There is something mighty comforting about a slow cooker supper that leans on a pantry staple and still tastes like you fussed half the day. This vintage apricot pork is the sort of sweet-and-savory main dish that reminds folks of church potlucks and family dinners from years gone by, when canned fruit often found its way into supper just as naturally as dessert. Using canned apricot halves gives the sauce a lovely old-fashioned character, and the slow cooker does the patient work of turning a simple pork roast into a tender, spoonable meal.
Serve this apricot pork over fluffy rice, buttered egg noodles, or a pile of mashed potatoes to catch every bit of the golden sauce. A simple green bean side, glazed carrots, or a crisp lettuce salad balances the sweetness nicely, and warm dinner rolls on the table never hurt a thing when there is good sauce to swipe up.
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Vintage Apricot Pork
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 can (15 ounces) apricot halves, undrained
Directions
1. Spoon the canned apricot halves with their syrup into the bottom of a slow cooker, spreading them into an even layer.
2. Set the pork roast on top of the apricots. Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the pork, then pour the French dressing and brown sugar over everything.
3. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours, until the pork is very tender and cooked through.
4. Transfer the pork to a platter, let it rest for a few minutes, then slice or shred. Spoon the apricots and sauce over the top before serving.
Variations & Tips
Use pork shoulder for extra richness: If you prefer a roast that shreds more easily and has a deeper, richer flavor, use a small boneless pork shoulder in place of the loin. It will make a slightly fuller sauce and a more succulent finished dish.
Make the sauce smoother: For a more old-fashioned glaze-like finish, mash a few of the softened apricot halves right into the cooking liquid before spooning it over the pork. That thickens the sauce a touch without adding another ingredient.
Keep the sweetness balanced: If your canned apricots are packed in heavy syrup, the dish may run a bit sweeter. In that case, serving it with plain rice, mashed potatoes, or simply salted green beans helps even things out beautifully.
Slice or shred to suit supper: Pork loin slices nicely if you want a neater Sunday-dinner look, while shredding it gives more of that comforting potluck style. Either way, be generous with the apricots and sauce, because that is where the character of the whole dish lives.
