Crockpot Pork, Sweet Potatoes & Apples

Over the past few blogging years, I've posted crockpot and pork recipes. This versatile meal ingredient ranks as one of our favorites besides chicken and fish. This recipe was easy to prepare using ingredients we already had available.The addition of apples and dried cranberries add a great flavor and sweetness.

Crockpot Pork Loin with Sweet Potatoes and Apples

• 1/4 C brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground thyme
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 lbs boneless pork tenderloin
• 2 medium apples, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 C dried cranberries (Craisins® are a great pantry staple)
• 1/2 C apple cider - I used apple juice

1. Season pork loin with pepper and salt and brown on all sides.
2. In a bowl, stir together the brown sugar and spices; set aside.
3. Arrange sweet potato slices in the bottom of the crockpot; add chopped onion and sprinkle everything with half of the brown sugar mixture.
4. After its browned and cooled, coat the pork in the rest of the spice mixture. Place in the crockpot on top of the vegetables; top with the apples and cranberries; add the cider/apple juice and cover.
5. Set the crockpot to HIGH for 1 hour, then switch to LOW and cook for 5 to 6 hours. After 5 hours, quickly lift the lid to see if the sweet potatoes are tender and you can use an instant read thermometer to check the pork - cooked should read between 145-160°F. If it needs a little longer, replace the lid and cook for another 30-60 minutes. To serve, remove pork to a cutting board, let it set 5 minutes, then cut into thick slices.

Serve the sweet potatoes, apples, and onions with the pork too soft, so I mashed them with the apples and onions. Grenville added some flour to the leftover juices and made a delicious gravy. 

I sautéed mushrooms to serve on top of the pork. Steamed fresh green beans completed the meal. We really enjoyed this dinner and, except for the green beans, there are leftovers for a second meal. (This is the best part of crockpot cooking for me.)