for pork roast in a slow cooker – Though I originally created this recipe for pork loin, this recipe works brilliantly with pork loin, pork shoulder and scotch fillet roast (pork neck, a roasting cut of pork that’s popular in Australia and some parts of Europe, brilliant for fast and slow cooking). The first photo at the top is pork loin, the 2nd photo is shoulder;
Slow cooking pork loin – Being a lean cut of pork, there’s only two ways to cook it: Hard and fast until the inside is at an exact temperature, like with traditional pork roasts, OR slowly at a lower temperature. Slow cooking is more forgiving because it’s done at a lower temperature so an hour or so too long isn’t going to ruin your pork;
Pork Shoulder and Scotch Fillet – These cuts have more fat marbled through them so they are natural choices to use for slow cooker pork roasts. As they cook, the fat melts, making the meat beautifully juicy;
Tenderloin – Not a natural choice for this recipe because it’s much thinner than the other cuts listed above so it cooks much faster than the cuts listed above. However, I have included directions in the recipe notes for how to make this with tenderloin;
Season the pork for extra flavour with at least salt and pepper. I use a simple spice mix for this crock pot pork recipe;
SEAR! Browning = flavour. Whether you brown the pork before or after slow cooking, don’t skip this step, it’s imperative for great flavour!
How long to cook a pork roast in the slow cooker – for pork loin, 4 to 5 hours on low for tender, juicy perfection. Pork shoulder needs to be cooked for 10 hours on low for a 1.5 – 2.5kg / 3 – 5 lb pork roast. Shoulder is a tougher cut of pork so it requires a longer cook time to break down the fibres and fat.
SLOW COOKER PORK LOIN SPICE RUB & SAUCE
Here are the ingredients in this Slow Cooker Pork Loin sauce and spice rub. There’s not many!!!
THE SAUCE!
The Honey Butter Sauce for this Slow Cooker Pork Loin is made using the juices remaining in the slow cooker when the pork is cooked.
Straight out of the slow cooker, the flavour of the sauce is a bit thin so it needs to be reduced and I also like to thicken it a touch using cornflour to make it a syrupy thickness.
The Honey Butter Sauce truly is a miracle – it’s made with just cider vinegar, garlic and (hold onto your seats here…) BUTTER and HONEY!!
It’s ideal for serving with a Slow Cooker Pork Loin because it adds richness to an otherwise lean meat. Bonus: this recipe makes tons of sauce to smother your veggies and potatoes with it too!
What to do with leftovers?
Use it to make epic Bread Bowl Sandwich or Cubanos – Cuban Pork Sandwiches!
HOW I PREPARE AHEAD
This is one of those recipes that’s terrific for a midweek meal yet impressive enough for company. What I’ve been doing is preparing it the night before (searing the pork, making the sauce) then pouring it over the pork and leaving it in the removable insert of my slow cooker until the next morning.
Then I pop the insert into my slow cooker in the morning, leave the house for the day and come back to THIS ↓↓↓ Happy days!! – Nagi x
PS Pictured in post with a side of Garlic Sautéed Spinach and these Greek Lemon Roasted Potatoes.
More slow cooker roast recipes
Slow Cooker Pot Roast (with gravy!)
Slow Cooker Pork Loin Roast
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Slow Cooker Pork Loin Roast OR Pork Shoulder
Ingredients
- 1.75 – 2.5 kg / 3.5 – 5lb pork loin OR shoulder/boston butt ,or scotch fillet, skinless (Note 1)
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil , separated
Spice Rub:
- 2 tsp EACH paprika, thyme
- 1 tsp EACH garlic powder, onion powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper , optional
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp salt
Honey Butter Sauce:
- 3/4 cup honey
- 125g / 1/2 cup butter , unsalted
- 5 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt and pepper , each
Thickener:
- 3 tsp cornflour/cornstarch mixed with splash of water
Instructions
- Spice Rub: Rub pork with about 1 tsp oil. Mix Rub together then sprinkle over pork. Pat to adhere all over.
- Brown: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pork and sear all around until deep golden brown (don’t let spices burn). Place pork in slow cooker.
- Honey Butter Sauce: Wipe pan. Add butter and melt. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until golden. Add remaining Sauce ingredients, mix, simmer rapidly for 30 seconds.
Slow Cook:
- Pour Sauce over pork. Cover slow cooker.
- Pork loin – Cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours (see Note 2 for cook times for different sizes)
- Pork Shoulder – Cook on LOW for 10 hours (see Note 2 for cook times for different sizes, and Note 4 for oven, InstantPot and pressure cooker methods).
- Remove pork onto serving platter, cover loosely with foil (10 – 20 minutes rest). (See Note 6 on Doneness)
- Pour all juices in slow cooker into large saucepan. Add cornflour water mixture, mix.
- Thicken Sauce: Simmer on medium high for 5 minutes or until it reduces down to a syrupy consistency (Note 3).
- Slice pork into thick slices (1.5 – 2 cm / 3/5 – 4/5″ thick). Serve with PLENTY of Honey Butter Sauce!
