Cinnamon Apple Pork Loin Roast (slow cooker! gluten free!)

2-3 lb pork loin (would probably work with tenderloin too)
4 Tbsp cider vinegar
1/3 c dark brown sugar
1/2 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp rosemary
3-4 apples (I used golden delicious and granny smith)
1 onion
1/4 c half and half or heavy cream (for sauce)


(I always have to defrost my meat, which makes step 1 easier...)

Defrost the pork loin and after is is about 25% defrosted, go ahead and do step 1 (below)...if the pork is still mostly frozen and you use a good serated knife (I use a bread knife...) it will be 1000 times easier.

1. Cut through the pork, almost like you are slicing it, but leave about an inch uncut at the bottom. I had about 8 cuts in mine. (Kind of like a Hasselback potato?)

2.  Combine all ingrediants, excluding the apples, onions and half and half in a bag and marinate the sliced pork overnight, or up to 48 hours.

3. Morning of cooking - Slice 2 of the apples into sixths(ish) if they are large or quarters if they are small, and do the same with the onion. Throw those in the bottom of the crock pot. Sprinkle some cinnamon over the apples.

4. Slice the remainder of your apples into thin pieces (I used my apple peeler/corer/slicer for this part).

5. Remove the meat from the marinating bag (don't throw it away!) and begin sliding the apple slices into the slits in your meat. I put about 3 half slices into each cut. Place the stuffed meat into the crockpot and dump the remaining marinade over it.

6. Cook on high for 6-8 hours or low for 10-12.

7. (Optional) About 20 minutes before serving, carefully remove the roast and strain out the apples and onions. Puree them in a food processor to make a savory applesaucey kind of thing. Add more cinnamon, should you so desire.  Take the liquid from the slowcooker and pour it into a saucepan. Reduce it by about 1/3 and then add your cream or half and half. Taste it and add salt and pepper if needed.

Serve on a pretty platter surrounded by veggies, if you want to impress people...I served it with roasted butternut squash and cranberries. It was a big hit...