Can you believe we have spent all this time together and we haven’t talked about crock pot cooking yet?

I suppose we can blame that on the fact that it’s summer. But now that school is back in session (or soon to be, depending on where you live), it’s time to dust off your crock pot, as there is no better way to have a wonderful meal waiting for you when you come home on a weeknight.

I’m all about “set it and forget it,” and this particular pork roast recipe is my number one favorite.

My stepmother, Lori, shared it with me several years ago. You can do it in a dutch oven as well, but I feel much better leaving the house while the crock pot is on, as opposed to while the oven is on. Potayto / Potahto.

I have made this recipe for many an audience, and it has been a hit every time. I even made it for Thanksgiving one year instead of a turkey.

That, of course, was before I met Hubba Bubba, who is the bird man in our house. He is a pro with a Thanksgiving turkey. He, unlike me, has no qualms putting his hand into the bird hole and pulling all that icky stuff out. I’m always afraid the bird is going to come back to life in full-on attack mode and start pecking me, like, “BOK BOK BOK BOK BOK!” So he roasts the chickens and the turkeys. I have not gotten that brave. Yet.

I digress. Anyway, this recipe is great for crock pot beginners. It’s easy, delicious, and a little bit amazing. And if you are one of those people who are funny about eating pork, sorry about your luck because you are truly missing out on this one. I know some people take issue with the fact that pigs are so smart, but — as Mike says — if they were so smart, they would be eating us.

More crock pot pork roast recipes to come… but I’ll space them out a little. 🙂

APRICOT PORK ROAST

1 pork loin or Boston butt (i.e. pork shoulder) roast*
1 jar apricot preserves (can be regular, reduced sugar, or sugar free)
1 C soy sauce (I recommend the low sodium kind, unless you like it when your fingers look like hot dogs)
1/2 C orange juice
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, cut into large chunks
Salt & pepper to taste

Wondra flour or cornstarch

*If you go with pork loin, make sure it is loin and not tenderloin. If you go with pork shoulder, it can be boneless or bone-in, doesn’t matter. Either way, I estimate about a pound per person. It cooks down, plus this makes good leftovers.

Trim excess fat from the outside of your pork roast. Rinse and pat dry. Salt & pepper. Heat a large pan on high heat on the stove. When it is very hot, pour in enough canola or vegetable oil to coat, then add your pork roast. Stand back — and make sure there are no children underfoot — because it will sizzle and pop. Sear your roast over the very high heat for several minutes per side, until it is nicely browned on all sides. Mine took about 12 minutes total.

While your pork is searing, combine apricot preserves, soy sauce, orange juice, and garlic in a bowl, whisking until thoroughly mixed. Transfer your seared pork roast to the crock pot. Pour apricot mixture over it and add onion chunks. Cover and set to high for 4-5 hours. Check after a few hours; the roast may cook faster or slower, depending on the size and particular cut you are using. Mine was a 4-pound loin and took 4 hours. It should tear apart easily with a fork. If it’s done before you are ready to serve it, set your crock pot to warm and keep the roast covered and immersed in the liquid.

Shortly before serving, transfer several ladlefuls of the liquid to a small saucepan. Put a few spoonfuls of Wondra flour or cornstarch into a mug or small bowl, add a little of the liquid, and whisk it with a fork until it becomes a paste. Add this paste to the saucepan of liquid and whisk continuously over high heat until the sauce thickens into a gravy. Stop when it is slightly thinner than you’d like, as it will continue to thicken. If it becomes too thick, whisk in more liquid. Strain if there are any lumps. You can add the gravy back to the crock pot with your roast, or you can serve it on the side at the table.

I like to serve this roast with brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes. However, I have a sweet potato hater in my house, so sometimes I add several carrots to the crock pot 2-3 hours before the roast is done. Then we fight over the carrots. 🙂

Bon appetit,