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 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…..)
Thank you! The spice rub contained ingredients I have in a “Ras-El-Hanout” blend I keep on-hand so, I used my own blend with your honey-butter sauce…AMAZING! My husband said I could make this again, and again, any time! Thank you so much.
That’s awesome Jane!
Hi Nagi – I made this tonight for my family, using a boneless pork butt roast. It was fabulous & we all loved it. The rub, but most especially the sauce, makes this outstanding. Many thanks for a great recipe.
You’re so welcome Lesley, thanks so much for the feedback ❤️
Excellent recipe both in taste and explanations. I have become a fan.
Awesome, thanks so much Maria!
I made this in the slow cooker for about 4 hoursand oh man is it yummy! It was so tender and flavorful. The whole family enjoyed it. I will definitely be making this again!
After I had this in the slow cooker i was reading the comments and realized i messed up and used ground thyme instead of thyme leaves! I thought it was going to be a fail but it still turned out amazing! The whole family loved it and there were no leftovers! Will definitely be making again, i love your recipes! Thank you!
That’s so great to hear Alena ❤️
Should I take the fat off rolled shoulder before I cook it.My sauce would not reduce because too much oil.
Hi Toby, yes I tend to trim away any excess fat so it doesn’t make the sauce greasy – N x
Hi Nagi, I made this pork loin last night and the taste was great, such a lovely sauce. Only, it was not as tender as I would have liked. Followed the 5 hours for 1.5kg piece of loin slow cooker set to low, but as another reader also experienced, this did not leave the meat as tender as I would have hoped for. Do you suggest cooking on high for some of the cooking time, or should I just extend the low setting to cook for another hour or so. I would appreciate your thoughts. Rebecca.
Hi Rebecca, I’m sorry to hear that it wasn’t as you’d hoped. I would just extend the low cooking time another hour and test – N x
I fixed the pork loin tonight !! It was Awesome definitely a keeper!! All 8 people that eat it loved it!!! Thanks for recipe just wish I had taken a picture!!
Sounds like you nailed it Pam ❤️
Can I freeze this and the gravy?
Hi Tracy, I don’t see why not! – N x
I am giving you 5 stars just for your recipe. I printed this recipe for use in the near future. But in reviewing the recipe I love all the additional info. 3 different cuts work for this recipe and you give additional info on each. You include details on cooking methods, doneness, leftovers, etc. I love all the info right there, I don’t need to search for it or guess! If all your recipes are documented like this you have a new fan. Thank You!! PS I never leave comments or rate things. This is a new day!! LOL
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such great feedback, I really appreciate it. Don’t forget to update me once you try it, I’d love to know what you think!
Oh boy! We had this tonight for dinner and DH was raving. Delicious and easy. I served it with cheesy polenta and braised brussel sprouts. It’s a keeper! Thank you for sharing this with us.
Sounds fabulous!
This is my third comment lol but I have the pork shoulder in the slow cooker now and bc if it’s shape it is not submerged in the juices. Is this ok? Should I add more liquid somehow?
Hi! Love this recipe! I just wanted to say for everyone out there that you really don’t have to pour everything back into a sauce pan just to thicken it. All you have to do is add your corn starch to some cold water and pour it into the sauce mixture while it’s still in the crockpot and mix it. It’ll save you some dishes and some headaches .
Very good, loved the sauce. I cooked in slow cooker, 3 lb pork loin and 4-5 hours on low was not enough. I would do 8-9 on low or 4-5 on high.
Hi Brenda, must be the type of slow cooker – I’ve tested this weight and 5 hours was perfect. I’m glad you loved it anyway ❤️
Is that ground thyme or thyme leaves?
Thyme leaves – N x
why do I have to print 17 pages to get this recipe? A great waste of paper.
Hi Jean, if you click the print button in the recipe card it will print the recipe and not the whole webpage ❤️
This was delicious! Even my daughter who usually only likes chicken gave it two thumbs up. I used a boneless pork shoulder roast in the Instant Pot. It came out juicy and tender. I made a bonehead move though. I saw all the fat on top when it was done, skimmed it off then realized it was the butter I had just gotten rid of. The end product was delicious anyway. It thickened nicely and only needed a bit more salt to finish it up. Thanks for a new way to prepare pork!
I’m so happy you loved it Carol & getting your daughter to eat it – well that’s a win!
If I use a pork loin roast next time, is it worth brining first? I detest dry meat 😬
Hi Carol, I used pork loin without brining and it wasn’t dry at all – N x
Lovely! Loads of sauce left over, frozen for next time.
Perfect!
Hi
Further to my comments yesterday, I cooked this as per recipe for 800 grams of boned and rolled shoulder. Absolutely divine.
Certainly going to cook again – soon.
Terrific Nick ❤️
Followed the recipe exactly for a 3 lb loin. Turned out perfect and delicious. A definite keeper, The sauce is exquisite.