Pork Loin Centre Roast Slow Cooker

slow cooker pork loin

This is the most tender Slow Cooker Pork Loin Roast recipe ever! It's served with potatoes and a savory gravy for the perfect meal. Enjoy!

This slow cooker pork loin recipe has quickly become one of our go-to meals this winter! It's flavorful, savory and oh so tender.

In this post we'll talk all through the difference between pork loin and tenderloin, how to season a loin to absolute perfection as well as how to make this slow cooker pork loin (of course!). Let's get into it:

Pork Tenderloin is usually about 2-3 inches in diameter and is longer and more slender than a loin roast.

Pork Loin Roast is a larger cut of meat that runs along the spine of a pig and continues down the pig's leg. Like a tenderloin, it is also quite lean. Pork loin roast is typically about 5-6 inches in diameter and looks more like a roast. In the grocery store, a pork loin roast is often referred to as top loin roast.

Pork Shoulder Roast comes from the shoulder of a pig. It generally has more fat and is great for slow roasting. We use this cut of meat when we want to make carnitas (like our Instant Pot Carnitas) or if we want a juicy piece of meat that is fall apart once cooked.

raw pork loin roast being seasoned with a pork dry rub

How to Flavor Slow Cooker Pork Loin

Like other cuts of pork, pork loin does a really great job taking on the flavor of whatever you season or marinate it with.

For this pork loin recipe, we used our simple pork dry rub that infuses your pork with so much flavor and also helps flavor the gravy and potatoes, which cook at the same time.

Our Go-To Pork Dry Rub

Yay for pork dry rub ingredients you can pronounce! And yay for ingredients you likely have on hand already!

Nobody likes having to spend $30+ on spices that you'll use infrequently to create a dry rub recipe at home, especially if it doesn't end up tasting as flavorful as you'd like.

That's why we're using our go-to pork dry rub for this slow cooker pork loin — it's both flavor-packed and includes SEVEN simple, easy to find ingredients, including:

Brown sugar
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Coarse salt
Cinnamon
Dried thyme
Ground Pepper

How to Cook Pork Loin in the Slow Cooker

Here are in-depth, step-by-step directions for how to cook pork loin in the slow cooker. For the full, written recipe and ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card 😀

First, prepare pork loin roast. Pat it dry with a paper towel and then season all sides of the pork loin roast with the pork dry rub.

Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium/high heat. Then, sear all 4 sides for around 1-2 minutes each to brown it. Remove from heat and set aside.

It really adds a ton of flavor to the pork as well as sets you up for flavor success when sautéing the onions and garlic.

slow cooker pork loin being seared in a cast iron skillet

Deglaze the cast iron skillet with 1/4 cup of beef broth. And then in the same pan, over medium/high heat, sauté garlic and onion for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Set aside.

Dice potatoes into large, 2-inch chunks and place them on the bottom of your slow cooker. Pour the garlic, onion, and broth on top of the potatoes.

Then, place the pork loin on top of the potatoes and pour the remaining broth and Worcestershire sauce on top of the pork in the slow cooker.

Cover slow cooker and then turn heat to low, and set a timer for 4 hours.

Check the temperature of the pork at 4 hours and if the internal temperature at the thickest part has reached 145ºF, then you know it's done. If it's not quite there, continue cooking for up to 1 more hour. The potatoes should also be tender to the touch.

Remove the pork loin from slow cooker and set aside. Then, transfer potatoes into a large bowl, and transfer the leftover broth/liquid into a small saucepan.

Make mashed potatoes by adding butter, Greek yogurt, milk, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the hot potatoes. Either use a handheld masher or a hand mixer to mash your taters.

Want to skip the mash? These potatoes will be tender and delicious as is, too!

Make the gravy by turning the heat to medium/high on your stovetop. Bring the gravy to a simmer and then remove about 1/3 cup of liquid and create a cornstarch slurry by whisking it with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Pour the cornstarch slurry back into the saucepan, and continue to simmer for a few more minutes until thickened. Once thickened, remove from heat.

Slice pork loin roast and serve on top of mashed potatoes with gravy. Enjoy!!

pork loin roast on a bed of potatoes being placed in a slow cooker

DOES PORK Loin GET MORE TENDER THE LONGER YOU COOK IT?

Pork loin is a very lean cut of pork, meaning that it can dry out quickly. So, if you cook it too long, you risk overcooking your meat leaving it with a dry, stringy texture. Because pork loin is a lean cut of meat, the finished meat will cut easily with a knife, but will not shred easily like a fattier cut of pork will.

