Slow Cooker Pork Loin Roast with Honey Garlic Sauce

Set it and forget it Slow Cooker Pork Loin Roast is the easiest weekday dinner ever. Just toss all the ingredients in the crock pot or slow cooker and dinner will be ready for you without breaking a sweat. Tender, juicy crock pot pork roast just swimming in a savory sweet garlic sauce the whole family will love.

Thank you to the National Pork Board for partnering with The Suburban Soapbox! All opinions and statements made in this post are all my own.

I used to have a love affair with my slow cooker.  I think when you get a new appliance that shaves valuable time off the cooking process we tend to take advantage and overuse it until we just can’t stand one more thing that comes out of it.  That actually happened here….the slow cooker became a dust collector because I made just one too many stews.

It wasn’t until recently that I busted it out, dusted it off and decided there had to be other things this handy appliance could be used for besides the old standby…beef stew. And so….I roasted.

Slow Cooker Pork Loin Roast

I made this incredibly easy Slow Cooker Pork Loin Roast with Honey Garlic Sauce.  It’s simple, savory, tender, juicy and insanely simple to make. It’s one of those meals that you can literally throw everything into your crock pot or slow cooker in just 5 minutes (I know this because I tested it out several times the past few weeks), run out the door and go about your business.

When you come home, you’ll be welcomed with the sweet smell of roasted garlic and honey. It’s like a big hug for your sniffer.

Now, let’s just say, this is not how I normally would go about making pork.  I learned a few more things on my last trip with the National Pork Board and one thing I do every time I slow cook a pork loin roast is brown it before I toss it into the slow cooker. AND I don’t cook my pork until it’s well done because it will dry out since it’s low in fat.

(You can read all the details about my trip to Michigan to visit the awesome people at the National Pork Board HERE.)

But for this recipe, I threw caution to the wind because sometimes we need to prep something quickly and get out the door as fast as we can because we hit snooze maybe two or three extra times when we should have spent that time getting ready for our day. Right? And with the slow cooking method, the low and slow cooking ensures that your pork will not dry out so if you cook it for an extra hour it won’t ruin your dinner.

Plus, the Honey Garlic Sauce always saves the day for those pieces that might need a little extra moisture. Also, note that this recipe is for a Pork Loin Roast and not a Pork Tenderloin roast.

What is the difference between a Pork Roast and a Pork Tenderloin?

First of all, pork roast and pork tenderloin are not cut from the same part of the pig. Pork tenderloin is long and narrow while the pork roast is much wider and can be used to cut pork steaks, if you wish.

What the main difference is is how you cook it. While they’re both very lean cuts of pork, the pork tenderloin is best suited for short roasting times or you can cut into medallions and cook quickly on the stovetop.

The pork loin roast is better suited for a low and slow braise or a roast in the oven.  You can also slice the pork roast into steaks, brine and grill for a tender, juicy pork steak.

Tips for Cooking Pork Loin Roast

• The best cut of pork for making Crock Pot Pork Loin Roast is a pork loin or pork shoulder. Both are suitable for the low, slow cooking process.
• To cook a pork loin, you can either roast it in the oven and cook to the perfect internal temperature of 145 degrees OR you slow cook it using a slow cooker or crock pot (or the slow cooker feature of your Instant Pot!) The slow cooker method is much more forgiving if you need more time and can’t hover over the stove checking the temperature for doneness.
• Don’t use a pork tenderloin for this recipe. The thin, narrow cut combined with the low fat content will not bode well for this cut.  You can end up with a shriveled, dry piece of pork and that’s not good eats.

How long does it take to cook a pork loin in the slow cooker?

For this Slow Cooker Pork Loin Roast recipe, I started with a 4 pound pork loin roast. This size or up to 5.5 pounds takes approximately 4 hours on high or 6 hours on the low setting until the pork is done. You can check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer. The pork loin roast is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.

What To Serve it With

• Super easy Brown Butter Peas!
• No Cook Asian Rice Noodle Salad is a meal in itself but fantastic with this pork
• Crisp and refreshing Asian Style Slaw is so easy.
• Simple Skillet Brussels Sprouts

More Easy Pork Recipes

• Parmesan Crusted Baked Pork Chops…..sooo easy to make!
• Loaded Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potatoes….OMG.
• The BEST Slow Cooker Pulled Pork recipe….EVAH!
• Super easy Pork Posole…..ready in 30 minutes, tastes like it took forever.
• Philly Style Roast Pork Sandwich….on repeat.

Thanks so much to the National Pork Board for once again teaching me about the safe farming practices in the pork industry. I’m so very grateful that I can bring that knowledge back to all of you.  If you haven’t already, be sure to check out the post about the Pork 2.0 tour or visit my Instagram account and check out the behind the scenes highlights from the trip!