I use my slow cooker year-round, and this slow cooker pork roast is a great example of why. While I reach for the Crock-Pot more often in colder months, it’s just as useful during busy spring and summer evenings when sports, practices, and other activities fill the schedule.
When school sports start—baseball, soccer, and football for older kids—weeknights get hectic. Preparing a roast in the slow cooker saves time and delivers a satisfying, home-cooked meal without tying you to the stove after a long day. A juicy sirloin pork roast is delicious, but for convenience during a busy season, the slow cooker is hard to beat.
This recipe uses a simple rub that you can apply the night before. Letting the seasoned meat rest in the refrigerator for several hours (or overnight) lets the flavors develop. In the morning, place the roast in the slow cooker and let it cook all day—when you return home you’ll have a tender, flavorful dinner ready to serve. You can use a pork loin, which often goes on sale, or a pork butt if you prefer a fattier, more forgiving cut for slow cooking.
Prep in the morning takes about 10 minutes if you’ve mixed the sauce the night before. Combine low-sodium soy sauce, dry sherry, brown sugar, chicken broth and star anise in a container and keep it chilled. In the morning, brown the seasoned roast in a skillet to build flavor, then deglaze the pan with the soy-sherry mixture. Pour everything into the slow cooker and let it do the work.
At dinnertime, pair the pork with a quick side—minute rice or any instant flavoured rice cooks in 10–15 minutes and works well—plus steamed vegetables for a balanced meal. It’s an easy, family-friendly supper that looks and tastes like more effort than it takes.
NOTE: Slow cookers and ovens vary widely in temperature. Because pork can dry out, check the roast after about 5 hours if your slow cooker tends to run hot, and adjust the remaining cooking time as needed.
More Slow Cooker Pork Roast Recipes
Pork Sirloin Tip Roast with Balsamic Vinegar, Rosemary, and Red Onions – Kalyn’s Kitchen
Slow Cooker Dry Rub Pork Roast – Stephanie O’Dea
Slow Cooked Jerk Pork with Caribbean Salsa – Skinny Taste
More Slow Cooker Recipes
- Mississippi Pot Roast
- Crockpot Roast Beef
- Crockpot Beef Stroganoff
- Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash
- Slow Cooker BBQ Meatball Subs
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- Slow Cooker Pinto Beans
Slow Cooker Oriental Pork Roast
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Ingredients
- 6 cloves garlic pushed through a garlic press or grated
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger root
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 lb pork loin or butt roast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup dry sherry
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 3 star anise
- ¼ cup chicken broth
Before You Begin
Instructions
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In a bowl, combine the garlic, ginger, black pepper, dry mustard and salt. Rub the mixture all over the pork roast. Refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.
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Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown all sides of the roast, then transfer the meat to the slow cooker.
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Whisk together the soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, chicken broth and star anise. Pour the mixture into the skillet to deglaze, scraping up browned bits, then pour everything over the roast in the slow cooker.
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Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours, or until the pork is fork-tender.
The recipes on this blog were tested with a conventional gas oven and stovetop. Ovens and small appliances vary; using an oven thermometer can help ensure accurate temperatures. If you use different appliances, you may need to adjust cooking times.