My brother won a local cook-off with this ridiculously easy secret. With 4 ingredients you get a tangy, sweet, and perfectly juicy main course that requires zero effort.

This slow cooker 4-ingredient maple mustard pork loin is exactly the kind of dinner I rely on during busy workweeks: you toss everything in the crockpot before work, and come home to a tangy, sweet, perfectly juicy main course that tastes like you fussed over it all day. My brother actually won a small local cook-off with this exact combo, and everyone assumed there was some complicated secret. The truth? Just pork, maple syrup, mustard, and a little soy sauce for savory depth. The slow cooker does all the work, and a quick blast under the broiler at the end gives you that gorgeous caramelized glaze you’d swear came from a fancy restaurant.

This pork loin is super versatile. I like to serve the sliced medallions over creamy mashed potatoes or simple buttered egg noodles, spooning extra maple mustard glaze over the top. Roasted green beans, carrots, or a bagged salad mix make it feel like a full Sunday dinner with weeknight effort. It’s also great tucked into soft rolls with a little extra mustard for easy sandwiches, or served with rice and steamed broccoli for a lighter, meal-prep-friendly option.

Servings: 6

3 to 3 1/2 pound boneless pork loin roast, trimmed of excess fat

Pat the pork loin dry with paper towels and place it in the slow cooker, fat side up if there is a fat cap. This helps keep it juicy as it cooks.

In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and soy sauce until smooth and fully combined. Taste and adjust the balance if you like it a little sweeter (more maple) or tangier (more mustard).

Pour the maple mustard mixture evenly over the pork loin, turning the roast once or twice to coat all sides. Nestle the pork back into the slow cooker with the thickest part in the center so it cooks evenly.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the pork is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F in the thickest part. Avoid lifting the lid too often so you don’t lose heat and moisture.

About 20 minutes before serving, preheat your oven broiler and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Carefully transfer the cooked pork loin from the slow cooker to the foil-lined baking sheet, reserving all the cooking liquid in the slow cooker.

Pour some of the maple mustard cooking liquid from the slow cooker into a small saucepan (about 1 to 1 1/2 cups). Bring it to a simmer over medium heat and let it bubble for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and glossy. It should be the consistency of a pourable glaze that will cling to the pork.

Brush a generous layer of the thickened maple mustard glaze all over the pork loin on the baking sheet. Place the pork under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely, until the edges are caramelized and the glaze looks sticky and lightly browned.

Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest on the baking sheet, loosely tented with foil, for 10 minutes. This helps the juices redistribute so the slices stay moist instead of drying out on the cutting board.

Transfer the rested pork loin to a cutting board and slice it into thick medallions, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Arrange the slices back on the foil-lined baking sheet, slightly fanned out so you can see the pinkish white center and caramelized edges.

Spoon or brush a bit more of the remaining glaze over the sliced medallions for a glossy finish. Serve warm with any extra glaze on the side for drizzling at the table.

For a slightly smokier version, use half Dijon mustard and half whole-grain mustard, and add a tiny splash more soy sauce while still keeping the ingredient list to four. If you prefer a stronger savory note, you can increase the soy sauce to 3 tablespoons and slightly reduce the maple syrup so the pork leans more tangy than sweet. For meal prep, cook the pork as directed, slice it after resting, and store the medallions in a shallow container with extra glaze spooned over the top so they stay moist when reheated. If you’re cooking for a smaller household, use a 2-pound pork loin and keep the sauce amounts the same for extra glaze (it’s great over potatoes or rice), then freeze leftover sliced pork in portions with some sauce. To dress it up for guests, garnish the sliced pork with a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley or thinly sliced green onion right before serving—still the same 4-ingredient base, just a little extra color on the plate.