Looking for a dinner that’s both effortless and unforgettable? This Slow-Cooker Balsamic Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Roast is exactly what you’ve been craving. Imagine tender, melt-in-your-mouth pork infused with deep, tangy flavors and the perfect touch of sweetness. The best part? Your slow cooker does all the heavy lifting while you go about your day, leaving you with a rich, irresistible glaze to finish things off.
In This Post
Whether you’re making my Crock Pot Chicken Thighs or Slow Cooker Shredded Mexican Beef, you’ll love the deep, rich flavors of cooking food low and slow.
5-Star Reader Comment
“I have made this pork tenderloin a dozen times. I’ve passed the recipe on because this is easily the BEST recipe ever!!!! Absolutely the best!
Diane
This recipe is even easier with the right equipment! Discover my top slow cooker recommendations and make your cooking effortless.
Why This Slow Cooker Pork Roast Will Become a Family Favorite
- Incredible Flavor: This entire meal combines sweet brown sugar, rich balsamic vinegar, and savory herbs makes every bite unforgettable. The balsamic glaze is pure magic, turning this simple juicy pork roast into something extraordinary with amazing depth of flavor.
- Melt-in-Your-Mouth Tender: These cuts of pork practically fall apart, with every bite soaked in deep, bold flavor.
- Ridiculously Easy: Toss everything in the slow cooker and let it handle the hard work, leaving you with a perfectly cooked juicy roast.
Crock Pot Pork Roast Ingredients
- Pork roast is the star of this pork recipe obviously, so there’s no need to trim the fat unless you want to.
- Onions (white or yellow) bring that unique, savory flavor to the dish. I love using them in this pork roast, just like I do in my famous Crock Pot Beef Roast recipe.
- You need liquid when cooking with a slow cooker. For this pork roast, I like mild vegetable stock or chicken broth.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, salt, black pepper or any fresh herbs help to season the sauce.
- Brown sugar, soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar are the big flavor makers of this sauce.
Recipe Variations To Try
- Different Cuts of Pork: If you don’t have a pork roast, try using pork shoulder or pork tenderloin. Both cuts work wonderfully so the tender pork roast can soak up the delicious glaze.
- Add Heat: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of sriracha to the balsamic glaze for a sweet and tangy glaze.
- Add Herbs: For extra flavor, add a sprig of fresh rosemary or thyme to the slow cooker for a more aromatic dish.
What Size Crockpot Is Best To Use?
For the best pork roast for slow cookers, I use an 8-quart crock pot. But, any size that large or larger will work. If you have a small slow cooker, you might need to cut the pork roast in half to make smaller portions.
Step By Step Directions
- Prep And Season: First things first—lay the sliced onions in the bottom of your slow cooker. They’ll add so much flavor and act as a nice little bed for the pork to rest on. Place the pork loin roast right on top of the onions. Mix the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and thyme in a small bowl, then sprinkle over the roast. or you can use my own house seasoning! Make sure it’s nicely coated.
- Add the Stock: Carefully pour the vegetable broth or chicken stock around the sides of the pork (try not to wash off the seasoning). This will keep everything juicy and flavorful as it cooks.
- Cook the Pork: Now it’s time to let the slow cooker work its magic! Set it to LOW for a cook time of 5-6 hours, or if you’re in a hurry, HIGH for 4-5 hours.
- Make the Glaze: Before the pork cooks, mix brown sugar, water, soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pan. Simmer and reduce by about ⅓ or until slightly thick. Set glaze aside. When the roast is done, place it on a roasting pan or sheet pan and pour ⅓ of the glaze over the top. Bake it in the oven at 450 degrees, but continue glazing it every 5 minutes until it is used up.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the pork from the oven and loosely cover it with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 10 minutes depending on the cook time you can rest longer, to lock in all those amazing juices. Slice or shred it, and serve it with the extra drippings, and a drizzle of homemade balsamic glaze for even more flavor!
What Can I Do With The Leftovers
For a quick meal, leftover shredded pork can easily be used for tacos, burritos, or quesadillas. Leftover meat is also great in sandwiches, chili, nachos, or even pizza. With so many options, you can enjoy this flavorful protein in different ways throughout the week!
Frequently Asked Questions
Cook it on LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours. Always check with a meat thermometer to ensure the pork is fully cooked.
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This recipe also freezes well. Place the leftover pork, along with the glaze, in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Using an instant-read thermometer is highly recommended when cooking pork or any meat to ensure it reaches a safe internal temperature.
Serving Suggestions
Now comes the good part: serving the best slow-cooked pork with glaze! This easy-to-prepare main dish is great for entertaining on Sunday Supper or as a weeknight meal. For a special dinner, I like to serve glazed pork roast with Scalloped Potatoes and Roasted Broccoli or Southern Green Beans. For a family weeknight meal, serve the slow-cooked pork roast with Stuffed Baked Potatoes and Broccoli Cauliflower Salad.
