Recipe Review | Cranberry Pork Roast (CrockPot)

My girlfriend and I have been on a kick sharing and trying new crock pot recipes lately. We usually collect between 5-7 recipes, make one master shopping list, and then email the lot to one another. Then we each (on separate coasts) prep all the meals in one afternoon/evening into Ziplock Freezer bags and store them in the freezer until we cook them for our families. Upon doing so, we report back to one another which meals were "flips" and which were "flops." 

Cranberry Pork Roast is a definite "flip," as in: EVERYONE flipped out over how delicious it was. This is a crock pot meal I would serve at a dinner party. Really. 

(CrockPot) Cranberry Pork Roast

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What you need:

2.5-3 lb pork loin or rib roast (I used 2 smallish loins = 2.5 lbs)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup raisins
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/3 cup cranberry juice
1/2 small lemon, thinly sliced (my lemon was small so I used the whole thing)

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What to do:

Put the meat in a plastic zipper bag, add the ginger, mustard, salt, pepper, and cornstarch. Shake to coat.

Put the contents in the crock pot. 

Add cranberry sauce, cranberries and sugar. Put in raisins and garlic. Pour in cranberry juice, and top with lemon slices. 

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for about 4. 

The slower and lower you cook the meat, the more tender it will be so I recommend using the low setting.

Serve over rice or pasta. (I've served it over Orzo and rice; it's always delicious!)

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What to do if you are FREEZING for future use:

Put the meat in a freezer bag and add the ginger, mustard, salt, pepper, and cornstarch. Shake to coat. 

Add the remaining ingredients to the bag.

Write on the bag: "Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. Serve with rice or pasta."

The result is smokey, tender meat that literally falls apart with a fork. The flavor is tart from the cranberries and lemon but also sweet from the sugar and raisins. Shredded and served over orzo with some of the juices (+ a green salad) made for an easy and delicious weeknight meal. I hope you give it a try!