Fall apart tender roasted pork loin that is crock pot simple. Paired with root vegetables and gravy, and you have a hardy family meal. Just follow these easy step by step photos.
Editor’s Note: Originally Published October 15, 2014. Republished with expanded discussion and options along with updated photos.
So the story. (You can slip the story with these jump links: Recipe Notes The Recipe.)
There is always a story right. We have some workers scheduled for mid-morning our home. But after the dogs rolled in the mud and required a shower, there was no time to eat. So off to brunch after the workers were done.
Our chosen restaurant turned out to be way too busy. We wanted breakfast, not lunch, and ended up at Bob Evan’s. I find their food fairly good, and breakfast is all day and is their best food.
They were advertising a takeout pork roast dinner. So the brunch discussion was pork roast. Well, that was a good idea.
My Rating
A low 4 or higher 3. Pork loin, which is low in fat, will be a just little dry. But the gravy handled that very nicely.
Pro Tips: Recipe Notes for Crock Pot Pork Loin Roast
We started with about 3 pounds of pork loin. Give it a good marinade of garlic (the only “spice” my wife cares about) and soy sauce. Then cook to fall apart in a crock pot with root veggies. Finally, smother it in gravy.
The Pork Loin
First, what is pork loin?
Pork loin is the cut that gives us pork chops. So think of it as a big chunk of pork chop. It is not pork tenderloin, which is a different cut of pork and not suitable for this recipe.
Most whole pork loins are in the 5-pound range. Cut off a few 1-inch slices as pork chops and save for later. Or cook the whole thing.
The Crock Pot
This is for a larger crock pot, six qt or larger will do. You need room for the veggies.
You can add other spices like thyme if you want. I considered a brine, but this is a thick chunk of meat. I’m not convinced it would do much.
The Marinade
Pork loin can be a bit tasteless. So I used a marinade of garlic and soy sauce to crank up the taste. I was just right for us.
Feel free to adjust the marinade to your taste.
Should I Brine?
Up to you but not if you use my suggested marinade. The soy sauce is high in sodium, and if left on overnight does act a bit like a brine.
Or you can do a real brine. I suggest 6 cups of water, 6 tablespoons salt, 6 tablespoons brown sugar. 4-hour minimum but overnight would be better. You can add some garlic or other spices if you want.
What Root Vegetables?
I chose potatoes, carrots, parsnip, and onion. The choices are up to you, but one medium onion is the most onion you want.
The Gravy
I remove the liquid from the crock pot to make gravy. This is really the only way to get a good flour-based gravy, which I love and is best for leftovers.
You can use corn starch, but it is not good for leftovers since it will “gel” and stay that way.
I use the “slurry” method to make gravy. See How To Make Gravy at Home for more details.
Other Crock Pot Main Dishes You May Enjoy
Pepper Jack Italian Sausage Pasta a la Crock Pot
Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Gravy
Start with a marinade of garlic and soy sauce. Combine six cloves garlic crushed, two tablespoons soy sauce and two tablespoons olive oil.
Combine in a 1-gallon zip lock bag with a 2 1/2 to 3-pound pork loin. Squeeze all the air out and seal. Refrigerate, for the 1-hour minimum, but overnight is better.
When ready to cook, prep root vegetables. I went with six medium potatoes, four carrots, one large parsnip, and a medium onion.
Add vegetable broth, salt and pepper in a larger crock pot. Add the pork loin fat side up.
Add the root veggies, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours.
Remove the vegetables to a bowl and meat to a platter. Scrap off the fat and tent the meat and veggies with foil while making gravy.
Place 2 cups of the cooking liquid in a saucepan. Mix 1/2 cup flour with 1/2 cup cold water and mix well. A Tupperware shaker works well for this or just whisk it together. Bring the liquid to a boil. Slowly add the flour mixture while continuing to whisk until thickened.
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Crock Pot Pork Loin Roast
Ingredients
- 2 ½ to 3 pound pork loin roast
- 6 cloves garlic - crushed
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Step 2
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- Root vegetables of your choice - potatoes, carrots, onion, parsnip
For Gravy
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup water - cold
Instructions
- Start with a marinade of garlic and soy sauce. Combine six cloves garlic crushed, two tablespoons soy sauce, and two tablespoons olive oil.
- Combine in a 1-gallon zip lock bag with a 2 1/2 to 3-pound pork loin. Squeeze all the air out and seal. Refrigerate for 1-hour minimum but overnight is better.
- When ready to cook, prep root vegetables. I went with six medium potatoes, four carrots, one large parsnip, and a medium onion.
- Add 2 cups of vegetable broth, one teaspoon salt, and one teaspoon pepper in a larger crock pot. Add the pork loin fat side up.
- Add the root veggies and cook on low for 8 hours covered.
- Remove the vegetables to a bowl and meat to a platter. Scrape off excess fat off the pork and tent the meat and veggies lightly with foil.
- Place 2 cups of the cooking liquid in a saucepan. Mix 1/2 cup flour with 1/2 cup cold water and mix well. A Tupperware shaker works well for this or just whisk it together.
- Bring the liquid to a boil. Slowly add the flour mixture while continuing to whisk until thickened. Cook a few more minutes then serve.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
This is for a larger crock pot, six qt. or larger will do. Feel free to adjust the marinade to your taste. You can brine BUT do not use my suggested marinade if you do. I suggest 6 cups of water, 6 tablespoons salt, 6 tablespoons brown sugar. 4-hour minimum but overnight would be better. You can add some garlic or other spices if you want. I do not remove the fat pad here until after cooking. It is hard before cooking and scrapes right off after. I chose potatoes, carrots, parsnip, and onion. The choices are up to you, but one medium onion is the most onion you want. Gravy is optional, but it is easy, and you want it.Have a question or something not clear? Ask in the comments.
If you like this recipe or find it useful, the pleasure of a nice 4 or 5 rating would be greatly appreciated.
Nutrition is for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.
All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
Originally Published October 15, 2014.
Dog picture without the dogs but some evidence
They are so proud of themselves. How did they wrap it through the legs?
Michael
We made this recipe for dinner this evening. We ended up having guests eat with us and everyone loved it. Our pork loin was about 4lb, so we adjusted a few things but it was definitely a hit.
DrDan
Hi Michael,
Thanks for the note. It comes out very nice for a pork loin.
Dan
April
Very good recipe! I used chicken broth instead and added a little thyme and still it turned out very good!