This Slow Cooker Pork Loin with Gravy is perfect for those busy work days. Put everything into your slow cooker and let the flavors happen. The gravy is incredible.
Tender, Flavorful Slow Cooker Pork Loin
We all have those busy work weeks. Whether it’s time on the road, tightly scheduled meetings, or kids’ activities…it’s common to find ourselves with the what’s-for-dinner conundrum.
When you need dinners that are manageable and able to be prepped ahead of time, slow cooker meals are hard to beat. Sometimes a delicious Beef Pot Roast with Gravy hits the spot. If chicken is what’s in the fridge, Slow Cooker Roast Chicken is here to save the day.
And when you find that pork loin on sale at the store (or in the back of your freezer) do yourself a huge favor and make this Slow Cooker Pork Loin with Gravy. It’s everything you’d want in a family meal: it’s easy, outstanding in flavor, and set-it-forget-it Crockpot style.
Your Strategy For Prepping ahead
This slow cooker pork loin is guaranteed to turn out tender, flavorful, and produces a gravy so good, you’ll want to pour it over everything on the plate.
If your pork loin is frozen, be sure to defrost it a few days ahead of time by placing it (airtight) in fridge. Because pork loin is generally a thicker roast, it takes time to defrost thoroughly.
Make the dry rub mixture ahead of time; garlic powder, ground ginger, onion powder, dried thyme, salt, and pepper are your basic pantry seasonings for this dish. Simply combine the seasonings ahead of time; keep in an airtight container or baggie until ready to use. This can be done days ahead.
It takes less than 30 minutes to throw everything into the Crock pot the night before, put it in the fridge overnight, and let it cook on low setting the next day while you’re at work or taking care of all the other things.
Because one roast can feed 8-10 hungry people, this works as a great meal prep recipe that can be prepared ahead of time and can feed the family two nights in a row. Busy moms (and dads) know leftovers are a very good thing.
The Flavors
The flavors of garlic and thyme are fabulous in this slow cooker pork loin. The gravy is aromatic and richly flavorful. Your eaters will be slurping up the gravy on their plates.
Pork loin should be nice and tender with 7-8 hours on low setting. Anything longer than that will likely result in overcooking. Just to be safe, time it so that you can check the results in 7 hours, to see if the pork is fork tender…if so, remove pork from heat (keep in mind pork will continue to cook a bit as it rests on cutting board.) All that’s left is to thicken up that gravy a bit, slice the pork, and serve it generously drenched with sauce.
Favorite side dishes to serve with this pork loin are Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Instant Pot Baby Potatoes, or Wild Rice Pilaf. You cannot go wrong with any of these choices.
Try this Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin, too:
Slow Cooker Pork Loin
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 7 hours
- Total Time: 7 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: dinner, main
- Method: slow cooker
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This slow cooker pork loin is fork-tender, flavorful, and has the best gravy! You can also use the smaller tenderloin cut, but be sure to lessen cook time to about 4 hours instead of 7. Serve with mashed potatoes and veggies, drizzled with this gravy!
Ingredients
- 3 lb pork loin, trimmed and cut little slits all around the pork
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 TB vegetable oil
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 TB lemon juice
- 2 TB regular strength soy sauce
- 3 TB cornstarch, completely dissolved in 3 TB water*
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, ground ginger, onion powder, salt, thyme, and pepper, whisking to combine. Rub seasoning all over the entire surface of pork loin. Do not trim pork loin, as it needs a bit of fat for a tender result.
- Heat oil in a large skillet until very hot. Brown pork loin on all 4 sides, a few minutes per side.
- Transfer pork loin to slow cooker. Add chicken broth, lemon juice, and soy sauce. Pour over the pork. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. (If using tenderloins, reduce cook time to about 4 hours.)
- When finished, baste pork loin and transfer the pork to a plate and keep warm.
- Pour all the liquid from the slow cooker into a sauce pan. Add dissolved corn starch. Stir well. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until sauce turns thick and gravy-like. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
- Serve warm roast with gravy.
Notes
It’s important that cornstarch is fully dissolved in water prior to using in recipe. There should be no white spots or streaks that remain. It should have somewhat of a “chocolate milk” appearance (even miniature cornstarch bits that aren’t fully dissolved will result in a lumpy gravy, which you don’t want.)
This recipe is written for pork loins. If you’re using the smaller cuts of pork tenderloins, be sure to reduce cook time as specified.
Keywords: Slow Cooker Pork Loin with Gravy, Crockpot Pork Loin
If you’ve got a hankering for BBQ on the buns, try this super delicious Smoky Pulled Pork in the Crock Pot. One batch goes a long way, so it’s perfect for meal prep.
This is my Slow Cooker Pot Roast – my #1 favorite meal to bring to others when they need a meal, because people really really like it. Another great meal prep recipe.
I made this for dinner tonight (used thick pork chops since that’s what I had on hand) and all 5 of us loved it! That may not seem unusual to you, but my 7 year old daughter is extremely picky and she even had seconds! Thank you for sharing so many great recipes.
