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…..)
When you said this recipe was going to rock my world, I didn’t believe it. But then I tested it and… wow it really did! I made sandwiches with it and they were AMAZING. Thanks for sharing!
As good a a similar one from Marks and Spencer but cheaper and fresher
Hello – this recipe looks so amazing but I need to ask a couple of questions. ideas on how long in the crockpot for 10lb loin? (feeding a crowd) and also would this travel well? need to drive 1 hour until can be served. thank you and thank you for all the wonderful recipies.
This was so good. Forgot to take the fat cap off and there was some internal fat that messed up the sauce but I put it in a gravy separator and then it was delicious! Very forgiving recipe. Had it in for the recommended time but the internal temp was in the 190’s, Thought it would be dried out but it was still moist and tender. I left the sauce more “saucy”.. Will go in my “company good” file. Thank You!!
This pork loin turned out extremely overcooked for me; it must not have weighed as much as I thought. We also did not care for the sauce, but I think we are just used to sweeter basting sauces on our pork. I would use less honey (or substitute molasses instead) and vinegar and add some brown sugar if I tried it again. I think I would have not dried out the meat if I had cooked it in the oven instead.
Just made this for supper tonight in my crockpot. Used a boneless pork loin roast 1kg. I thought it would be overcooked as it cooked faster than I expected (less than 3 hrs on low). It sat for an hour in the juices with the pot turned off as I waited for family to get home. It turned out perfect! So tasty and juicy! Thank you!
Hi Nagi –
Another winner! Thank you!
I had a piece of just over 2kgs of Boston Butt (tho my butcher here in Brisbane called it something else and I can’t remember now what he said – something-not-Boston butt!)
I hate tinkering with your recipes – especially the first time I make them – as I have such uniformly great results from following them as they’re written. But, have an old friend visiting who has health issues and is on a special diet to exclude some things. Including garlic and onions – staples in so many dishes! Makes it a challenge!
So I omitted the garlic and onion powder in the rub – and instead of garlic in the honey butter sauce – subbed a very generous tablespoon each Dijon and wholegrain mustard.
Was superb! Sauce was still tasty and people couldn’t get enough – and the pork was perfectly moist and tender (had just over 5 hours in my slow cooker).
Will definitely be doing this again – only next time as written!
Thanks again!
Thanks for this update, my hubby has just been put on a FODMAPs diet and has to avoid onion and garlic so I’m delighted to know that this recipe doesn’t suffer for the omission!
Will a bone-in pork butt work?
This is now my go-to pork recipe. I’ve made it at least half a dozen times for various friends and family and they all rave. I even have a shoulder roast in the crockpot for dinner tonight. So, so yummy!!
Hi , I’m going to make the pork loin recipe in the crockpot, is ok if I sear the meat the night before and put it in the fridge until the next day ?
It’s in her notes.
This was excellent. Usually pork recipes other than pulled pork turn out too dry for me. Not this. Nagi, do you have an absolutely favorite recipe that you’d share with me? I’ve tried several of your recipes and all have been really good so I was wondering if you have one or two that you make more than others. I love seeing your Dozer boy.
I have two of my own, Sally who is a mixed breed that looks like a fox hound, and Linus, a mixed breed that everyone thinks is a jack russel. She is sweet and he is mean, I love them both.
Thanks!
This is the first time I’ve tried a recipe of yours. It’s cooking as I type this so I haven’t tasted it yet. Smells amazing
The loin I purchased from Woolworths comes rolled with string holding the shape. I am assuming that this recipe is based on it becoming a flatter piece once I’ve stripped all the fat away? Or should I re-fold and tie back up before I put the rub on? I’m hoping it’s the first option as that’s what I’ve done 😬
I was a bit scared bc of the strong smell of the herbs when prepping, but OMG- This was one of the best recipes that I’ve ever tried.. maybe THE best. Really delicious. Thank you.
I’m a RecipeTin devout, and will continue to be, but l made this with 2.7kg of shoulder to the very letter and it was dry and overdone. I used a new Sunbeam HP5520 and basted hourly.
I’ll be trying this again, but will cook for 7hrs max. The flavour was amazing (sauce in particular) but it was so dry l threw it away.
I don’t think basting is necessary with slow cooker recipes. Because the steam can’t escape, they baste themselves.
Nick,
The problem may be that you are losing the moisture because you keep lifting the lid on our slow cooker. try it again without lifting the lid…you are also dropping the temp in the slow cooker each time you lift the lid
Just a thought🤷♀️
Hi
I am making this for the first time
I am just wondering whether you are supposed to remove the layer of fat first
And also do I baste it with the juices while cooking
Or turn it over?
Loved the sauce and instructions were clear as always, but unfortunately our meat turned out super dry. We had a 1.8kg piece of pork loin and cooked per the recipe – 5 hrs on low. Any tips on what went wrong? Maybe our slow cooker is too hot? I think a fattier cut of meat would maybe work better for us…
Can you make this ahead of time and keep warm in crock pot sliced to put on Hawaiian rolls poolside?
I just made this pork loin recipe and it is delicious! It was easy to prepare and the meat was moist. The sauce is the bomb! I’m going to use the sauce on some stir-fry veggies and rice. Yummy!
Is there a substitute for the honey? I would like my baby to join in this meal, but she cannot have honey!
Is pork sirloin roast a good cut for this recipe?