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.
If you are in a rut with your same boring pork loin recipe, please try this honey apple pork loin, or try our cranberry pork loin or green chile pork loin.
Why this recipe works
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 love the way the pork turned out. It came out tender and juicy, and by cooking it for only 6 hours, I could slice the pork instead of shredded meat.
Pork and apples have always been a favorite, usually in the form of pork chops. This is a unique meal where the apples are stuffed into the pork loin, so you get a bite of the perfectly cooked apple with each bite of pork.
Recipe Ingredients
- Pork Loin – This is on the thicker side, not to be confused with pork tenderloin.
- Apples – Tart granny smith are sliced and tucked into the pork loin
- Butter – Pork loin has very little fat. The butter will add flavor and moisture to the dish.
- Honey – A touch of honey adds just enough sweetness to the dish. Alternately you can use brown sugar.
- Onion – The onion cooks down along with the apple, making an excellent topping for the plated dish.
- Seasonings – Cinnamon, thyme, salt, and pepper flavor the pork perfectly.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Start by cutting slits into the pork loin roast and stuffing sliced Granny Smith apples into those slits. I do this on a cutting board; it would be challenging to do this in the slow cooker; you will see in my photos and video how tight of a fit the pork is.
Step Two – Lay the onion and the remaining apple slices down in the crock pot. I also add a few pats of butter.
Step Three – Place the pork that is now stuffed with the apple slices on top of the onions, apples, and butter.
Step Four – After adding the pork to the slow cooker, I season with salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Then I drizzle over the honey and lay over thyme sprigs. I cook this honey apple pork loin for 6 hours on low. See how moist and tender the pork is? AND it was sliceable. If you let this go any longer, it would be shredded pork.
What to serve with this:
- Rice Pilaf – A little bite of pork and apple along with the rice is a match made in heaven. I often make a box of Rice-a-Roni!
- Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes – In restaurants, they will often serve mashed potatoes along with pork loin, which is always a wise choice.
- Green Salad – Add a healthy green salad alongside the slow cooker pork roast to round out the meal.
- Slow Cooker Baked Sweet Potatoes – Sweet potatoes and slow cooker pork loin go very well together. It is also the easiest side dish ever!
- Slow Cooker Baked Beans – These are often forgotten as an easy weeknight side dish!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! The slow cooker was made not to have to mess with browning your meat first! Though if you feel the need to brown your meat, that’s perfectly fine too.
For this recipe, we add the butter to add moisture to the pot. Also, only cooking on low for six hours will not overcook the roast.
Place the cooled pork into the fridge in a ziplock bag or airtight container. It freezes well; you can freeze it for up to three months.
You can toss the leftover pork in barbecue sauce and make sandwiches or use the pork to make burritos or green sauce enchiladas.
If you use a smaller pork cut, such as pork tenderloin (about 2 pounds), you will only need to cook on low for five hours.
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Slow Cooker Honey Apple Pork Loin
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
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 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.
How to Video:
Sarah’s Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Mary says
I made this last weekend and it was delicious! I suggest making a roux at the end to add to gravy to thicken. I also think the granny smith apples were too tart and would substitue with a sweeter apple if I were to make it again.
Martha Vranesevic says
I was wondering if you don’t have a slow cooker can you cook this wonderful Pork Loin with Apples Recipe in the oven. It looks easy and yummy. My mother is looking for an easy recipe and I think I found her one.
Terri says
Can this be made in the oven?
Sarah Olson says
I’m sure it could!
Martha Vranesevic says
That’s great. I was wondering the same thing.
Cindy says
I just made this yesterday, used apples, onion, butter, rosemary and maple syrup, put it in a slow cooker for 10 hours and, it was amazing ! It was that tender it pulled apart with a fork! This recipe is a keeper! Delish!
Sarah Olson says
I’m glad 10 hours worked for you! That’s great news for people who are gone all day. Thanks for leaving a comment!
Ira Brown says
Made this recipe and 1\2 a cup of butter is to much. Going forward i would olnly use a 1/4 cup of butter. But other than that an amazing recipe and was a huge crowd oleaser for my Wednesday night dinner.
joyce P. lewter says
thank you so much for making receios printable. that just makes my day, and makes me happy to make your delic. receips.
Angela says
Can I use the high setting and would that be 3 hours then?
Sarah Olson says
It may need longer than three since its such a large piece of meat. Maybe 3.5 hours without opening the lid.
Marcie says
Trying this today! I dont have a loin but a pork roast hope that will work. I’m giving it a shot!
Sarah Olson says
I think it will be great!
captaingirl says
That looks like so much more than 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, sure went a long way! Will definitely be trying this very soon, thanks.
Jeanne says
Made this & used much more than 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Fabulous, making again tonight.
Sarah Olson says
Yum!
Tina Meeker says
Looks good. My only question is what recipe did you use to make the rice pilaf?
Sarah Olson says
Hi Tina. I went with the easy route and made 2 boxes of the farmhouse brand.
colette moreno says
I do not like cinnamon, what can I use instead?
Sarah Olson says
You can leave it out for sure. You can add a touch more thyme or even some oregano.
Bobbi Range Leonard says
Sage or poultry seasoning might be good, too. I like the idea of cinnamon with the apples and honey–should be a yummy sauce for the pork loin. I’m wondering what the white stuff all over the top of finished pork roast is…?
Hanson says
The white stuff on top of the roast, is the juices from the meat that have cooked. The blood, other juices. It Cooks to a whiteish color
Mary Patrice Bradley says
Could you add both thyme and rosemary along with the cinnamon and honey?
Sarah Olson says
Yes, I think that would be great!
mike says
I’m going to try adding some brown sugar with the cinnamon
Wendy Patton says
I’m going to try this recipe this weekend for a dinner party main course – looks easy and yummy!
Sarah Olson says
I think it will be great for a party.
Anonymous says
Cooked this for sunday dinner for some of the family. Got to say was very very nice. will definitely be doing it again.. (MARCH 10TH 2019) England.