Slow Cooker Bacon Garlic Pork Loin is a take on my most popular recipe, Brown Sugar Garlic Pork made for the slow cooker and with bacon in just 5 ingredients!
Crock Pot Pork Loin Is Here!
Slow Cooker Bacon Garlic Pork Loin is a play on my most popular recipe that has over half a million views in its first year, Brown Sugar Garlic Pork Loin. On an almost daily basis readers would reach out to me to ask if the recipe could be made in a slow cooker and for months I said: “no, sorry there isn’t enough fat in the pork loin to keep it moist, this is best done in the oven.”
Well, those days are over! I began testing the recipe a couple of months ago for a slow cooker version. I kept pork loins untrimmed, I added all varieties of fats, I even tried injecting the pork to keep it moist. No bueno. I finally decided it was time to take this pork show to the next level and go pork on pork.
This slow cooker pork loin Has Just 5 Ingredients!
Michael Symon would be proud of this recipe which is my original recipe wrapped in thick cut bacon and cooked to delicious pork perfection. Here is a look at the long list of ingredients.
Just kidding! This Slow Cooker Bacon Garlic Pork Loin is 5 ingredients (not counting salt and pepper) and the hardest part of the prep is mincing the garlic. I add it to the slow cooker in true to my blog fashion, with no liquids. Don’t worry as it cooks it will release liquids into the slow cooker.
Crock Pot Pork Loin Tips
Give the Slow Cooker Bacon Garlic Pork Loin a rest for about 10-15 minutes (this may be the hardest wait of your day) and then slice into portions. I find ½ inch slices are best, and I serve 2-3 slices per person depending on size of appetite.
In case you need a delicious side dish for your Slow Cooker Bacon Garlic Pork Loin you can make my Parmesan Garlic Crash Hot Potatoes I shared earlier this week, or your favorite green vegetable or Roasted Carrots.
We’re huge bacon fans around these parts… so much so that the official blog assistant (read: husband) stole a solitary piece of bacon from the end of the loin and said “What? It was basically falling off?!” Note: It was not.
Looking for more awesome Brown Sugar Garlic Recipes?
- Brown Sugar Garlic Oven Baked Pork Chops
- Brown Sugar Garlic Pork with Carrots and Potatoes
- Bacon Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
- Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken
Tools Used In This Recipe:
Slow Cooker: Love this slow cooker and how programmable it is, it has been a workhorse for me… until…
My New Slow Cooker: This recipe was made in this slow cooker.
This beauty arrived only a few days ago and I’m already going gaga for it. Obviously common sense says you do not need such an expensive option, but the thing I LOVE about it is the cast aluminum insert that I can brown in and put in the oven. Now for roasts I can brown the meat in the insert and not lose a bunch of the flavor by transferring the meat and leaving the browned bits behind. If you’re thinking of a new slow cooker, consider it if your budget is open. (this slow cooker will be appearing more and more in the future on here) ps. totally not a sponsored plug even though I have worked with them before, this beauty was out of pocket!
Kosher Salt: 3 pounds for less than 3 dollars I have had the same box for 2 years and the difference in flavor between table salt and Kosher Salt is night and day. Once you start cooking with it you will hardly use table salt again.
Ingredients
- 3 pound pork loin , trimmed of excess fat
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- salt and pepper , to taste
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 8 slices thick cut bacon
Instructions
- Rub the tablespoon of canola oil and add Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste.
- Add the garlic and brown sugar to the top of the pork.
- Wrap the pork with the bacon (I wrapped all the way around, if you want to drape them over the top you can as well.)
- Place carefully into the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
- If you finish the cooking time and for some reason the bacon is not as crispy as you would like, remove the pork and put it on a baking sheet in the oven on broil for 2-3 minutes (keep the pork in the middle of the oven, not too close to the top).
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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What is the difference between the tenderloin and just a loin? I’m sorry I know it sounds dumb 🙁
Lots of people confuse them so don’t worry. One big difference is that they’re cut from different parts of the animal. Pork tenderloins are thin and small, while a pork loin is wide enough that you can cut steak-like pieces from it. Both require different cooking methods and timing.
