Slow Cooker Cranberry Pork Loin is slow-cooked tender pork loin with onion soup mix and whole cranberry sauce.
If you love a good pork loin then cooking it in the slow cooker is a must! We love this recipe or honey apple pork loin.
I’m excited to start off the holiday recipes with this slow cooker cranberry pork loin. Normally when you think of putting cranberry with a protein you think turkey, but surprisingly pork goes very well with cranberry!
How to make Slow Cooker Cranberry Pork Loin:
I mix Lipton onion soup mix with the cranberry which helps this dish to taste more savory than sweet.
This is one of those 3 ingredients recipes. I probably didn’t need to even take photos or video of this one, it’s so easy.
I love the vibrant color of the cranberry!
But the vibrant color changes after the recipe has been cooked but still has great cranberry flavor.
I like to cook pork loin for exactly 7 hours, so it is still sliceable.
Can I use homemade cranberry sauce in this recipe?
Yes! I have done this recipe with my homemade slow cooker cranberry sauce and had great results. Use 1 1/2 to 2 cups of fresh cranberry sauce. If you have cranberry butter, that works great too!
What to sides to serve with this?
Choose one or more of these options. Think holiday dinner when serving this.
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Mashed Potatoes
- Homemade dinner rolls
- Green beans
- Romaine salad
Other great slow cooker pork loin recipes:
- Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Sesame Pork Loin
- Slow Cooker Honey Apple Pork Loin
- Slow Cooker Apple Barbecue Pork Loin
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Slow Cooker Cranberry Pork Loin
Equipment Needed:
- Slow Cooker- 6 quart or larger
Ingredients:
- 4 lb. pork loin 3-4 lbs
- 14 oz. can whole cranberry sauce
- 1 oz. packet Lipton onion soup mix
Instructions:
- In a small bowl add the cranberry sauce and the onion soup mix, stir until combined.
- Add the pork loin into the slow cooker.
- Pour over the cranberry mixture.
- Cover and cook on low for 7 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- Slice and serve with the sauce in the slow cooker.
Can I substitute jellied cranberry sauce?
yes, that will work fine.
In your opinion how would the Lipton onion beef flavor soup workout with taste?
I think it should do fine for regular onion soup already tastes beefy to me.
Do you think this recipe could transfer to an instant pot?
Hi Sarah, I think so. You will have to add some sort of watery liquid though.
By accident I bought pork tenderloin. Can I use same recipe and just cook on low for 3-4 hours vs 8 hours?
yes, that should work fine. I don’t think 3 hours on high would be long enough, probably more like 4. The slow cooker barely starts cooking at 2 hours.
Thanks so much for the quick response!
I have made this for years and my kids love it! I sometimes add sauerkraut to it while cooking. I especially do this for New Years Eve with masked potatoes… yummmmmmmmmmy
I followed the recipe exactly except I set a timer for 6 hrs so I could check internal temperature. Because pork tends to dry out, I didn’t want to ruin my big pork loin. Sadly it was dry and tough. I may have to serve another meat to my guests at the last minute.
I think a little more time and it would start to tenderize and shred.
Can i use chopped onions instead of the onion soup mix?
Too could but the flavor will be different. Onion soup mix has a deep beefy and salty flavor.
Can I make this with jellied cranberry sauce? That’s what my family likes.
Could I use boneless pork chops instead of a pork loin?
Yes, you will probably only need to do 6 hours on low.
Tasted good but meat was extremely dry. I used a top sirloin pork loin. Should I have used a different loin cut?
I absolutely love this recipe. It’s easy to make and easy to transport! Sometimes I add baby carrots and pearl onions. Recently I’m finding that many people have low sodium diet restrictions. Can you suggest an alternative to the onion soup mix?
Hi Kay! You could make your own soup mix like this recipe: https://skipthesalt.com/copycat-onion-soup-dry-mix/ though I think the pork will have plenty of sodium too.
Can this be done with pork butt instead?
Yes! You will need to degrease the sauce and remove any fatty pieces after cooking. I degrease by laying a paper towel over the sauce.
Got the 3 ingredients yesterday and am tossing it into the crockpot right now! Thanks for the sharing!
Did you add any liquids to crock pot
No, the pork will make the liquid.
I made . It was amazing! And it was so easy. It would be good to serve when having company. Thank you for the recipe. I followed it exactly
could this be made in the oven ? I am thinking covering it until the last hour to finish might be a more juicy roast . and how long would you cook this in the oven ?
Convert the time. If the recipe required that the food needed to cook for a certain amount of time on “Low,” divide that number by 4 to get the oven time at 325 degrees F. If the dish needs to cook in a slow cooker on “Low” for 8 hours, it will only take 2 hours, covered, at 325 degrees F.
Hi Sarah, can I do this recipe and cook on high for less time? And if so, how long should I cook on high? Thank you!
I believe 4 hours on high would work fine
The pork looked really dry in the video, so I’m thinking I would do better, as you suggest in the comments, with a fattier meat, such as chicken thighs. If I cooked 8-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the slow cooker instead of the pork loin, for how long would I let it cook on low?
I would do 5-6 hours on low.
I watched the video and I think if the knife was sharper it would not have appeared dry. It was pulling the meat rather then cutting it. In my opinion, it looked pretty darn good and can’t wait to one that’s in the freezer right now
Sarah, whenever I use a slow cooker (regardless of the recipe &/or meat) my meat ALWAYS tastes dry. It can be falling off the bone, shredding like a dream, but tastes dry. How can I prevent that or is it just the nature of the beast when cooking with a slow cooker?
Some meats tend to be dry to me sometimes too. My favorites that don’t ever seem dry are chicken thighs, chuck roast and pork butt. The most fattening meats of course.
Add a can (8 ounces) of red or white wine)
I think that would be a great addition!
Sarah, a similar but really I think better recipe I have made for years and is always a big hit with company. 3-4 lb pork loin, then mix 1 package Lipton onion soup mix, 1 cup dried cranberries, 1 can crushed pineapple with juice together and pour over pork. I suspect your whole cranberry sauce would work just as well as the dried cranberries, Cook the same as yours. oh my, is this good.
Hi Betti! Your recipe sounds really good! I need to make the time to try it!
Sarah, how long do you recommend a pork loin weighing only 2lbs to cook using this recipe & crockpot cooking method?
I think 6 hours on low. 🙂