Pork Loin

As I was researching recipes for ideas of what to do with a small pork tenderloin, I was interested to read a long thread with arguments about whether you could cook a pork loin in a slow-cooker or not.  The people arguing against it claimed that since the loin doesn't have enough fat, it would end up dry and stringy.  The people arguing for it all claimed to have done it with great results.  I have never found a meat that I couldn't cook in my slow-cooker.  I especially like it for Boston butt and whole chickens, but I have only cooked 2 pork loins in my lifetime and both were the prepackaged, pre-marinated types that you really can't mess up.  This is a local pork loin that I received in my CSA this summer.  Since it came to me frozen, I put it in my freezer until I could figure out what to do with it.  I found it today as I was straightening up my freezer and decided to give it a try.  It is is my slow-cooker as I type and I used a recipe I found on www.foodnetwork.com:

Slow-Cooker Parmesan Pork Loin

Adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/robin-miller/slow-cooker-parmesan-sage-pork-loin-watercress-salad-sliced-pears-goat-cheese-toasted-pine-nuts-recipe/index.html

• 2 pounds diced yukin gold potatoes*
• 1 cup chopped candy-stripe beets*
• 1 cup chopped baby carrots 
• 1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 
• 1/2 cup Shock-Top raspberry wheat beer
• 1 (2-pound) pork loin*
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon salt-free garlic and herb seasoning
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Romano

1. Place diced vegetables into base of slow-cooker. Pour broth and beer over vegetables.

2. Season pork loin with pepper and garlic and herb seasoning.  Place on top of the vegetables.  Sprinkle with grated Romano; press into surface of pork loin.

3. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.  Remove pork from cooker and place on a cutting board; temper the meat for 5 minutes.  Slice pork crosswise into 1/2" slices.  Serve with vegetables.

*CSA ingredients.

As you can see, the meat was very, very well-done.  I cooked this overnight (about 8 hours) and that probably was a bit too long.  The meat is tender and moist, but it fell apart as I tried to cook it.  The other sad thing was the fact that the beets lost all their color in the cooking.  They actually kind of look like turnips now that they are cooked, however, they definitely taste like beets.  This is a very tasty dish, but I would keep the cooking time down to 6 hours the next time I tried it.