I have a Hamilton Beach 7quart slow cooker but doesn’t have the Browning insert or option,.Can I still cook it in my slow cooker without the insert
Yes 🙂
I’m assuming it’s a covered meal as a crock pot dinner should be, because I made this and my bacon looks beyond mushy and not crispy and I followed recipe as calls for just put the lid on (which I assumed I should) but looks nothing like the “picture” just wondering what I did wrong
You can always pop it under the broiler for a bit at the end if your bacon didn’t crisp up in the slow cooker.
Can this recipes be cook on high if using a 4lbs pork loin?
I recommend cooking this on low. 🙂
Can this work with a pork tenderloin? Do I need to decrease the time?
No, unfortunatley this won’t work with a tenderloin.
Hi. I’m wondering how long it would take to cook a pork tenderloin. Same time? Less time?
Pork tenderloin won’t work for this recipe as it’s best quickly cooked on a grill, seared, roasted, or sliced and cooked in stir-fries. Since the meat is lean, be careful not to overcook it. Sorry
Hello Sabrina i was wondering if possible and if you can tell me the name of your new slow cooker.My sister left me hers but is very much out of date and i do use it a lot.so if i am going to buy a new one just get a good one that will last.Hope you can help out.Many great receipts keep them coming
Best Regards
Peg
I have a few but my favorite to use is the Cuisinart MSC-600 3-In-1 Cook Central 6-Quart Multi-Cooker.
Here’s the link for you: http://amzn.to/2khqfDu
Has anyone ever tried adding an apple ?
You can try this recipe: https://dinnerthendessert.com/slow-cooker-honey-apple-pork-loin/
I hope you enjoy it!
Trying this today, I have a Miele steam oven and I am going to cook this in there, any suggestions as to temperature and length of time..
I’m sorry but I’m not familiar with that so I’m not comfortable giving a recommendation.
The pork tenderloin was delicious! Thanks for the recipe! It is a keeper!
I was interested in the crock pot you mentioned, because the extra step of browning meat first in another pan can be a hassle! Then I re-read your endorsement, and noticed the insert is aluminum. I thought we were supposed to limit exposure to aluminum?!? Prolonged cooking in an aluminum insert doesn’t sound like a good idea! Almost like plastic liners some people use just to help with clean up! I would be interested in your feedback. Thanks!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
I don’t recommend the plastic liners as I’ve found it messes with the meat crisping up. I know people love them for easy clean up but they just don’t seem to work out for me. The aluminum insert is completely safe to use and is so helpful to have for your slow cooker.
I want to cook this tonight. I have all of the ingredients at home luckily. My question is it calls for thick cut bacon. I have bacon but not thick cut. Can I use that ?
So sorry I’m just now seeing this. You should be okay as long as it’s not too thin. Hope you enjoyed it!
This was so yummy. I followed the recipe as it was written and it turned out great. Me, my husband and even BOTH children ate seconds. We all really liked it. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome, Erin! So glad you all enjoyed it!
This was unbelievably awesome
I used a pork roast but ohhhh so yummy
Thanks much
the cook times are WAY off. 30 minutes at 375 and my 2 lb loin was raw
When using the slow cooker, you’ll want to cook it on low for 4-5 hours.
All the recipes sound delicious! Can’t wait to try them.
You’re so sweet!
If I only have a 1.5lb pork loin do I cut time in half?
You don’t want to cook a pork loin that small in a slow cooker. It’ll end up tough. I wouldn’t recommend it.
It turned out amazing! This is the first time I’ve made a pork loin (in 28 years) that didn’t turn out dry. I had planned on having leftovers and I was so wrong they did everything but lick the plate. I had already marinated the meat in a garlic lemon marinade before I found this recipe so I was a little nervous but it was the best pork I’ve ever had. Thank you so much
Can I sub canola oil for olive oil?
Sure 🙂
This looked great in the picture and also in my crockpot (did a bacon lattice design) but it lacked flavor. We were very disappointed with the final result. For the time and ingredients required, I would not make this again and do not recommend it. I would be curious to try the original version in the oven as opposed to the slow cooker modified recipe. Oh well, if you don’t try, you’ll never know.
