Pork roast made in a slow cooker is incredibly easy to make. The best part is that two separate meals can be created from this slow cooker garlic pork roast recipe!
Our weeknights can get pretty crazy between homeschooling, enrichment classes, volunteering, and sporting events. Add to that trying to keep the usual mountain of laundry at bay, that doesn’t leave much time for preparing dinner. And free time? Forgetaboutit!
Every waking hour of my day is accounted for, including a few extra hours that I haven’t quite figured out where to borrow from. We’re a busy bunch.
Our active lifestyle gives me little time during the week to come up with healthy, filling meals for the five men in my life. To keep everyone well fed, I rely heavily on menu planning, and a slow cooker that does most of the work for me. Slow Cooker Garlic Pork Roast is a succulent, flavorful weeknight meal that is destined to satisfy. The pork comes together in minutes, and then slow roasts all day long.
Perhaps even better than the ease of preparation is the fact that the leftovers can, and should, be reworked into an entirely different meal the next day! More on that little morsel tomorrow.
But first, gather a boneless pork loin, garlic, a yellow onion, dried thyme, ground mustard, kosher salt, and light brown sugar.
Trim off about half of the thick layer of fat from the pork loin. The pork roast needs some of the fat to keep it moist while it cooks, but not so much that it ends up swimming in its own juices. Peel and quarter the onions, peel and mince the garlic.
Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown the onions slightly before searing the pork roast on all sides. Searing the pork loin gives it a nice overall color, while also serving to lock in the juices.
Besides, any meat that is cooked in a slow cooker without being seared first tends to come out looking gray, and gray meat is not appetizing.
Combine the brown sugar, thyme, salt, dry mustard, and minced garlic. Rub the spice mixture over the top of the pork roast. Put the lid on the crock and cook on the LOW setting for 8 hours, or until pork is very tender and cooked through.
Remove the pork from the slow cooker and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Serve topped with the onions, a spoonful of juices from the crock, and a side of potato-zucchini-gratin.
Garlic Pork Roast is a satisfying, flavorful home-cooked meal on even the busiest of weeknights.
This is one dish that is tasty the first day, but it gets even better worked into something completely different but equally wonderful the following day.
Be sure to come on back tomorrow for the ultimate leftover remix of savory Pork Quesadillas with Mango Salsa.
♥♥♥
Kirsten Kubert
Yields 8 servings
A delicious weeknight meal with plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day.
20 minPrep Time
8 hrCook Time
8 hr, 20 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 (3 lb.) Boneless Pork Loin
- 1 large yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 Tbs. olive oil
- 2 Tbs. light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- ½ tsp. dry mustard
Instructions
- Trim the desired amount of excess fat from the pork loin. Peel and quarter the onion, being sure to remove the root. Spray the interior of a crock of a slow cooker.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat, until it shimmers. Place the onion quarters in the skillet, separating the membranes for maximum coverage. Make room for the pork loin, and sear it on all sides, until very brown. Transfer the onions and pork loin, fat side up, to the crock pot. Pour any juices remaining from the pan over the pork.
- In a small bowl, stir the brown sugar, salt, thyme, dry mustard, and minced garlic to combine. Rub the sugar mixture over the top of the pork loin. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or until pork is very tender and cooked through
- Move the pork loin to a large cutting board, and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with the caramelized onions and juices from the crock.
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