You’re so kind to write in to let us know! Yay! Good job on the pork chops, Laura, and thanks for coming over today 🙂
i think you meant to say on high for 4 hours
Thanks for writing in, Linda! If using tenderloins, those are much smaller and quicker to cook than regular pork loins. The regular pork loins need 7-8 hours on low. If tenderloins, it’s just 4 hours on low (not high.) Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I just love your tenderloin recipe. Pour the gravy over the loin and mashed potatoes. Great job!
Yay, so happy you loved this, Yvette! 🙂
This was honestly one of the best meals we have ever had. The combination of the soy sauce with the spices was perfect!!
Thanks for saying so, Rachel! Love that you enjoyed it 🙂
This was delicious! My family loved it! Thank you!
Yay, Dana! Great to hear it 🙂
Fixed it for dinner and DH went back a couple of times it was so good. Yay for the leftovers which are going to be enchiladas later this week. Thanks for a great recipe.
Aww, you’re so welcome, Kim! Glad to hear it and thanks for coming over to let us know you liked it 🙂
Hi there, have you tried to make this a freezer meal? I would like to but I’m trying to figure out which Ingredients to freeze. Any suggestions? Thank you!
Hi, Kimberly! I have not tried freezing this meal, but if I were to do so, I would likely make the entire recipe as written. I’d take the leftovers and place in an airtight container, with cling wrap sitting right on top of the food, inside the container. I’d suggest freezing that way for no more than a couple of weeks to prevent freezer burn. My guess is that the pork should still be quite good when you bring it back to room temp and reheat 🙂
Hi! I just found this recipe abs need dinner done in 5 hours. Can this recope be cooked on high for 4 hours?
Victoria, sorry for the late response! Yes, you can definitely try it on high for four hours and see if it is tender to your liking 🙂
Good morning, Do you advise to season the pork and add all liquid ingredients to the crock pot and let sit overnight before cooking the following day? Does this make the pork more tender? Looking forward to cooking this for Sunday dinner this weekend. Thanks.
Hi, Heather! You can certainly have it all ready to go the night before, which is what I tend to do with all my slow-cooked meals…mostly for the sake of being able to just plug it in and go the next day 🙂 It can make the flavors more infused into the pork if it sits overnight. As far as tenderness, it won’t affect that aspect too much whether you prep it overnight or the day of. It’s the cook time that will determine how tender your pork turns out 🙂 Enjoy!
I have a pork loin that is a pound and a half, should half the amount of ingredients? Hope u can answer soo, making this today. Thanks
Yes, Maria, you can halve the amount of all ingredients, if your loin is 1.5 lbs. Enjoy and thanks for being here today 🙂
I also have a 1 1/2# tenderloin and didn’t half the other ingredients (oops) it’s cooking now… Sure hope it’s okay! I’ll let ya know.
Update: I wouldn’t change a thing, Soooooo good!!
Yipeee! 🙂
This is one of the most delicious roasts I’ve had. My husband and I couldn’t get enough! I could have drank the gravy! Straight up lol. Thank you for the amazing recipe. It was so easy to make yet tasted like I slaved for hours. So I said I did 😉
Awesome job, Veronica! So glad you guys loved it. Thanks for coming over to let us know 🙂
So, I have 2 pork tenderloins totaling 3 lbs. Do you still estimate 4 hours cooking time? I’d hate to have dinner late by 3 hours! Thanks for the recipe; I’m looking forward to it!
If it’s tenderloins, yes 4 hours should work. The regular pork loins are larger and tougher and require longer cook time than the smaller tenderloins. Hope you love it! 🙂
I just got mine outta the crockpot n made the gravy……Delicious! Thanks!
Yay, so good to hear it, Twyla! Thanks for coming over to let us know you enjoyed this 🙂
this was great. the gravy was the best i ever made although i did add too much salt because i thought the pork tasted bland not realizing i was gonna pour the juices for gravy onto the pork. but still good.
Yay, Margaret! So happy you guys enjoyed! Hope you continue finding recipes you love here at COL 🙂
I just put it in and have 6 hrs till meal time. Can I do high a couple
Hrs then turn to low the rest of 4 hrs
Yes, Valerie, you can try that. Just as long as it’s long enough to be fork tender. Enjoy 🙂
You mention throwing it all in the crockpot, but recipe says to brown the loin first in skillet. Did you do this step too?
I know this is an old post, but I wondered this as well! Mine is much too large for a skillet, I wonder if I should cut it down to skillet size so I can brown it?
You can definitely cut in half if needed to fit your skillet, for easy browning. Enjoy! 🙂
I made this yesterday; it smelled awesome cooking. I put it in the fridge overnight, sliced it today and made gravy with the broth. It is the most awesome pork loin I’ve ever eaten. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Donna, that is so great! Glad you guys enjoyed it 🙂 Thanks for taking a moment to come over and let us know…yippee!!
Followed the recipe as written and the roast was delicious! Everyone loved it!
So great to hear it, Erica! YAY 🙂
Made this today and it was DELISH! My 3lb pork loin cooked much quicker than the 7 hours in the recipe. I put it on warm after about 4 hours and that worked great.
