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Learn how to create the most tender and flavorful Pork Loin Roast with a rich Honey Garlic Butter Sauce that will steal the show at any meal! Whether baked in the oven or slow-cooked to perfection, this easy, no-fuss recipe guarantees juicy, melt-in-your-mouth pork that’s packed with flavor.
Inspired by our fan-favorite Honey Garlic Butter Pork Chops, this dish is perfect for impressing guests or elevating weeknight dinners. Simple, delicious, and unforgettable!
What Sets This Pork Loin Apart
When it comes to perfecting Pork Loin, the magic lies in pairing this lean cut with a deeply flavored Honey Garlic Butter Sauce. The sauce not only locks in moisture, but its rich, savory flavors transform every bite into a tender, melt-in-your-mouth experience.
More than just adding juiciness, this sauce elevates the pork loin into something truly unforgettable. Each forkful is a perfect balance of sweetness and umami, ensuring your dinner stands out from the rest.
Juicy Roast Pork Loin: Key Ingredients
Creating the ultimate Pork Roast Loin starts with picking the right ingredients. Fresh, high-quality components are the key to delivering bold flavors and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. Let’s dive into the must-haves that make this recipe truly unforgettable!
- Pork Loin: Choose a thick, fresh pork loin with a good layer of fat on top. This renders beautifully during cooking, keeping the meat juicy and tender. Remember, pork loin is not the same as pork tenderloin! For reference, see our One Pan Dijon Garlic Pork recipe to spot the difference.
- Honey: Go for high-quality, raw honey. Its natural sweetness not only enhances the glaze but also helps create that perfect golden-brown crust when caramelized in the oven.
- Garlic: Always use fresh garlic for bold, aromatic flavor. Mince it finely so it infuses evenly into the sauce and pork. For garlic lovers, try our Pork Roast With Perfect Crackling for another garlic-packed winner.
*Note: Please see Recipe Card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Additions And Substitutions
When it comes to Honey Garlic Pork Loin Roast, flavor is everything. Don’t have one of the recommended ingredients? No problem—smart substitutions will still deliver that juicy, caramelized goodness every time!
- Herb Variations: Swap out thyme for rosemary or sage for a different aromatic profile. These herbs add a distinct, earthy flavor that pairs beautifully with pork.
- Sweetness: Replace honey with maple syrup or brown sugar for a unique twist. This substitution provides a different kind of sweetness and a slightly caramelized finish.
How To Make The Best Pork Loin: Step-By-Step
Ready to create an irresistible Pork Roast Loin? Follow these simple steps with images to guide you through the process. You’ll achieve a juicy, flavorful roast that’s sure to impress:
- Start the Loin: Pat dry pork with a paper towel. Combine oil with paprika, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, red chili powder, salt & pepper. Season pork, rubbing the mixture into the meat.
- Sear the Pork: Heat the remaining oil in a large pan or skillet over medium heat. Sear pork all over until golden browned, rotating the pork to avoid burning the spices.
- Start the Sauce: Melt butter in the same pan, scraping up any leftover bits. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Stir in honey, minced garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, salt & pepper, and bring to a rapid simmer.
- Start the Slow Cooker: Place seared pork in a slow cooker. Pour sauce over pork, cover with the lid, and cook on LOW heat for several hours.
- Rest the Pork: Transfer pork onto a serving dish and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for a few minutes.
- Prepare the Sauce: Pour juices from the slow cooker into a pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Thicken The Sauce: Mix some of the juices with cornstarch (cornflour). Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the sauce and let it simmer until thickened to a syrup-like consistency.
- Slice and Serve: Slice the pork into thin, tender pieces. Arrange the slices on a serving platter and drizzle generously with Honey Garlic Butter Sauce.
After perfecting this tender and flavorful Pork Roast Loin, why not round out your meal with some irresistible side dishes? Pair it with Garlic Parmesan Roasted Potatoes—crispy, golden, and the perfect complement to your pork. Add a touch of sweetness with Honey Garlic Butter Roasted Carrots, or bring depth and creaminess to your plate with Creamy Garlic Mushrooms. For a fresh twist, try the Balsamic Chickpea Avocado Feta Salad—a vibrant, flavor-packed finish to complete your spread!
Recipe FAQ’s
Slow cooking pork loin in a crock pot at a low temperature is perfect and won’t dry out or ruin your pork. For different weights, use the following cooking times:
– 2 pounds (1 kg): Cook for about 3 1/2 hours on low.
– 3-5 pounds (1 1/2 – 2 1/2 kg): Cook for about 4-5 hours on low.
– 6 pounds (3 kg): Cook for about 6 hours on low.
When oven roasting pork loin, cover it for the first half hour to steam/braise the meat. Then, roast uncovered to get beautiful charred/caramelized edges, thanks to the brown sugar in the rub and the honey in the sauce.
The National Pork Board recommends cooking pork loin, chops, roasts, and tenderloin to an internal temperature of 145°F (62°C). After reaching this temperature, let the meat rest for 15 minutes before serving.
