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:
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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;
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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;
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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;
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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;
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Season the pork for extra flavour with at least salt and pepper. I use a simple spice mix for this crock pot pork recipe;
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SEAR! Browning = flavour. Whether you brown the pork before or after slow cooking, don’t skip this step, it’s imperative for great flavour!
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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 BBQ Beef Brisket
- Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
- Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg
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…..)
Patti says
Looking forward to trying this recipe for my son and his wife when they visit. However, I was wondering if this is put together the night before cooking the slow cooker, should it be refrigerated?
Margie says
Help. I cannot cook with cider vinegar the smell makes me sick. Would love to try this recipe. Any suggested options? Thank you.
charmaine says
Hi I wanted to make this for Sunday lunch [2pm] which makes it very difficult to cook in slow cooker unless I prepare it all and set alarm for 4m – can I cook it the day before or can I put it on at bedtime 11ish and leave on low until 2pm the next day – any suggestions please?
Mish says
Hey there Nagi!
We made this for dinner last night -the aroma was divine – pork was so flavoursome and succulent – another keeper!
thanks Nagi x
Margy says
This is in the oven now and my kitchen smells amazing! Can’t wait to tuck in. Thanks for your work Nagi – my 6 year old no longer thinks that I’m trying to kill him (apparently “healthy food is poison!”) Your recipes are so yummy he doesn’t realise they’re good for him too 😁
Ann Baker says
This.was.AMAZING! My roast was so tender and the sauce is sooooooo good. I was afraid it was going to be too sweet, but it had just the right balance of sweet and savory. Will definitely be making this again and again!
Nagi says
So glad you enjoyed this Ann! Thanks for letting me know – N x
Kathy says
I made this today, it was delicious. I was wondering if you can just make the sauce by itself? It would be delicious with so many things!
What are your thoughts?
Thank you for another “keeper”
Nagi says
Hi Kathy! Absolutely! You could definitely just simmer and use, or use it for pan frying things like chops. 🙂 I was thinking of sharing a chops or chicken recipe soon using this sauce, or posting this sauce separately and explaining how to use it for veggies and proteins. Would that be helpful? 🙂 N x
Kathy says
Yes it would be!
Thank you
Bobby says
Hi My pork came out way over done. I was not home to check the internal temp. Also the sauce tasted burnt. Did I cook it to long to ‘burn’ the sauce?
Nagi says
Oh no Bobby! You mean it went beyond the point of “fall apart” and it burned?? In 10 hours in a slow cooker on low? That’s very odd. If the sauce tasted burnt too it does sound like it was way overcooked – there’s so much liquid that it must’ve burnt a LOT for the sauce to burn. Have you used your slow cooker recently, are you sure the temp is ok?? Definitely wasn’t on high instead of low??
John says
Ah Ha! That was my problem.
Kathy says
My former crock pot began to burn everything I put in it so I donated it and bought a new one that works beautifully. Bobby, maybe yours has seen its lifespan.
Bernadette says
Hi Nagi
I did the groceries at Aldi yesterday and could only get a boneless pork leg. Do you think if I remove the fat this recipe could work or should I wait until I get the right cut of meat?
Tim Davis says
Prepared and in the crockpot cooking now. My wife must have gushed about the smell ten times while I was putting it together. We always love veggies with any kind of roast, so I added some carrots, parsnip and radishes around the pork. I hope that doesn’t ruin the end result. I’ll re-post with results. And, more importantly, my wife’s reaction. Mmmm…..our house smells wonderful!
Wazza Tea says
Ok, so 9.30 am and mine is in the oven at 120c for im thinking 7 hours.. I used a pork shoulder which I unstrung and cut off the fat and rind then retied it because 1) Loin is my least favourite joint, and 2) I don’t have an electric slow cooker, but I do have a large heavy enamel slow cooker and an oven. Pretty much stuck to the recipe but I used Sage instead of Thyme and I added some raw cacao nibs to the honey garlic sauce purely because they caught my eye whilst melting the butter and have been looking for an opportunity to utilise them. Am voting 5 stars up front purely based on the ingredients.
I love your blogs and have tried many of your recipes.
Enjoy your holiday.
Jayne Knight says
Aww, poor Dozer looks so sad. Are you leaving me again mum?
Have a good time in Vietnam.
This pork recipe is yet another stunner.
Beatrice Cristina Lawson says
Nagi, this looks wonderful! I’m planning to make it in the IP and just checking – the sauce still gets cooked in a saucepan on the stove, right? I was reading the IP instructions note trying to figure out whether you can make the sauce in the IP as well but I guess not:-)
Second, just to confirm I’m reading it correctly, once the meat is back in and covered with sauce, you can finish cooking on High Pressure for 1 hour 20 minutes (regardless of loin size) or using the Slow cook function for a period determined by the loin weight.
