Pork loin is a larger, roast-style cut. It does better with roasting and slow cooking methods. The loin is cut from the back of the hog. It is a lean piece of meat, however, it usually has a thick fat cap on the top.

What is a Pork Tenderloin?

A pork tenderloin, on the other hand, is not a good choice for Maple Mustard Slow Cooker Pork Loin. It is a smaller, much thinner cut of meat. It's from a muscle that runs along the backbone and usually only weighs about one pound. They often come two to a package, in our area. Because of their small size and leanness they are best cooked quickly, at high heat.

Easy Maple Mustard Slow Cooker Pork Loin

Name: Slow Cooker Maple Mustard Pork Loin
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 to 4 lb. pork loin; 1/3 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup, the real thing); 1/3 cup stone ground mustard; 1 Tablespoon Cajun Seasoning (Since every blend is a little different, I recommend the homemade Cajun seasoning I created the recipe with. If you have a favorite store-bought blend, you could definitely try it, though.); 1 Tablespoon salt

Description

Crock Pot Maple Mustard Pork Loin is a simple and delicious main dish. The mustard gives it a wonderful flavor and is tempered ever so slightly by the sweetness of pure maple syrup. Cajun seasoning adds a light kick of spice that rounds out a delightful flavor profile. Your crock pot makes this simple dish a breeze to prepare.

Ingredients

Units Scale

3 to 4 lb. pork loin
1/3 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup, the real thing)
1/3 cup stone ground mustard
1 Tablespoon Cajun Seasoning (Since every blend is a little different, I recommend the homemade Cajun seasoning I created the recipe with. If you have a favorite store-bought blend, you could definitely try it, though.)
1 Tablespoon salt

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Instructions

Score the fat cap of the pork loin in a criss-cross pattern.
Lay the pork loin roast in your slow cooker, fat cap up.
Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning over the top of the pork loin and rub it into all the nooks and crannies of the scoring you just completed.
Sprinkle the salt over the top of the loin.
Mix together the maple syrup and stone ground mustard. Pour it over the top of the pork loin in your crock pot.
Put the lid on your slow cooker and set it on LOW.
Cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the internal temperature of the loin is 145° F.
Remove the pork loin to a cutting board to rest and loosely tent it with a piece of foil. (I actually just set my slow cooker lid over the top of it.)
Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes. The internal temperature will keep rising as it rests and the connective tissues will relax and allow the juices to redistribute through the meat. Don’t try to carve it without the rest period or you will end up with dry pork.
After some time to rest, carve the pork loin into slices of your desired thickness.
Pan drippings in the bottom of the slow cooker can be served as a delicious drizzle over the meat and minced parsley is a pretty garnish.

Notes

I haven’t made this recipe in the oven, but the principles should be nearly the same. Preheat the oven to 350°, which is higher than the slow cooker. Put the pork loin roast in a roasting pan or a deep cake pan (fat cap up) and roast 20-25 minutes per pound. So for a 4 pound pork loin, it would take around an hour and 40 minutes, in the oven. You still need to check for that internal temp of 145° F and rest the meat before slicing.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Category: Main Dish, Meat, Pork
Method: Slow Cooker
Cuisine: American

Description

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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