I’m definitely going to try this recipe this weekend! It looks amazing! If one used a store bought jar of minced garlic…how much should be used?
You’ll need about 4-6 teaspoons of the store bought kind. I hope you enjoy it!
This was the bomb! Since we are following the keto diet, I skipped the brown sugar. I didn’t have any fresh garlic, either, but made grill salt using kosher salt, coarse black pepper, garlic powder, rosemary and thyme. Sprinkled the grill salt all over the loin after liberally coating it with olive oil. Then bacon was laid across the top and ends of the roast. Five hours later, my house smelled divine!
I have a board on Pinterest for my husband’s favorite recipes – this one went directly in there! A new household favorite!
Thank you for the inspiration!
Do recommen trimming the extra fat off of the tenderloin before seasoning it..
Yes, trim any excess fat but this recipes calls for using a pork loin not a tenderloin. Just want to make sure you’re using the right cut of pork for it. Hope this helps!
Any substitution for the sugar??.. diabetic exchanges??? Thank you
I’ve not tested it with any substitutions so I’m not sure but I saw another person had commented about using sugar free brown sugar. That might be an option for you. If you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turned out. Thanks!
Is sugar a necessity?
It helps the bacon caramelize and adds a dimension of flavor to the recipe, so I’d say it’s a large part of it since we only use five ingredients. But I’d say it would likely be delicious without it even if you had to caramelize the bacon under the broiler for a couple minutes at the end.
I just made this and put it in my casserole crock. I also mixed in some crushed red chili pepper and some rosemary. the crock can transfer to the oven for browning as well. Will come back and let you all know how it turns out.
This looks delicious! I’m tying to use up the rest of my pig, I have a roast left can I use that? Thanks!
I would absolutely use a roast for it!
I have a four and a half pound pork loin and want to know how long I need to cook it in the slow cooker. In your opinion, does it come out better in crock pot or in the oven?
I think both options work well just depends on the timing. If cooking in the oven, 375 degrees, 15-20 minutes per pound but if using the slow cooker, I’d say 6-8 hours on low would be the cook time for that size of pork loin. Enjoy!
Do I have to make any adjustments to the receipe for the 4 1/2 pound pork loin.
I’d say 5-6 hours on low and you can adjust the ingredient list with the slider tool. Hover over the serving size and adjust until it reaches the size pork you are making. Enjoy!
What do you put the slow cooker on? High, med or low
You’ll want to cook in on low for 4-5 hours. Enjoy!
did you brown the pork loin or place raw meat into crock ?
trying this today.
So sorry I didn’t see this earlier. There’s no need to brown this before placing it in the slow cooker.
I’d like to ask for advice. I’m new to cooking and have not eaten much pork. I have some people coming over tomorrow that like pork. Not knowing the difference in loin and tenderloin I have 3.5 lbs of tenderloin in my fridge and by accident, I picked up 1lb of it peppered. I’m not usually one that enjoys “sweetened” meat but according to reviews collectively this looks pretty awesome. Can I wrap these three together in bacon and double the stuff and cook it low in the crock pot and make it work? Would less than doubled sugar still be tasty? Omitting pepper since I have one pre-peppered?
So sorry I missed you question until now. How did it turn out?
I have made this recipe before and so delicious, everyone loved it. Has anyone tried to stuff it with cheese or sour cream or anything?
What if you cook it in the oven?
375 degrees, 15-20 minutes per pound ? It is delicious in the oven too!
Can I use another oil instead of canola
Yep, you can use whatever you have on hand.
This was amazing. I used shallots instead of garlic due to an allergy and added a small amount of chicken broth. This was the first time my pork loin was moist and tender. This is a keeper recipe.
Thanks for the 5 stars! So glad you enjoyed it!
Sabrina, if I want to make this recipe in the oven or a roaster how do I adapt it….It would be for about 10 people…and are you saying to use a loin NOT a tenderloin….? This really sounds perfect for my family and I want to make it for Thanksgiving along with the traditional sides…Found out my family is not that crazy about turkey and thought this would be perfect….I need your advice…
That sounds amazing!! You’ll want to cook it in the oven for about 60-75 minutes. Enjoy!
