Crock-Pot Balsamic Brown Sugar Pork Roast

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 work. 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 recipe floating around online for the past couple years. 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. 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.

COOK'S NOTE: 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!

Crock-Pot Balsamic Brown Sugar Pork Roast
recipe slightly adapted from Let's Dish Recipes
Yield: 6 servings
(printable recipe)

1 1/2 - 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 arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce

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.

Leave the meat in the crock-pot while you prepare the glaze. Combine the brown sugar and arrowroot 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. This should only take a few 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!






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