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…..)
Delicious! Made it yesterday for the first time and my kids and husband LOVED it. I only had white wine vinegar on hand but the acid still worked fine and I don’t think flavor was compromised! Will definitely make it again!
Another amazing recipe! Thank you
I made this tonight for our NewYears Day dinner. My husband is not crazy about roast pork, but he loved this recipe, and so did I. Thanks for another great recipe!!
can you cook this with sauerkraut in slow cooker for New Years Eve?
Hi Nagi, I am attempting to do this recipe in a pressure cooker but I’ve got pork loin and you said you haven’t attempted that cooking method with the pork loin. Any chance you have tried it since? I’m assuming as the shoulder takes much longer and in the pressure cooker it only takes 1hr 20min, then the loin should take half the time. But again, that’s me just assuming it and as I intend to do this dish for new year’s eve, I don’t want to mess it up lol If you could please let me know. Thank you very much in advance and happy new year to you 😉
Is this apple cider vinegar or a different type of vinegar?
Hello Nagi,
Thank you for sharing such a great recipe! I make this all the time, and I have to say it might be my favorite recipe ever, it is so delicious! I’m going to be making this for Christmas, and I usually make a 1 kilo pork loin, but i want to add another 1 kilo pork loin (so I will have two 1-kilo cuts) to my slow cooker as well. Do I need to double the cook time? Or any other advice? Thank you very much!
Hi Sarah, you’re cooking as per the size of each piece – not doubling it. But you will need to double the ingredients 🙂 N x
Thank you!
Hi Nagi,
I would love to try this recipe. I have a pork rolled leg roast. It’s 4.4kg, how long do you think I should cook it for? Will this cut of meat work? Thanks so much!
I just wanted to say how delicious this recipe is!! I can’t get enough of it, the flavors are perfect! I love your web site, you are so detailed and I know you have truly tested your recipes. I have been disappointed with other sites but yours I can always depend on. thank you for expertise it shows. love Dozer too.
Thanks so much Rebecca!! That’s great to hear! N x
Wow, yum! My slow cooker has only high setting and left it for 5 hrs. I didn’t have enough honey, so I added sorghum syrup to the juices … and the gravy tasted like caramel! OMG, so good. Served with cornbread and sweet potato and green salad. L-O-V-E-D IT!.
Dear Nagi
I love your philosophy towards cooking and food. You are amazing and every time I want something interesting and different I never go past your web site. Keep up the great work 🙂 Cheers Cinzia.
Nagi, could I use chunky pork ribs for this?
Thanks
Hi, can I please confirm that you only have to cook the pork loin for 4-5 hours on low. In the video it’s a loin you made and it said 10 hours but on the recipe it says loin is only 4-5 hours.
Hi Brandy, in the recipe I note that pork shoulder takes 10 hours – so it depends on which cut of pork you’re using. If you’re using loin, 4-5 hours is plenty 🙂 N x
Hi just wondering if the cooking time for scotch fillet is the same as the loin 4-5 hours?
I was wondering the same thing. What is the cooking time for a scotch fillet please? Your recipes are gold Nagi – love the detailed instructions and the videos – I have tried loads of recipes from your website and they were all amazing! Learning so much from you. Thank you.
Hi Nagi. I’m looking forward to try this recipe for Christmas dinner. I have a round (tall) slow cooker. Can I still use it to make this recipe? I’m worried the pork loin won’t fit properly. Tq.
Hi Asha, as long as the pork fits in there it should be fine! N x
gonna make this tonight BUT WHERE’S NOTE 2? It goes from 1 skips 2&3, then continues? wtf?
I don’t know if this was an error at the time of your comment but all the notes are visible.
question 2…..is this made fat side up or down?
such incomplete details!
In the “recipe notes” section, under #1, it says:
“ Needs to be made with skinless pork, trimmed of excess fat (don’t want loads of surface fat melting into braising liquid which becomes the sauce).”
I made this and it was phenomenal! I will be making it again, and again.
Do you think it would be ok to substitute the butter with vegan butter?
THANK YOU SO MUCH for this AMAZING recipe x
I’m in my 40s and not a natural cook and I don’t enjoy cooking, I’ve got to a point where if its edible and everyone is alive after eating then I’m doing OK, I’m honestly that bad unfortunately. I’ve mastered the recipe past down through my family but my Son isn’t a fan of it, I’ve often wished I could cook something that my family actually enjoyed and would ask me to make again. You have given me that something xx We all LOVED this and I was asked to make it again as they were eating it, I’m so happy, thank you. It was even delicious cold the next day.
I’m not good at experimenting but I used the leftover meat and gravy (?) from this instead of the recommended beef stock in a Panackelty recipe by James McConnell that was also a first for me and it turned out great, so now I have two favourite things I can actually cook and people will enjoy rather than endure.
Now to find a way to cook a lamb or beef joint lol
Xx
This was delicious! I followed the instructions exactly (except subbed chili powder for the cayenne).
Definitely recommend.
My pork loin is dry after 4 hours of slow cooking on low but the sauce is very good. I think I will give this another try only next time I will check the temperature of the meat by the 2nd or 3rd hour to make sure it does not go further than 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Thank you for this recipe.
Hi Nancy, the internal temp is irrelevant when slow cooking as you’re going past the point of the meat being cooked – the meat proteins start to break down and become tender. If you find your pork slightly dry, it may just need another hour to become tender. N x
Just Perfect, thanks a lot
Hi Nagi! Any recommendations on what sides will go with this
Hi Kat, any kind of salad, steamed greens, roast/mash potatoes would work perfectly here! There are so many options!
I made it with mac & cheese-from a recipe, not the boxed mac & cheese. It was such a great dinner. Two comfort foods that go great together.