More Easy Crock Pot Dinner Ideas
If you tried this Balsamic Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Roast Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 pound pork roast
- 1 medium onion – sliced
- ¾ cup stock – vegetable or chicken
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
Instructions
- Layer sliced onion in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place pork roast on top of onions.
- Mix together salt, pepper, garlic powder, and thyme – sprinkle on the roast. Pour stock carefully around the side of the roast.
- Cook on LOW for 5-6 hours, or high for 4-5.
- 30 minutes before the roast is done, mix together brown sugar, water, soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar in a small pot. On medium-low heat, bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce by about ⅓ or until slightly thick. Set glaze aside.
- When roast is done, take out of slow cooker and place in a roasting pan. Heat oven to 450 degrees.
- Pour ⅓ of the glaze over the roast and place in the oven. Continue to glaze roast every 5 minutes until glaze is used up.
- Take roast out of oven, loosely tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Slice or shred with a fork. Serve with extra drippings.
Nutrition
Want To Know More About Slow Cooking?
If you are new to cooking with a Crock Pot or just don’t know where to start, I’ve got something to help. I’ve put together a helpful guide with tips and recipes to get you using a slow cooker like a pro!
Donya's Top Ten Summer Recipes!
Steal my favorites for a done-for-you menu that packs in the flavor
This is one of our favorites! The roast comes out so tender, and the brown sugar/balsamic glaze is incredible! Pinned and posted!
looks good and sounds delicious…..cooking as i type and i will try to let you know how it turns out. the weekend is the only time i actually get to cook a sit down meal for hubby and myself so really looking forward to this. ty
I have made this several times in the past and love it. We bought a beef roast and I’m wondering if it will turn out just as good. I really want to stick with this recipe.
Gor for it! I hope you’ll let me know how it turns out.
I love that you are making this recipe your own!
~Donya
I will be serving this for Christmas this year. I am really excited to try it and from the comments and the picture it looks like it will be a hit.
What can I use in place of the balsamic vinaigrette?? I only have white vinegar
Hey there Elizabeth!
Thank you so much for your interest in the recipe, that’s a great question! I wouldn’t necessarily use white vinegar because it doesn’t have a high enough sugar content to reduce properly in the sauce. If you can’t find any balsamic at the store, you can try using red wine vinegar instead. If you use red wine vinegar, the sauce probably won’t thicken up as well, but the flavor will still work. I hope this helps, let me know how it turns out if you end up making it! Thank you for your support!
~Donya
I’m going to make this for Christmas dinner. Thanks for the recipe!
Hey there Deb!
My goodness, I am honored to have a recipe at your Christmas dinner table! This roast definitely will not disappoint, it is tender, delicious, and honestly pretty easy to make. I hope y’all enjoy, please let me know how it turns out!
~Donya
Hi, I'm Barbara. This recipe sounds delicious, and I would love to try it this weekend. I have a question, though. What kind of pork roast are you using: a pork loin, pork shoulder, or something else?
Barbara, I used a pork loin that was tied. I hope it works out for you – please update me! Have a wonderful day.xo,~Donya
Thad this the other night for my family…. We have every kind of picky eater in this house and I had enough leftovers for MAYBE someone to snack on the next day. Definitely a keeper! Thank you!
Thanks for stopping by and for your kind words. I am tickled that you and your family liked this recipe!xo,~Donya
Do you think this would work with pork chops?
Hey Tracy! I do think it would work with pork chops. You would want to use the thick cut and maybe adjust the time on the slow cooker. Let me know how it turns out.xo,~Donya
My picky family really enjoyed this one. And, they wanted the sauce again on ahi tuna as well. Thank you for sharing!
Cynthia D.
Thanks Cynthia. I am so glad they like it and what a great use for the sauce. I am stealing that idea!xo,~Donya
This sounds yummy, pinned! ~ Melissa
Thanks Melissa. Let me know how your dish turns out!xo,~Donya
Well goodness! How good does this sound???? I've got to make this one soon. Thanks for sharing. Pinned.
Thanks Lea Ann! I hope you'll let me know how your dish turns out. I am so glad you stopped by.xo,~Donya
I really enjoy eating pork roast, the picture of your roast looks great. It sure would be good to have that for lunch! I enjoy using the crock pot but have never tried a pork roast, I am going to try your recipe. I do grill -smoke a lot fo pork roast during the warmer months.
Thanks so much! Like you, I'd never thought of using a pork roast but now, WOW, I am so glad I did! Please let me know how this turns out for you!Have a great weekend,~Donya