Slow Cooker Honey Apple Pork Loin is a beautiful and tender pork dinner. Apples are tucked into the pork loin and cooked with onions, butter, honey and a touch of cinnamon.
Have you seen pork done with the apples stuffed in the top? I’ve wanted to try this for a while now. I’m glad I finally got around to trying it, and I want to share my results with you. I really love the way the pork turned out. It came out tender and juicy, and with cooking it for only 6 hours I was able to slice the pork instead of having shredded meat.
How to make Honey Apple Pork Loin:
First I start by cutting slits into the pork and stuffing sliced Granny Smith apples into those slits. I do this on a cutting board, it would be very difficult to do this in the slow cooker, you will see in my photos and video how tight of a fit the pork is.
I lay onion and more apple slices down in the slow cooker. I also add a few pats of butter. I do this for a bit of cooking liquid for the pork, and to add more flavor.
After adding the pork to the slow cooker I season with salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Then I drizzle over honey and lay over thyme sprigs. I cook this honey apple pork loin for 6 hours on low.
Here is the pork after being cooked for 6 hours.
All ready to serve! I made rice pilaf to go with this, it was a great side for the pork.
See how moist and tender the pork is? AND it was sliceable. If I let this go any longer it would be shredded meat.
Slow Cooker Honey Apple Pork Loin
Equipment Needed:
- Slow Cooker – 5 quart or larger
Ingredients:
- 4 lb. pork loin I use a center cut
- 2 granny smith apples sliced and divided
- 1 white onion sliced
- 1/2 cup butter sliced
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme or a few sprigs of fresh
Instructions:
- Cut slits on the top of the pork loin, I cut about an inch down. Plug in apple slices into the slits. Set aside.
- Add the onions and remaining apple slices down in the slow cooker. Lay over the slices of butter.
- Add the pork loin.
- Sprinkle the pork with the salt, pepper and cinnamon. Add the thyme.
- Drizzle over the honey.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- When the cooking time is done. Remove the pork onto a platter and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Slice and serve.
Do you have to cook this for 6 hours on low – how about 3 hours on high? What is the difference.
You can try on high, I think it may need a little longer than 3 hours for such a large piece of meat.
I am going to try this. Looks great
I cook a lot of pork loin in my smoker, and I can’t wait to try this in the crock pot
I followed this recipe but I left it to cook on til it was shredded pork, delicious and tender. This was mostly because of the order of my day and the slow-cooker not having a timer. I was using apples from a friend’s garden so I slipped in some extra along with some big squashed garlic cloves. It turned out perfectly for a cold October night, served with mashed potato and sprouting broccoli; I too made a gravy from the liquor…
Made as written except decreased cinnamon to 1/4 tsp and added 1/2 tsp rosemary—added slices of butter with the apples to the slits on top of the roast. Made a roux to create a gravy with the strained drippings to pour over all. Served with rice and steamed broccoli—amazing! 5 1/2 hours on low for a 3# pork loin, moist and perfect! Thank you for a lovely recipe that is suitable for company…or anytime!
Tried it for the first time. Excitingly waiting for results.
I love all those recipes. I wish I had time to make all of them. Keep em coming
Very easy to prepare. Lovely flavour. I served with mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli and gravy. Will definitely make again.