This 4-ingredient slow cooker pork sirloin is the kind of set-it-and-forget-it meal that makes busy midsummer days feel a little easier. You start with a raw bone-in pork sirloin roast, tuck it into the slow cooker, and surround it with just three everyday pantry staples. By dinnertime, the meat is fall-apart tender, the house smells amazing, and you’ve got a comforting, vintage-style family meal without hovering over a hot stove. It feels like something our moms or grandmas would have made on a Sunday, but simple enough for any weeknight.
Serve the pork sliced or shredded with the flavorful juices spooned over the top. It’s wonderful alongside buttered boiled potatoes or mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, and a simple green salad or steamed green beans. In midsummer, I like to add sliced garden tomatoes and cucumbers on the side. Leftovers make great sandwiches on soft rolls with a little mustard or mayo, or you can tuck the pork into tortillas with some crunchy slaw for an easy second-night meal.
4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Midsummer Pork SirloinServings: 6
Ingredients
3 to 4 lb raw bone-in pork sirloin roast
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and thickly sliced
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup soy sauce (regular or low-sodium)
Directions
Place the thick onion slices in an even layer on the bottom of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. This creates a flavorful bed and keeps the pork slightly lifted from the bottom.
Set the raw bone-in pork sirloin roast directly on top of the onion slices in the slow cooker, bone side down if possible. If there is a thick fat cap, place it facing up so it can baste the meat as it cooks.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the chicken broth and soy sauce. Pour this mixture evenly over and around the pork roast in the slow cooker. The roast does not need to be fully submerged; it will release juices as it cooks.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the pork is very tender and easily pulls away from the bone with a fork and reaches at least 145°F in the thickest part.
Once done, carefully transfer the pork roast to a cutting board, using tongs and a large spatula. Let it rest for about 10 minutes so the juices settle, then slice or gently shred the meat, discarding the bone and any large pieces of fat.
While the pork rests, skim excess fat from the surface of the cooking juices in the slow cooker. Lightly mash the cooked onions into the juices with a spoon to make a rustic, savory sauce.
Return the sliced or shredded pork to the slow cooker and toss gently with some of the warm oniony juices, or serve the pork on a platter with the juices and onions spooned over the top. Taste and add a pinch of salt at the table if needed, remembering the soy sauce already adds saltiness.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters, you can keep the onions in large slices so they’re easy to pick around, or strain them out of the juices before serving and just offer the meat and broth. If your family likes a touch of sweetness, stir 1 to 2 tablespoons of brown sugar or honey into the broth and soy sauce mixture before pouring it over the roast. For a brighter, more summery flavor, add a teaspoon of dried thyme or rosemary, or finish the cooked pork with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. To make this more like a complete one-pot meal, tuck 4 to 6 medium potatoes (scrubbed and quartered) and 3 to 4 large carrots (cut into chunks) around the pork before cooking; make sure the vegetables are in contact with the cooking liquid so they soften properly. If you prefer less sodium, choose low-sodium soy sauce and broth and taste before adding any extra salt at the table. Food safety tips: Always start with a fully thawed pork roast—never put a frozen roast into the slow cooker, as it may stay too long in the temperature “danger zone.” Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches at least 145°F in the thickest part, away from the bone, and keep the lid on the slow cooker as much as possible while cooking to maintain a safe, steady temperature. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of serving and use within 3 to 4 days, reheating until steaming hot before eating.
