Easter Sunday Feast: Just 4 ingredients. I make it when I want a holiday-worthy dinner handled hours ahead so I can spend time with the family.

This 4-ingredient slow cooker glazed Easter pork is my secret weapon when I want a holiday-worthy main dish that practically cooks itself while I’m hanging out with family. It leans on a pre-glazed pork loin roast, so all we’re really doing is adding a few pantry staples to deepen the caramelized, dark amber glaze and keep the meat ridiculously juicy. The slow cooker does all the work, transforming a simple store-bought glazed pork loin into something that looks and tastes like you hovered over the oven all day—without actually doing that.

I like to serve this glazed Easter pork with buttery mashed potatoes or cheesy scalloped potatoes to soak up the extra glaze, plus a bright green veggie like roasted asparagus or green beans for balance. A simple spring salad with mixed greens, sliced strawberries, and a tangy vinaigrette cuts through the richness really nicely. Warm dinner rolls or crusty bread are perfect for mopping up every last bit of that dark, sticky sauce. If you’re feeling festive, add a light dessert like lemon bars or carrot cake to round out the Easter spread.

Servings: 6-8

1 (3–4 lb) pre-glazed pork loin roast (fully seasoned with glaze packet or pre-glazed exterior)

Unwrap the pre-glazed pork loin and remove any plastic or netting, but keep as much of the exterior glaze on the meat as possible. If there is a separate glaze packet, set it aside for later.

Place the glazed pork loin into the slow cooker, fat side up. This helps the fat baste the meat as it cooks and keeps it extra juicy.

In a small bowl, whisk together the apple juice, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture looks smooth and syrupy.

Pour the apple juice mixture evenly over and around the pork loin in the slow cooker, trying to coat as much of the surface as you can. Don’t worry if some runs to the bottom—this will become your glossy cooking sauce.

Cover and cook on LOW for 5–7 hours, or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the pork is very tender and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads at least 145°F. The exterior should look caramelized and deep amber from the glaze and slow cooking.

Optional but recommended: About 30 minutes before serving, carefully ladle 1/2–1 cup of the cooking liquid from the slow cooker into a small saucepan. If your pork loin came with a glaze packet, whisk it into this hot liquid until smooth and slightly thickened, then pour it back over the pork in the slow cooker. Spoon some of the thickened glaze over the top of the roast.

Once the pork is done, transfer it to a cutting board. Let it rest for 10 minutes so the juices can settle. During this time, you can skim any excess fat from the surface of the slow cooker juices if you’d like.

Slice the pork loin into thick slices or gently pull it into large, juicy chunks with two forks, depending on how tender it is and how you like to serve it.

Spoon the dark amber glaze and juices from the slow cooker over the sliced or pulled pork. Serve warm straight from the slow cooker or on a platter, making sure each serving gets plenty of that glossy, caramelized sauce.

For a slightly smokier vibe, swap half of the apple juice for a splash of apple cider vinegar and 1–2 tablespoons of your favorite barbecue sauce—it keeps the glaze dark and sticky while adding a subtle smoky tang. If you prefer a sweeter, more ham-like Easter flavor, use honey mustard instead of Dijon and add an extra tablespoon of brown sugar. For a citrus twist, replace the apple juice with orange juice and add 1 teaspoon of orange zest to the glaze mixture. If your pork loin isn’t very glazed to start with, you can bump up the brown sugar to 1/3 cup and brush a little extra over the top of the roast halfway through cooking. To make cleanup easier on a busy holiday, line your slow cooker with a slow cooker liner or lightly spray it with cooking spray before adding the pork. Leftovers reheat beautifully: store in an airtight container with some of the glaze and warm gently in a covered dish in the oven or microwave, adding a splash of extra apple juice if needed to keep the meat moist.