Crock-Pot Balsamic Brown Sugar Pork Roast

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Slow cooker roasts are some of my favorite meals. They require a very small amount of effort early in the day and when we are ready to eat, the main dish is ready with just a few additional minutes of work.

Crock-Pot Brown Sugar and Balsamic Pork Roast recipe by Barefeet In The Kitchen

For this meal, brown sugar and balsamic are simmered and then reduced to a simple glaze that is poured over tender pulled pork. This dinner was a huge hit with all three of my boys; they almost licked their plates clean.

This has been a great month for finally trying recipes that I’ve had on my list for ages. I’ve seen this pork tenderloin recipe floating around online for the past couple years.

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It may have taken me over two years to finally make it, but it was worth the wait. The combination of flavors was excellent and I’m glad I finally got around to trying it.

I simplified the original recipe a wee bit, because I tend to do that with most recipes. I also used a pork roast that I already had in the freezer, instead of the suggested pork tenderloin. My family devoured this meal and all of my kids gave it two thumbs up.

Served with boiled baby red potatoes and a Strawberry Spinach Salad, the work involved for this meal was just minutes.

Crock-Pot Brown Sugar and Balsamic Pork Roast recipe by Barefeet In The Kitchen

Slow cookers or crockpots are an appliance of which I have more than one. If you are an avid slow cooker user like I am, you might understand the need for more than one. So, let’s talk about my favorites:

First up is this 6-quart slow cooker that has a locking lid. These crockpots are fantastic for transporting foods. Mine has gone everywhere from church potlucks to barbecues, game nights to Thanksgiving dinner. However, fair warning, these slow cookers run crazy hot. Low is closer to a boil than a simmer, the warm setting actually simmers. So trust me when I say HIGH is high.

My everyday slow cooker is this 8-quart Crockpot. It’s my go-to appliance for cooking large roasts and big batches of chili. Fun fact: did you know that a full 4-quart cooker, actually cooks more slowly than a half-full 8-quart cooker?

For just cooking a few pounds of chicken to shred for enchiladas or other smaller recipes, this 3-quart version is perfect.

Thanksgiving has become a breeze since I have mastered how to hold all of the side dishes using these medium-sized round slow cookers.

If you aren’t a fan of the idea of keeping more than one slow cooker in the house, these CrockPockets are a game-changer when it comes to preparing and holding multiple dishes at the same time. They slide into a standard 6-quart crockpot, dividing it into two sections that are perfect for serving different side dishes or keeping taco fillings warm for parties.

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Crock-Pot Balsamic Brown Sugar Pork Roast

5 from 3 votes
Brown sugar and balsamic are simmered and then reduced to a simple glaze that is poured over tender pulled pork.
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients 

  • 1 ½ – 2 lb sirloin tip pork roast
  • 1 teaspoon ground sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup water

Glaze Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

Instructions

Pork Roast Directions

  • Place the roast in the crock-pot and sprinkle with the spices. Pour the water in the bottom of the crock-pot. Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours.
  • When the roast is tender enough to pull apart, gently shred with tongs, leaving bite size chunks of meat. Toss the meats in the juices as you pull the roast apart. Let the meat rest in the crock-pot while you prepare the glaze.

Glaze Directions

  • Combine the brown sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan and whisk to break up any lumps. Add the vinegar, water, and soy sauce and whisk to combine. Warm over medium heat until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. You can increase the heat as needed, but stir constantly.
  • When the sauce has thickened, drizzle the meat with about half of the glaze. Serve with additional glaze as desired. Enjoy!

Notes

I used a very inexpensive balsamic vinegar for this recipe. With the amount of sugar in the sauce, there is no need to use a more expensive aged vinegar!
Tried this recipe?Mention @barefeetkitchen or tag #barefeetkitchen!

{originally published 8/8/13 – recipe notes updated 2/16/22}

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Mary Younkin

Mary Younkin

Hi, I’m Mary. I’m the author, cook, photographer, and travel lover behind the scenes here at Barefeet In The Kitchen. I'm also the author of three cookbooks dedicated to making cooking from scratch as simple as possible.

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  1. Magnolia Verandah says

    Slow cooks are my favourite lately, you can put it on and just walk away, come back, dish up and everyone thinks you are a marvel. Never used balsamic in a slow cook….until now that is.

  2. Lisa @ The Meaning of Me says

    Great tip on the balsamic vinegar – I hate wasting the good aged stuff in recipes where it ultimately won't matter. I always keep more than one around. We are not pork eaters here, but I bet this would be great on a beef roast, too.

  3. Chris says

    This sounds fabulous. I want to try this on the smoker, smoking the meat until 160f and then putting it in a pan with the liquids to finish to about 197f. Kind of like using a crock pot at the end.

  4. morefoodpls says

    This looks delicious, I will give it a try! I have been sticking with a slow-cooked turkey chili recipe, but I've been looking around for more recipes to use for my slow cooker. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

  5. Kelsey & Desarae says

    Made this tonight and it was beyond amazing!! I did use a high quality vinegar, but only because I just bought a bottle of chocolate balsamic from a swanky local shop I was excited to use.

    I'm in bed now and fighting the urge to get up and eat the leftovers 🙂

  6. Christin says

    Great recipe! The pork was good even without the sauce. Left the sauce on the side for the family to add as they wanted. Will definitely make again!5 stars

  7. Carrie says

    This was delicious! I used the pork sirloin tip roast from Costco and have tried cooking it several ways, but it usually turns out dry. This was nice and juicy and very flavorful with or without the sauce!
    Thank you!5 stars

  8. Kerri Mills says

    I have been following you since 2014 and I love your style of cooking, it suits me and my busy lifestyle. This recipe is epic, so tasty and has been a go to for my family for years now.
    Thank you for all of your hard work. From a fellow cook here in New Zealand.5 stars