Recipe Notes:
1 kg / 2lb – Pork Loin 3.5 hours on low, Shoulder 8 hours on low
1.5 – 2.5kg / 3 – 5lb: Per recipe
3kg / 6lb: Pork Loin 6 hours on low, Shoulder 11 – 12 hours on low
Use times closest to your pork size. 3. Sauce reduction: Reduction time to thicken dependent on how much juice comes out of the pork. Go by eye – when sauce is thin maple syrup consistency, it’s ready (will thicken bit more when it cools a bit) 4. Other cook methods: * Pressure Cooker – Pork shoulder 1 hour 20 minutes on HIGH. To save time, this is how I did the pork in the 2nd photo in post. Have not tried pork loin so am unsure of required time.
* Instant Pot – Brown pork in IP, remove, melt butter and make Sauce in IP, then add pork back in, spoon over sauce. Then either cook using Pressure Cooker time for shoulder, or Slow Cooker time for pork loin or shoulder. If you get the burn notice, add 1/2 cup water. Remove pork and make Sauce using sauté function.
* OVEN – See here for directions 5. MAKE AHEAD – Brown pork and make sauce up to 1 day ahead, pour into slow cooker then remove insert and refrigerate until ready to cook. If preparing ahead more than 12 hours or so, keep the sauce separate (because it will make the pork sweat). Leftovers – Keep in the fridge for 3 days, or freezer for 3 months. I pour the sauce over it, it soaks through the pork and I love it. 6. Pork Doneness – Loin is a lean cut of pork so it’s cooked for a short period of time than shoulder. Pork shoulder needs to be cooked for longer to let the tough fibres break down. Shoulder is more prone to falling apart (ie semi shredding) when slicing so be sure to rest it per recipe directions to minimise this. 7. Nutrition – per serving, assuming a 2 kg/4lb pork loin and 8 servings with all sauce consumed (which is unlikely).
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
Dozer looking rather concerned as I pack for a trip to Vietnam…. he really hates the sight of a suitcase! Though the minute I drop him off at the golden retriever boarders’ place, he forgets all about me… (I like to think he’s being strong but crying on the inside…..)
My husband cannot eat garlic at all – so I have to leave it out. Any suggestions of what else to add – or just skip it?
My husband cannot eat garlic at all so will have to leave out.
Any suggestions on whether I should add something else?
Is it okay is I seat after slow cooking?
Is it okay to sear after slow cooking? I’m in a rush this morning
That won’t work. The pork will be practically falling apart after cooking and you cannot sear anything dripping wet with sauce. Meat has to be dry in order to sear.
Wow – this was amazing!
Oh my word! I made this for supper tonight. It was so tender, moist and full of flavor. We all loved it, I will definitely be making again.
Do I need to flip the pork loin half way through.
No need to flip here Nicole, I hope you love it! N x
I’d love to make this but I was wondering if it’s Apple Cider Vinegar that I’m supposed to use or another kind of vinegar?
Hi Kelly, yes apple cider vinegar here 🙂 N x
OMG Best Pork Loin Ever. Served with quino wild grains and roasted sweet potatoes, butternut squash, Brussels sprouts and red onion.
Hi there, just looking over this recipe but with my focus on it being conventional oven cooked I’d like to know if it’s best covered with a lid or uncovered? The sauce sounds great!
Hi Rebecca, this needs to be covered in the oven 🙂 N x
Could I cook this a day ahead and warm up the next day.
Fo sho
Absolutely amazing. I used my new aroma rice cooker for this recipe. It cooked in 30-40 minutes and turned out amazing. Thank you for the recipe.
Absolutely delicious! Thank.you Nagi. It was excellent and I will be recommending friends visit your site. One of the best pork recipes I’ve ever had.
What can I use when you don’t have honey in the house .It was a last minute idea to make this recipe. Thanks
Maple syrup baby
has anyone added in potatoes?
I served smashed crispy red potatoes with it – great match.
I did not have cloves of garlic so I added 1/2 table spoon of garlic powder and I used apple cider vinegar. Omg one of the best taste I have had in a long time .I made it with garlic oven roasted potatoes and mix vegetables .The sauce was amazing on them all Thanks for a great recipe!!
This is seriously the BEST thing I’ve ever made. My kids love it too. I make it anytime I’m trying to “impress”, but it’s so easy! TY!
I didn’t have garlic cloves so I adjusted with the garlic salt. Additionally, I made sauerkraut with brown sugar and apples to go with. The extra apple slices I added to the crock pot. The end result, I put the pork BACK into the pot of sauce and pulled it apart. On the plate, I mixed that with the kraut and everyone loved it.
Hi I am going to be using scotch fillet is the method the same and times as the pork loin thanks
This turned out to be just as AWESOME as you’d raved about it. Almost as sweet, savoury, juicy and flavourful as a hongshaorou, only leaner ( 🙂 ) but without the yummygummy skin ( 🙁 ). I’d have to note though that I added a tbsp of soy sauce to the sauce for that nice dark amber colour. We all loved this, thank you!
Hi, made this for my family and we all LOVED it. Thanks for a great recipe and such helpful, thorough instructions.
Question: how would you suggest using leftover sauce? Could it be used to cook other meats, ie chicken? Thanks again!
I used it on simple rice&roast chicken bowls as a sauce. It’s amazing that way too.