Today I’m drooling over this recipe….meat is my friend right now. My new buddy Kate from Feathering The Crow’s Nest is posting for y’all today….and you’re going to drool too. Thanks Kate!
I’m a recent convert to the crockpot. Not that I didn’t use a crockpot before, but now that I’m home with my girls, it’s become a staple in our house. I’ll be honest, it’s just easier to fix something quickly and then spend the rest of the day chasing my girls down…and yes, they do move that quickly.
Once I became a fan of Stacy, my love of the crockpot deepened even more. I used to think crockpots were only useful for soups and meats covered in some type of sauce. Now I make our yogurt, breakfast casseroles, oatmeal, and even “fancier” dinner items consistently.
Today I wanted to share one of the “fancier” items I regularly cook, Cranberry Apple Stuffed Pork Loin. It’s a recipe that I like for company. A delicious meal that is easy to throw together, but will impress whomever is coming to dinner. It started as an oven roasted recipe, but I found myself crouched over the hot oven basting the pork…forever. A great taste, but inefficient and all of us mommies know that an efficient use of your time is key to a happy mom.
Here’s how I make it.
First you need a great looking piece of meat. I buy ours from a local farm. He gives me a great discount so it’s cheaper!
I prefer to use a 3-4 lb piece of meat, but sometimes with our family being small, I’ll use a 1-2 lb piece. If you use a small cut, just know that you have to adjust your time or you’ll dry out your meat.
Cut your pork loin in half lengthwise.
Cover the inside with apple jelly, I use my mom’s homemade apple jelly. She makes it every year when she makes apple butter. My mommy is not only a wonderful cook, but qualifies for sainthood the way she freely gives her goods to everyone, including to me.
Sprinkle the top with rosemary, over the apple jelly. I used about ¼ a teaspoon.
Layer dried cranberries on one side of the pork loin.
Fold over and tie together, otherwise all the cranberries will spill out during cooking.
Place the loin into the crockpot with ½ a cup of apple cider or juice and a tablespoon of Worcester sauce.
Take two tablespoons of jelly and mix with one tablespoon of Worchester sauce. Cover the pork loin with your mixture.
I like to add a thermometer and set the alert at 145 degrees, this ensures that my meat is properly cooked without overcooking, but isn’t necessary to complete the meal. Cooking times depend on the size of your pork loin. For less than 3 lbs, I cook for 1.5 hours at high per lb of meat. For a 3-4 lb pork loin, I cook on low for 6 hours or high for 5 hours.
Now go do something fun, I enjoy cuddling and playing with babies.
Before you know it a delicious meal, simply slice and serve. I love homemade mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli with it. You can also drizzle the cooking sauce over the meat for some extra flavor and moisture, it adds a great sweet and savory flavor.
From my kitchen to yours, enjoy!
Crock Pot Cranberry Apple Stuffed Pork Loin
- 3-4 pound pork loin
- Apple jelly
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- Dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup apple cider or juice
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons apple jelly
- Cut your pork loin in half lengthwise.
- Cover the inside with apple jelly. Sprinkle the top with rosemary.
- Layer dried cranberries on one side of the pork loin. Fold over and tie together.
- Place the loin into the crockpot with ½ a cup of apple cider or juice and a tablespoon of Worchester sauce.
- Combine two tablespoons of jelly and mix with one tablespoon of Worchester sauce. Cover the pork loin with your mixture.
- For less than 3 lbs, I cook for 1.5 hours at high per lb of meat. For a 3-4 lb pork loin, I cook on low for 6 hours or high for 5 hours. Temperature should read 145 degrees.
*This post is linked at Think Pink Sunday on Flamingo Toes, at Hearth and Soul Blog Hop on Penniless Parenting, at Simple Lives Thursday on GNOWFGLINS, at Pennywise Platter on The Nourishing Gourmet, at Tuesdays at the Table on All the Small Stuff, and at Fat Tuesday on Real Food Forager.
Kate Smith-Crow is a full time stay at home mommy and part time scientist who recently left the lab to fully enjoy her family, especially her two sweet baby girls. She now spends her time learning to farm on their four acre property in the mountains of East Tennessee. A recent convert to a whole foods diet, Kate is in the process of changing the way her family eats and lives. Her favorite activities include crocheting, sewing, and finding new ways to sustainability. Kate blogs about their recent lifestyle changes at Feathering the Crow Nest and shares her recent crafts on her Facebook page.
