Slow-Cooked Rosemary & Garlic Pork Loin

I think the crock-pot was a brilliant invention... right up there with the invention of the wheel!! Ok, I'm kidding... but no, seriously, it's a wonderful tool to have in your kitchen...especially if you're somebody who just wants to fix it in the morning, put in it the pot, go to work, come home and it's ready to eat the moment you walk in the door. You can make a decent meal by just throwing a couple of chicken breasts in, a cup of BBQ sauce, some salt & pepper, and BAM! - Dinner is served! :-)

This recipe takes a little preparation time, but well worth it. The combination of white wine, lemon and rosemary... *sigh*... yum!! I know the searing can be a pain in the butt, but it traps in the flavors of the spices on the meat before you let it sit in the crock-pot for hours. If you don't do this, you'll wash all your spices off when you pour the wine and stock on top of the loin.

A while back, I found the base of this recipe on an iphone application called, "Crock-Pot." I tried it. It was good, but I felt it was missing something. I made a few changes - adding the oregano, pork seasoning, potatoes, and shallots. Now it's perfect... in my biased opinion.


Slow-Cooked Rosemary & Garlic Pork Loin


Ingredients:

2-2 1/2 pound pork loin (with the twine), patted dry
3 tablespoons dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon pork seasoning
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
2 medium-sided red potatoes
1/2 lemon, sliced thinly
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine


Directions:

1. In a casserole dish, coat the pork loin in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Salt & Pepper the loin first, then rub rosemary, garlic, pork seasoning and oregano all over.

2. Add thin lemon wedges between the twine. (you can also add chunks of garlic too!)

3. Transfer to a skillet or pan and sear the loin in 2 tablespoons of oil on medium-high heat, on all sides, until slightly brown - about 2-3 minutes each side.

4. Line the bottom of your crock-pot with the chopped shallots.

5. Transfer pork loin to the crock-pot.

6. Place chopped red potatoes around the pork loin.

7. Add 1/2 cup of white wine and 1/2 cup of chicken broth to the skillet you used for your pork loin. Stir for a minute, then pour on top of the loin and potatoes.

8. Let cook for 10-12 hours on Low or 5-6 hours on High.