That. Gravy. I could drink it! Thanks so much for a great Sunday dinner!
You’re so welcome, Meghan! Thanks for being here today, and happy holidays! 🙂
I made this last night. I wasn’t going to tell my husband that it cooked in the slow cooker. He doesn’t like anything made that way. Makes my life difficult. Especially since I am looking to go back into the workforce. So, I made it and cleaned everything up so he would see it. Well, he knew. He says he could tell. However, he really liked it. He just kept saying “it’s the gravy. The gravy makes it”. Which is why I was all about trying it. It was delicious. I used tenderloins. Next time, I think I will cook it for 3 1/2 hours on low and then keep warm for 1/2 hour while I make the gravy and get everything else ready.
Fantastic, Denise! Glad you guys enjoyed it, and thanks so much for coming over today 🙂
I would like to try this but I am leery of the lemon. My husband does not like lemon. Do you taste it?
I wouldn’t say that lemon is very obvious, but if your hubby is very sensitive to it, you can opt for orange or other citrus instead…it provides the acid that results in tender meat. Enjoy!
This is amazing!! My husband is the most picky eater ever and loved it. The gravy is to die for! Super easy dinner and so many flavors
Awesome, so happy you guys liked it!! 🙂
Unbelievable! Mine didn’t come out like pulled pork probably because it was a smaller roast, but it was so delicious I ate a piece for every piece I cut, and drank the gravy! I put three fat carrot pieces in it and they came out great too, al dente. That was the first time I ever made scratch gravy. Thanks for the recipe, I always wanted to try a crock pot but thought everything comes out mushy, not so. I really browned it first, all over all sides.
I pinned this recipe and made it several times, but not since becoming empty nesters a few months ago since I’m cooking I smaller quantities now! The ingredients seem a bit different – I have a note on my pin to halve the sage but the sage disappeared from the ingredient list. Am I going crazy or has it changed?
LOL, that’s funny, Michelle! I don’t think we’ve changed anything on the original recipe, but I wouldn’t be against adding a tablespoon of freshly chopped sage! Sounds yummy, in fact!
I think I have pork chops. Would that cook faster ? Could i do 4 hours on high?
Threw this in the crockpot .. thank goodness for a fast easy but delicious dinner… wound up getting a fever. It was nice to know a good healthy dinner was ready for my family .. thank you
About how much gravy does this make? My family are a huge gravy fans and I want to make sure that I have enough
Generally, people find that the recipe makes enough gravy. However, you can most definitely double it, if you want plenty to toss over some potatoes.
I have a 5lb pork loin in the freezer, would that change the cook time? Going to give this a try for the in-laws dinner on Friday… thanks
It should not change the cook time too much, but your best bet is a great meat thermometer. 145F is the new recommended guideline. Be sure to let it sit at room temp for awhile after cooking, as the internal temp will continue to rise.
This was delicious! My very picky family went back for 2nds and 3rds. Definitely a keeper.
So so happy your family enjoyed this dish! Yay!! 🙂
I plan to make this on Friday of this week… I love the sweetness of pork and carrots together. Have you ever tried adding carrots to this recipe? If not, do you think it would be an ok addition, or do you think it would be better served as a side dish?
You can definitely add some thick-cut carrots to the slow cooker, Stephanie! Thanks, and enjoy! 🙂
wow, what a lovely combination of pork and carrots. The color is so inviting. will surely try this this weekend.
★★★★★
Now that’s its Fall again, I’ve gotten that slow cooker back out again! And this was so delicious. Big hit in this house. Thanks for the tips on how to prep ahead 🙂
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I love a good a good pork loin and cooking it in a crock pot makes this so tender it melts in your mouth. I love that is pork loin is seared before cooking it in the slow cooker. This is a new family favorite for sure and will be on a regular rotation.
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I heard lot about slow cookers… I know these gadgets are best for busy days. I am planning to buy one soon. This gravy sounds interesting!
This is the perfect pork braise recipe for right now so thank you very much as I have saved to this next weekend.
We made this the other day and it was awesome. Could I use a turkey breast, for calorie savings?
★★★★★
Turkey breast can work with this as well, though you may want to use boneless so it cooks in roughly the same amount of time.
Oh my. It takes days to defrost in the fridge?! I had no idea. I’m a mess and put it in hot water, which I know is a terrible method for a number of reasons. ♀️ I love that this is made in a slow cooker!
We LOVE garlic and thyme! Such a magical combination. This looks like a great recipes for the holidays. So easy and feeds a crowd!
This looks so amazing. My sister in law is making this tonight for us. Will update you on how it went. Thanks for sharing.
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I am drooling here. As you describe the pork being so tender my imagination is writing the script and I can smell and taste that gravy. The herbs and spices you used, spot on and just having those soft mashed potatoes beside it screams lovely family style meal. Yummy!
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Omg this looks so good! The gravy, the mashed potatoes, and now I’m hungry haha. I need to give this a try!
Great meal ty. Richie in mastic beach Long Island
Aweseome, Richie! Glad you liked this!