Many thanks!
Nagi says
Hi Beatrice! Sorry about that, will tighten up wording :0 YES make the sauce in the IP both before and after (ie the thickening part) 🙂 N x
colleen1 says
Sorry, wht is an ip?
Beatrice says
Many thanks Nagi. Making it for dinner tomorrow, can hardly wait. Tonight we’re having chicken with your amazing mushroom sauce – people, if you haven’t tried it… you don’t know what you are missing. Good enough to sit and eat it by itself with a spoon and fresh bread.
Sameera Sheikh says
Hi Nagi, for those of us who do not eat pork, can you please recommend another meat? Thank you
Nagi says
Hi Sameera! I think beef would be amazing with this – I’d use brisket to ensure it’s sliceable! N x
Kerry Jackson says
Thanks Nagi Just want I wanted more slow cooker Recipes. Now I cannot wait and buy the Pork, This sounds Yummo!!
Nagi says
Hope you get a chance to try it Kerry!
Brendan O'Hara says
Can’t wait to try this one. Looks delicious as usual. You make the best comfort food recipes. Thanks
Nagi says
Hope you get a chance to try it Brendan! N x
Kate Chiconi says
I’ve been a silent follower for a while, but had to pipe up for this one. Yours is one blog that the Husband and I both eagerly anticipate: we look at the pictures, drooling slightly, and then fire up the video for the ultimate food-porn movie. I’ve made loads of your recipes, and this one’s next: in fact, I got out the rolled pork shoulder I was saving for a Memphis-style pulled pork done in my Schlemmertopf . This looks yummier, even if it’ll take a bit longer, plus SAUCE!!
Nagi says
I love hearing that Kate! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes and I do hope you get a chance to try it 🙂 Say hi to your husband for me! N x
Eha says
Heavens !! My first try failed to reach Vietnam 🙂 ! Oh, can’t wait to get to the butcher so I can prepare this . . . and methinks shall repost too 🙂 ! Shall make it the old-fashioned way methinks as work from home and have no problems keeping a loving eye on it!! But am certain it will have fabulous taste . . . . And, whilst having a memorable trip, and a safe one, please do remember all these new recipes for us . . . Oh, Dozer: he’s just a ham actor . . .
Nagi says
I didn’t pick this one as one you would like Eha! I feel like I know what will appeal to you – and definitely didn’t think this one would!!! Clearly I got it totally wrong! 🙂 N x
Eha says
I rarely crumb or deep-fry and try to avoid sugar and excess fat . . . but to this you have added such a flavour-bomb, one I know my Baltic, Scandinavian etc friends will love, and I shall truly make, that it just had to go out on a repost . . . . hope you will enjoy yourself to bits . . . . E
Vera G says
This one is 100% YUM, YUMI……SAUCE, SAUCE AND MORE SAUCE . THATS ME!! Enjoy your time out, safe trip andPLEASE DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING BEHIND AT THE TAXI RANK…..OK MAYBE DIRTY LAUNDRY……HAAA,HAAAA.. Dear Dozer thinks oh no not again, what is she doing leaving me BIHIND ? My Cat also was a suck and last time she played up badly on neighbour that was looking after her. She would wet bathroom and on nice day she went to another neighbour place without her knowing or seeing her. Poor people keep looking and calling Maza and she snuggled in her dooner and enjoying her self. Animals we love them but they can be real trouble at a time. Ok, have good time and enjoy some one else doing cooking..
Vera G says
Good one Nagi!! That’s the way to be Happy!! Relaxing with drink just what Dr ordered….! Be safe. On a plane have shut eye/ Beauty sleep, so your are nice and fresh. Ciao!
Nagi says
BA HA HA!!! Am happy to say I am at the airport and it’s been incident free so far! Currently sipping a glass of champers and relaxing, chatting away to YOU on email! N x
Robert M. Marullo (Bobby) says
My Dear Queen dela Cuchina, my mouth is watering and drooling over this recipe so much, that I had to put on a bib to catch all the drooling.
I am going to ask you for a special favor, if possible, but can you convert this wonderful recipe for me to use one of
my beautiful and colorful Dutch Ovens. I am in love with all of my beautiful enameled cast iron skillets and colorful
Dutch Ovens, that I hate to have to use my very nice stainless steel crockpot, with insert. I love my stovetop and just
want to cook everything on top if possible. I know Nagi, I’m a pain in the neck, but if you can convert this wonderful
recipe for me to one of my Dutch Ovens, I will say many prayers for both you and Dozer. No hurry, enjoy your wonderful trip and when you get back home and find a minute, let me know. Know well you will come back with nice recipes from your trip. Best to you and Dozer always, and God Bless…….
Nagi says
You are not a pain in the neck!!! I’ve popped directions in the notes of the recipe 🙂 N x