brown sugar and balsamic glazed pork roast (gf, df)
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Brown Sugar Balsamic Pork Roast – A delicious, slow-cooked savory-sweet pork roast that will make your day (and your dinner).
Well, let’s just get this out of the way: this is not a Meatless Monday post.
While we’re clearing things up, let me also add the following: this is delicious.
My family didn’t really eat a lot of roasts growing up, so I don’t come from a long and lustrous line of roast recipes. I entered marriage with a pretty well-laid foundation of cooking knowledge and favorite recipes, but woefully lacking in the meat department. Michael, bless him, is very understanding as I’ve learned and practiced techniques (like cooking steak for the first time and loooving it), and we’ve come to a good balance.
When it’s his birthday, or Father’s Day, or a celebration of some sort, I do always try to throw a something extra- meaty his way. This year’s birthday meal was brown sugar and balsamic glazed pork roast. It was delicious, and tender, and flavorful. And we enjoyed the leftovers for about three days.
Paired with some roasted sweet potatoes, green beans, and a salad, you’ve got yourself one fine meal.
Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Roast
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Ingredients
For the pork roast:
- 1 (2-3lb) pork loin roast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2c water
For the glaze:
- 1/2c brown sugar
- 1/2c water
- 1/4c balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce*
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
For the roast:
- Place roast in a slow cooker. Rub with salt, thyme, garlic powder, and pepper. Add 1/2c water around the edges (so you don’t pour off the rub you just put on the pork). Cook on low 6-8 hours, or until pull-apart tender. During the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, prepare glaze.
For the glaze:
- Combine brown sugar, water, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce (or tamari, if using), and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until glaze thickens. Brush over roast 2-3 times during the last 30-minutes or so of the cook time. Serve with remaining glaze.
Notes
*for gluten free, use gluten free tamari, such as San-J brand.
Recipe adapted from C+C Marriage Factory
I rarely cook pork tenderloin for the simple reason my wife isn’t very fond of it. I’ve tried a few recipes over the past 9 years only to not accomplish my goal, to receive praise from my wife on a tenderloin.
She loves everything else I cook and because I’m a competitor, I want everything I prepare to be the best she’s ever had.
I can honestly say that with this recipe I accomplished the goal! I did not slow cook it but rather Power XL pressure cooked it for 45 minutes at 70 kPa. I seared it in olive oil first after rubbing it with my secret arsenal of spices (very close to your recipe ingredients) and used 3 cups of chicken stock in the pressure cooker along with a medium diced up onion.
After preparing the glaze (which is fabulous by the way) and the 45 minutes elapsed from the pressure cooker, I transferred the pork to a baking dish and drenched it with the glaze. From there I placed it in the oven at 350 for 15 minutes allowing the glaze to cook to the tenderloin.
Goal Accomplished!!! The best tenderloin ever and now I’ve received orders from the wife to add this to a monthly rotation moving forward.
Super Cheap, Super Easy and Super Delicious!!!
Thank You Emily!
WOW! That sounds absolutely incredible! Thank you so much for your comment and for all your tips! I’ll have to try that!
This was the best pork roast I’d ever had. So delicious. My teenage boys devoured it. I’ve already shared this recipe with several people. Thank you for a great recipe that we’ll be making again.
Oh my GOODNESS! Thank you Pam! You absolutely made my day!
And you made ours with this delicious recipe. Thank you again!
🙂 🙂 🙂
I decided to give this a try with pork chops in the oven. Quicker cook and different cut of pork. Another great success. My 13 yo was enticing my 15 yo with “mmm, glaze”, lol. My 15 yo proceeded to eat 2 chops. Thanks again.
Oh, how wonderful! I’m so glad to hear that!
This recipe is amazing! It’s been on the monthly rotation for a while now and my family can’t get enough of it.
I don’t have a slow cooker, so I had to improvise for oven cooking. Basically I rub in the spice mix, sear the meat to seal it off, then bung it and the glaze in an oven dish and bake it for about 45 minutes or so, turning the loins over halfway through. After it’s cooked, I reserve the glaze and serve the loins with green beans and mashed potatoes, ladling the glaze over everything.
I’ve watched my spouse tip leftover glaze straight from the serving bowl into their mouth. It’s that much a favorite.
YUM! I’m so glad to hear that! This totally made my day.
This recipe is a regular in our monthly menu plan. I do it a bit differently (I cook it in the oven, with the sauce from the beginning; 30 minutes @ 200C, flipping halfway through), but use the sauce recipe as well as the spice rub.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoy it Mellie! You absolutely made my day with your review. Thanks so much for taking the time to share!:)