Making this recipe for the second time. It was super quick and easy, and a huge hit with my husband AND my kids! The aroma when it’s cooking is amazing- hard to wait for it to cook! ? The bacon definitely needed a quick broil to crisp up after cooking, but the meat was tender and delicious. Will be a new go-to recipe!
Thanks for the 5 stars, Christine! So glad you all loved it. I know how hard it is to please everyone in the family at dinner time.
I made this tonight using a 3.5 pound BONE IN pork loin. My slow cooker only allows for 6 hrs on high (or 8 or 10 hrs on low). I opted for high for 6 hrs and it was definitely done before 6 hrs. I think next time I’d either go boneless (although the bones give so much more flavor), or cook on low and just set a timer. I did need to broil it for a few minutes just to crisp up some of the bacon. The taste was very good…I skimmed the extra fat from the sauce left behind, put it in a sauce pot and let it reduce a bit, then spooned over the sliced meat. Overall, an easy, delicious meal.
This recipe is very easy and tasted absolutely wonderful! I purchased a pork loin on sale but was not sure how to cook it and found this recipe, glad I did.
So glad you found the site too!
The directions say to trim extra fat. Does this mean to remove the fat cap? Thanks!
Nope, just trim it up. 🙂
Can a bone-in pork loin be used?
Yep 🙂 Enjoy!
Which slow cooker are you using?
Here is a link to the slow cooker I used. 🙂
http://amzn.to/2aPTZ4P
How long for a loin that’s one and a half pounds. I’ve never used a Crock-Pot and not sure if time is a huge factor but this looked too good have to try it.
You’ll want to cook it on low for 4 hours. I hope you enjoy it!
This was fantastic. I omitted the brown sugar to make it low carb and I don’t think it suffered at all. My bacon was not thick (I’ve yet to find the nitrate-free stuff in a thick version). The only oils I use are olive and coconut, so olive it was. I did broil it to crisp it up at the end. My slow cooker is not the fancy kind with temp controls or timers but the time on ‘LOW’ was spot on for just under 3 lbs.
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Very good!! I chickened out and put a little homemade chicken broth in the bottom of the crockpot, turned out very tender.
If you brine the pork loin first for 12 hrs or more would you still cook it in crock pot pot for same amount of time ? My pork loin is 5.7 lbs.
Should be the same cook time. 🙂
I have made this recipe in my crock pot numerous times and love it! Now, I want to make a whole loin approx 8-10lbs and bring it to work to share! I am thinking the best way to do this would be in the oven. Any suggestions on heat and time? I only have about a 3 hour cooking window.
Thanks
I would recommend using the oven and cook at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes per pound. You’ll want to use a meat thermometer to ensure doneness for a loin that size.
Can you make this in a Instant pot? If so, for how long?
I haven’t tried it in the Instant Pot yet. If you do, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Making this tomorrow for my fiance, who’s flying in from Norway. We’ll see how it goes. Sounds great!
I tried this in my smoker and turned out Great ! I did butterfly it and spread cream cheese in middle . Bacon crispy and meat was juicy! Will fix this again ! Thanks
How would i cook this in the instant pot?
I’ve never tested it so I’m not sure. You might be able to find a recipe online with similar ingredients to follow.
Hi!
Looking forward to making this for dinner tomorrow, do you think it would be an issue if I brined the pork beforehand? I usually brine all my pork, but I haven’t done it in the slow cooker before, and don’t know if the extra liquid would affect how it cooks!
It might release a little bit more liquid but as long as you’re putting the bacon on top, you should be fine. You can always prop it up a bit on foil if you want. Enjoy!
This recipe looks great. My mother in law likes gravies with all her pork dishes. What type of gravy recipe would you recommend?
I would recommend separating the fat from the liquid. Add equal amounts of fat and flour to a pan, whisk for about a minute to create a roux, add the rest of the juice and whisk until thickened. If you’re unable to separate the fat, you can use butter instead. Hope this helps!