Not going to lie, I was pretty disappointed with this recipe. My mother and I tried it this evening, and it dried out almost as soon as it was cut. We tried ladeling some of the juices back over it, but the pork didn’t really reabsorb any of it. On top of that, the directions were a little vague as to quantities, so I’m not sure if it really tasted like it was supposed to. We didn’t really taste a lot of cranberry or apple or any of it. To be honest, it was quite a let down. This recipe had so much potential, but fell quite flat.
I’m so sorry to hear that, Lauren. I know it’s one of Kate’s favorites.
So I came across your blog/this recipe and decided I would give it a go because it looked and sounded really good. To offer some background info me. I am by no means a cook. In fact, I hate to cook. I would much prefer to be cooked for and I think it’s because somehow I seem to screw it up and there goes dinner. Meat especially. It’s either overcooked or suspicious. Case in point, your recipe. I purchased a 3.07lb pork loin, followed all the steps, set it to low for 6hrs, checked the temp 20min to 6hrs and it was only at 130 degrees so I left it on longer. After the timer went off, I checked again and it was a perfect 145 degrees. Upon my tasting it, although fairly flavorful, it was dry. Super dry. I covered it with the cooking juices as recommended but still, very dry. I don’t know what I did wrong! This is why I hate cooking. I also cooked some sweet potato rounds with olive oil and cinnamon on them and managed to screw them up too. Although I did forget to set the timer and I wasn’t following a recipe. I was going off of memory from a time I had previously made them.
Help! How should I do this next time so that my pork isn’t dry?!
Pork can be tricky. It seems as though since you cooked only till 145, it shouldn’t have been dry at all, especially if you still had liquid down in the crock. Perhaps your crock was letting too much moisture evaporate? Was even the part of the pork that was submerged in the liquid un-dry? Let’s troubleshoot.
No…none of it. My hubby thought that all of it should have been submerged but I explained to him that I followed the recipe and did only as much liquid that was in the recipe. Even the part that was still in the liquid was dry. Not sure what I did wrong…My pork was only 3lbs too…
Just came upon your blog… the recipes look excellent. Can’t wait to try them. I’m in the market for a new crock pot and can’t decide among all the choices. The one I currently have is awful… it literally boils everything to death, to the point where the cover starts to jiggle and the meat ends up burned. Anyone have any recommendations?
Thanks!
Jeanne
I have this set and I LOVE IT!!! Mine is the white version: http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-33135-6-Quart-Stainless/dp/B000R8A1OK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334061644&sr=8-1
I also have a GE 5 quart pot that I got when we were married and I love it too. 🙂
Thank you! I will look into this one. There are so many versions out there it’s hard to choose.
Hope you keep adding new recipes to the blog!
🙂 I try to add at least one per week.
This sounds like a delicious combination of flavors and I love how easy it is to make.
And plus, it just looks stinkin’ cute on the plate. 🙂
This looks absolutely wonderful and healthy. They would be perfect for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. Would you be willing to post this to my pregnancy and breastfeeding superfood blog carnival, superfood sundays?
http://www.painfreepregnancy.org/2012/03/superfood-sunday-fourth-edition-march.html
Thanks!!
Kristi, sorry I missed this….Sunday is a crazy day for us, so I wasn’t home to see it. 🙂
Another great-looking recipe Stacy. I’ve had a pork loin in the freezer for a couple weeks that I didn’t know what to do with… now I know. I would love to include this recipe in my iPhone app.
I hope it turns out great for you! I would love to make it….but my family isn’t really into cranberries. 🙂
Ooh, I love pork loin, and this recipe sounds amazing!
I know….I wish my daddy would eat it. I want to make it, but he’s not sure about the cranberries. lol
Have a pork loin in the freezer. Will be having soon. Looks yummy.
I know….I hope I can make it soon too!
Yay! Hope you like it. 🙂
I love my crockpot too. I use it most everyday. Recently I found that baking potatoes in the crockpot is wonderful. When we don’t want to heat the house up in summer but a good baked potato will taste wonderful with the grilled meat…
The crock pot is certainly a happy summer contraption…especially if you have a covered deck and can put it out there – cuts down on heat even more!
What a great idea. Looks like I’ll be doing potatoes in the crock pot more. 🙂
We are shopping for a crock pot! This looks so easy and good.
Ooooooooooooh! I love that kind of shopping! 🙂
Yat for crock pot shopping! I asked for one at Christmas and got two. 🙂 It was a great Christmas. 😉 hope you love the recipe. I love easy and this recipe fits it.
I know….I think I’m going to have to buy a pork loin just to make this!
Thank you, both! This is my hubby’s favorite and even my picky three year old likes it. I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do!