Crock Pot: Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

Slow-cooker recipes are always something I'm on the hunt for. I get an immense feeling of gratification when dinner is already in the works by 9 am. I especially love when a crock pot recipe doesn't call for me to chop vegetables or brown meat first. Just more or less toss in the ingredients and head off in pursuit of other things to scratch off the to-do list before the baby wakes up from her nap or I have to run and pick up her big brother from preschool.

Tonight I decided to invite my parents over to be guinea pigs...and to watch home movies from about 38 years ago. My parents and husband really liked the pork and especially the glaze that is brushed on the pork while cooking and then also served on the side. It smelt great while cooking. The pork shredded so easily. The only suggestion I received was to cook it for a shorter amount of time. That's the problem with crock pot recipes. This recipe instructed me to cook on low for 6-8 hours. Two hours is a big swing. I set the timer for 6 hours and we ate at the 7 hour mark. Shouldn't the pork stay tender for another hour...or even better, get even more tender with more time? They all said they'd enjoy it again so I've adapted the recipe for 6 hours on low. Only six.

Here's a question my Mother asked me during dinner...was this pork loin or pork tenderloin? Hum. I studied this in college but that I was a long time ago. I'm a vegetarian and I haven't retained a lot info regarding cuts of meat since I never eat them. Is there a difference? Yes. I'll let you google the question for the answer. This recipe calls for pork loin and I used pork tenderloin. Maybe, just maybe, my pork would've been moister had it been a loin. I guess I'll have to try it again to see. Anyone want to be a guinea pig? ;)

By the way - the preschooler ate it! He didn't give it the "thumbs up" or "thumbs down". He kept his thumb in the neutral position. I'll take it.

Ingredients

1 (2 pound) boneless pork loin

1 teaspoon ground sage

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 cup water

Glaze

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions

1. Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub over roast. Place in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 6 hours.

2. About 1 hour before roast is done, combine ingredients for glaze in small sauce pan. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

http://www.candcmarriagefactory.com/2011/01/brown-sugar-and-balsamic-glazed-pork.html