Make This Slow-Cooker Bacon-Wrapped Pork Loin
Who loves to set it and forget it? Everyone who's ever loved a slow cooker, which is why recipe developer and blogger Samantha Skaggs devoted an entire cookbook to making the most of this versatile kitchen appliance. Slow-cooker bacon-wrapped pork loin is what's for dinner tonight!
This is probably one of the fanciest-looking meals that you'll ever pull out of your slow cooker, but the preparation is deceptively simple! Bacon-wrapped pork loin glazed with a sweet and spicy peach-jalapeño sauce is a dinner your family and guests won't soon forget. I include the jalapeño seeds when I make the glaze, because I want it to be a bit spicy, and I find that one large minced jalapeño is the right level of heat for my family — warm but not over the top. Add more or less to taste, but keep in mind that the jalapeños will become milder as they cook, so if you taste your glaze as you initially prepare it, it can stand to be a tad hotter than you actually want it to turn out.
Make sure to use regular bacon that's not too thin or too thick, and you may need slightly more or less of it depending upon the width and length of your pork loin. As always, be sure to watch your pork loin closely once you pop it under the broiler, as the bacon can go from perfectly crisp to completely burned in a matter of seconds.
Reprinted with permission from Real Food Slow Cooker Suppers
- 3-pound pork loin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 slices bacon
- 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth or water
- 2 cups peach preserves
- 1 to 2 medium jalapeños
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Trim as much of the fat cap as possible from the top of the pork loin. Very generously season both sides of the pork loin with salt and pepper and rub them into the meat. Place the pork loin (fat-side up, if any fat remains) in the bottom of a large oval slow cooker. Starting at one end of the pork, lay the half-strips of bacon over the top, crosswise and overlapping slightly until the entire pork loin is covered. Pour the chicken broth or water into the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Prepare the glaze by combining the peach preserves, jalapeños, soy sauce and Dijon mustard in a medium bowl. Transfer 1½ cups of the glaze to a small bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it. Spoon the remaining glaze over the bacon-covered pork loin, trying to keep most of it on top with just a thin layer going down the sides — you don’t want all of the glaze running off as soon as the heat hits the pork.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 2 to 4 hours, until the center of the pork loin just reaches 145°F on an instant-read thermometer. Position an oven rack 6 inches below the heating element and preheat the broiler. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil and transfer the pork loin to the baking sheet.
- Broil the pork loin for a few minutes, until the bacon is crispy and browned, watching carefully the entire time. Remove the pork loin from the oven, spoon a thick layer of the reserved peach-jalapeño glaze over the pork, and broil for 1 to 2 more minutes, until the glaze is bubbly.
- Transfer the pork loin to a cutting board, tent it with foil and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. While the pork rests, transfer the remaining peach-jalapeño glaze to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook the glaze, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until it is bubbly and the jalapeños are softened. Cut the pork loin into ½-inch thick slices and serve drizzled with the warm glaze.