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Pork Loin Roast Recipe
Ingredients
PORK LOIN:
- 4-5 pound pork loin roast trimmed of skin and fat
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil divided
RUB:
- 2 teaspoons paprika mild or smoked
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2-1 teaspoon red chili powder optional
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
HONEY GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE:
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 6 cloves garlic finely chppped or minced
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar
- 1 pinch salt large
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
ADDITIONAL:
- 1/2 cup low sodium beef stock or chicken stock/broth, FOR OVEN METHOD ONLY
- 1/2 cup water FOR OVEN METHOD ONLY
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
PORK LOIN:
- Pat dry pork with paper towel. Combine 1 tablespoon of oil with rub ingredients. Season pork, rubbing the mixture into the meat.
- Heat remaining oil (about 2 teaspoons) in a large pan or skillet over medium heat. Sear pork all over until golden browned, rotating the pork around to avoid spices burning.
SAUCE:
- Melt butter in the same pan the pork was in while scraping up any leftover bits in the pan. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in remaining sauce ingredients; bring to a rapid simmer for 1 minute.
SLOW COOK:
- Place seared pork in a 6-qt (litre) slow cooker. Pour sauce over pork; cover with lid and cook on LOW heat setting for 4 – 5 hours.
- Transfer pork onto serving dish and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 10-15 minutes.
- While pork is resting: pour juices from the slow cooker bowl into a pot large enough to fit the liquid. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Mix 2 tablespoons of the juices with 4 teaspoons of cornstarch (cornflour). Whisk cornstach slurry into sauce and let simmer for a good 5 minutes, or until thickend into a syrup-like consistency. (For a thicker sauce, repeat this step with 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water. Add into sauce and cook until thickened (please note: sauce will thicken as it cools). Continue this step until reaching your desired consistency.)
- Slice pork and serve drizzled with Honey Garlic Butter Sauce.
OVEN ROAST:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Place seared/browned seasoned pork in a roasting pan.
- Prepare sauce, as above. Reserve 1/2 cup sauce for basting. Pour remaining sauce over pork.
- Pour 1/2 cup stock and 1/2 cup water around the pork.
- Cover and roast for 20 minutes. Baste with half of the reserved sauce and continue roasting, uncovered, for a further 15 minutes. Baste again and roast for a further 10-15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 145°F (62.5°C) in the thickest part.(If pan dries out while cooking (it shouldn't), add a little more water.)
- Transfer pork onto serving plate and baste with pan juices. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 10-15 minutes..
- Scrape up any browned bits leftover in the pan, mixing them through the pan juices and pour juices into a pot. Whisk cornstarch into an additional 1/2 cup water, whisk cornstarch slurry into the sauce and bring to a simmer. Slowly add in 1/4 cup – 1/2 cup additional, if needed, until reaching a honey-like consistency. (Please note: sauce will thicken as it cools).
- Slice pork and drizzle with Honey Garlic Butter Sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The rub and the sauce are the best parts. Doubled the sauce cause I like sauce and was glad I did. Glad you had a oven option. Followed the instructions and the pork loin was still juicy. Shared this recipes with friends and they all love it.
Great recipe!
The rub was perfect. I cooked the roast in a Dutch oven. I adjusted the sauce a bit, eliminating the butter (too rich for me), reduced the honey to a hefty squeeze and left out the soy sauce (accidental!) and used ACV instead of rice vinegar. Since I roasted it with the top on I didn’t bother reserving liquid for basting, just put it all in. I also added a huge bunch of collard greens in the dutch oven and it came out so good! My mouth is watering just thinking of it. I also didn’t thicken the sauce, it was really good as is!
Excellent! Made exactly to directions and it was perfect.
Cooked this up for lunch today. My husband claimed the whole roast for himself after tasting it. I made him share with everyone in our household. Everyone loved it. I left the chili pepper out, along with the corn starch and stock broth. My mind registered these as optional not Additional. It came out soft, moist, tender and delicious.
Made this for dinner tonight. Delicious, even though I didn’t have quite enough honey.
This was an excellent recipe. Even my picky husband loved it. It will be going the internet cookbook
I just finished putting it in the slow cooker and accidentally put in the 1/2 cup of stock in the sauce. I didn’t put it the water or cornstarch because I figured out my mistake just as I had thrown in the stock. I’m guessing it won’t hurt too much but I’m bummed I didn’t get it right for my first try with this recipe after reading all the glowing reviews. The smell of the sauce alone has me itching for dinner time!!
Loved it. Made it 3 weeks ago for guests who loved it also. Making again for another crew tonight.
SUCH a delicious recipe! My 1 year old, 4 year old and husband were thoroughly impressed. The pork was tender but so flavourful, and the sauce was delicious!
Love this recipe! It’s delicious.
This was very, very good! Delicious sauce and the pork came out perfect; I cooked it in the crock pot.
This recipe was a huge hit with the family.