Can I cook this recipe on high?

Unfortunately, no! We tested this slow cooker pork loin on high, and the pork came out too tough. Because of this, we ONLY recommend cooking this recipe on your slow cooker's low setting. Low and slow is the way to go!

Can I make this recipe with a pork tenderloin?

Because a pork tenderloin is much less thick than a loin roast, the cook time will be significantly less and these instructions will not work! We recommend making any of our pork tenderloin recipes if you have a tenderloin instead of a loin:

Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin

Looking for a pork shoulder roast recipe for the slow cooker instead? Try our slow cooker pork roast! It's fall off the bone delicious, and all you have to do is throw everything in the slow cooker and you're golden.

slow cooker pork loin roast on a bed of potatoes and herbs in the slow cooker

What temperature should I cook pork loin to?

The internal temperature of your pork loin needs to reach at least 145ºF (re: Food Safety) to be safe to eat.

What pairs well with slow cooker pork loin?

Lucky for you, this slow cooker pork loin is made at the same time as the savory mashed potatoes. But if you're looking for other sides to round out a healthy meal, we'd recommend:

Massaged Kale Fennel Salad
Harvest Salad
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Oven Roasted Asparagus

slow cooker pork loin on a bed of mashed potatoes covered in delicious homemade gravy

Let your pork loin cool completely. Then, transfer it into a large, glass container. Top the pork loin with the leftover gravy and seal the container.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.

Microwave: Place a serving of pork loin and mashed potatoes on a microwave-safe plate. Then, top it with leftover gravy. Microwave on high for 60-90 seconds.

Oven:Preheat oven to 350ºF. Then, spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Add cooked pork loin and mashed potatoes and then top with the gravy. Bake, uncovered, for around 20 minutes or until the center is warm.

To freeze leftover pork loin, let it cool completely. Then, transfer it into a gallon-size freezer-safe plastic bag. Remove as much air as possible and freeze for up to 3 months.

slow cooker pork loin sliced and looking delicious covered in gravy

2 lb. pork loin roast
3.5 tablespoons pork dry rub
3 tablespoons butter
1.25 cups beef broth
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 medium white onion, diced
6 medium Yukon gold potatoes, diced into 2-inch chunks
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the mashed potatoes

3 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup Greek yogurt/sour cream
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

First, prepare pork loin roast. Pat it dry with a paper towel and then season all sides of the pork loin roast with the pork dry rub.
Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium/high heat. Then, sear all 4 sides for around 1-2 minutes each to brown it. Remove from heat and set aside.
Deglaze the cast iron skillet with 1/4 cup of beef broth. Then, over medium/high heat saute garlic and onion for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Set aside.
Dice potatoes into 1.5 to 2-inch chunks and place them on the bottom of your slow cooker. Pour the garlic, onion, and broth on top of the potatoes.
Then, place the pork loin on top of the potatoes and pour the remaining broth and Worcestershire sauce on top of the pork.
Cover slow cooker and then turn heat to low. Set timer for 4 hours. Check the temperature of the pork at 4 hours and if the internal temperature at the thickest part has reached 145ºF, then you know it's done. If it's not quite there, continue cooking for up to 1 more hour. The potatoes should also be tender to the touch
Remove pork loin from slow cooker and set aside. Then, transfer potatoes into a large bowl and transfer the leftover broth/liquid into a small saucepan.
Make mashed potatoes by adding butter, Greek yogurt, milk, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the hot potatoes. Either use a handheld masher or a hand mixer to mash potatoes.
Make gravy by turning the heat to medium/high. Bring the gravy to a simmer and then remove about 1/3 cup of liquid and create a cornstarch slurry by whisking it with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Pour the cornstarch slurry back into the saucepan and continue to simmer for a few more minutes until thickened. Once thickened, remove from heat.
Slice pork loin roast and serve on top of mashed potatoes with gravy on top.

Mashed potatoes- option to skip this part and serve potatoes quartered. Feel free to season after cooking with salt, pepper, and garlic, to taste.
Slow cooker temp- we do NOT recommend cooking your pork on high. We tested this and your pork will come out tough if you decide to cook on high. Low and slow is the way to go.

Serving Size: 1/6 Calories: 443 Sugar: 3 Sodium: 727 Fat: 19 Carbohydrates: 34 Fiber: 3 Protein: 38 Cholesterol: 106

Category: Main Meal Method: Slow Cooker Cuisine: American

Keywords: slow cooker pork loin