Hi Everyone,
I have been on a mini mission trying to re-create old recipes of mine that are not picture worthy. Funny when I look back to blogging two years ago the photography was horrible! My photos are so much better now, but still have a ton of room for improvement. Baby steps as I always say. One day when I get the camera I really want for food photos, I can only hope that the photos will be even better. So to start off my mini mission, I re-created one of my favorite Fall dishes Apples and Pork Loin in the Crockpot.
This recipe is so easy and can be whipped together just before heading out the door to go to work. The pork is fork tender and so juicy. The apple cider flavor gives it a nice sweetness, while the rosemary and thyme give it a nice savory flavor. The apples are tender, almost applesauce consistency and the onions that have been cooking in the juices of the pork and apples give it the most wonderful flavor. There is enough juice left in the Crockpot to even make some nice gravy. Unfortunately I didn’t do that because I didn’t have any potatoes. 🙁
For the main flavor of the recipe I used Trader Joe’s Spiced Apple Cider. I was just tickled pink when I saw it in the store a couple of weeks ago. You know Fall is here when they have it in stock. It’s one of mine and my families favorite Fall drinks. I love to heat it up, add a cinnamon stick and enjoy it on a chilly Fall evening.
- 1 lbs. Pork Loins, boneless
- 2 cups apple cider
- 4 small apples, cored, roughly chopped
- 1 cup onion, sliced
- 1 tbsp. rosemary, fresh or dried
- ½ tbsp thyme, fresh or dried
- salt and pepper to taste
- Spray a crockpot with cooking spray and add the onions. Add the pork and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top the pork with the apples and add the apple cider and herbs.
- Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 – 6 hours. I personally found that 8 hours on low is the best!
Ahhh it felt great to re-create this recipe. You can look at the not so pretty pictures here. These pictures look so much better!! Not only did I re-make, re-take pictures of this recipe, but it also tastes amazing. This is one of my go to Fall recipes and it’s one of my Husbands favorites. If you happen to have left over pork, it makes for a great sandwich the next day, just add some fresh apple slices, maybe some cranberry butter, cheese and panini it. I have done that with this recipe and oh my gosh it is so good!!!
Well my friends, I am off to do some grocery shopping.
Toodles,
Jennifer
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This sounds really nice, but as one who tends to use dried spices, I’m concerned about putting in the dried spices in the same quantity as specified for fresh. It seems like their flavor would be to strong. My understanding has long been that you use ⅓ as much of the dry as of the fresh. Which did you use when you made the recipe? Thanks.
Hi Susan! In this recipe I used dried spices, but when I made it before I used fresh spices. The first time I made it I threw in fresh spices still on the stems.
Wow Jennifer this looks amazing I bet your house smelled just wonderful too! There’s something so comforting about pork and apples. I love your idea for the panini too, I think I’d make a double batch to be sure to have leftovers!
Thanks Chris!! I don’t know what it is about pork and apples, but your right, it is a comforting dish.
How have I never come across that spiced apple cider! Definitely picking up a bottle this weekend. I love what you did with it!
Go to Trader Joe’s! It’s the best Spiced Apple Cider!! They get in just for the Fall only. It’s amazing warmed up too!!!
Jennifer this looks GREAT! Apples and pork are a perfect pairing! Let me ask you though, when I cook pork loin in the crock pot it usually gets dry, did this dry out on you at all?
Nope it didn’t dry out! I found with pork loins, that 8 hours is the perfect amount of time in the crockpot. I tend to add a little extra juice to it to keep it moist. Another thing I have done, at about the 6 hour point, sometimes I flip my meat, so the top gets coated in the juice in the pan. However for guarantee tenderness and juiciness pork tenderloin is the best in the Crockpot. I make pork tenderloin with savory apple gravy in the crockpot all of the time. It’s my Husbands favorite. Here’s the link. http://www.peanutbutterandpeppers.com/2013/04/12/pork-tenderloin-with-savory-apple-gravy/
i think your pictures look awesome! and so does this food – pork & apple is a combination i’ll never get tired of 🙂
Ahhh, thank you Holly!! I don’t think I could tire of the combination either!
My mouth is totally watering over this one! Apples and pork go so well together!
My favorite pairing with pork is apples! They just go so well together!
I remember this recipe! Beautiful photography, I also can’t stand looking at photos from when I first started blogging LOL. The crockpot has been my best friend these days 🙂
So glad you are loving the Crockpot! It’s so handy! Some days I love cooking, but other days, I dread it and those are the days when I could just kiss my crockpot! 🙂
Hi Jennifer,
I want to try this recipe looks wonderful. However I can´t find apple cider where I live. What could I use instead?
Thanks
Hi Fatima! If you don’t have apple cider or apple juice, you could do two things, add chicken broth in place of the cider or add apple sauce. Or add 1/2 chicken broth, 1/2 applesauce. There are a lot of ways you could do it. If it were me, I’d toss in a few more apples, add 1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken broth and top the pork with a huge dollop of apple sauce when it’s cooking.
Before I clicked my reply, I meant to tell you, thank you for the question. If you make the apples and pork, let me know how it turns out. 🙂
Sounds good, think I may throw a sweet potato in to soak up some of the juices.
Did you ever toss in a handful of cranberries?
you will never catch me kissing my Crock Pot, My cast Iron yes, my pressure cooker yes. Crock pot No
Cranberries would be good and so would sweet potatoes! Yum!
Have you done this with thick cut (no bone) pork chops? I got a huge package from Costco and would love to try this…
Hi Jenn! Yes it will work. My pork chops were no bone in and they were pretty thick. I need to go to Costco and stock up on some meat! 🙂
I have a 1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin. Should I slice it before I place it into the crockpot, or leave the loin whole? Your picture looks like pork tenderloin chops. Or did you use chops? Thanks in advance for clarifying!
I used thick boneless pork chops, however pork tenderloin will work. Leave it whole, and carefully take it out of the crockpot with tongs and carefully slice it. It will be sure tender and may fall apart a bit.
Hi,
I have a general crock-pot question on cook times. If I cook something on low for 8-10 hours, it would be shriveled down to a nugget. Usually when I follow recipes, I only cook for 2 hours on high and 4 hours on high. Is there a magic that happens if it cooks longer and I’m pulling food out too early, or is my crock-pot off? I am not so confident to go by feel and am much more of a recipe follower.
I’d appreciate any comments that don’t insure my sensitive cooking esteem.
When cooking in a Crockpot they tend to give you guidelines on length of time. From personal experience, I find that 8 hours is the perfect amount of time for pork dishes. As for chicken, I have gone about 9 hours. Soups, your good for 10 hours. If your dish doesn’t have much liquid, go for 8 hours. As for high cooking, I have never gone 2 hours, normally 4 hours will do. If your home, half way through cooking time, check the meat and see how well it’s done. When meat is done, it is fork tender, same with vegetables. I never have needed a knife for anything in the Crockpot.
I hope this has helped a little bit. 🙂
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks so much for sharing this delicious recipe. My family loved it. They said “mom you can make this anytime” (Gee…Thank you people 🙂 The only thing I did different was I browned the pork first. I’ve never put raw beef or pork in the crock pot. Next time I might try doing that as it would save some time and clean up. Thanks again, this is a keeper!
I am so glad you liked it! It’s one of our favorites! I’m actually making it again tomorrow! I can’t get enough of pork and apples. Thank you for letting me know! 🙂