This slow cooker pork sirloin tip roast is the kind of Mother’s Day comfort that takes me straight back to my mom’s Sunday dinners on the farm. Just four simple ingredients go into the pot in the morning, and by the time you walk back through the door, the house smells like it’s been loved all day. The pork turns fall-apart tender and gets smothered in a rich, old-fashioned brown gravy that tastes like something Grandma would’ve whisked together on the stove, only this time the slow cooker does the work while you’re off enjoying your day.
Serve thick slices of the gravy-smothered pork over a big scoop of creamy mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles so they can soak up every bit of that dark, glossy gravy. A side of simple buttered corn, green beans, or a tossed salad keeps it feeling like a classic Midwestern Sunday plate. Warm dinner rolls or sliced country bread are perfect for mopping up the extra gravy right from the slow cooker, and if it’s a special day like Mother’s Day, finish the meal with something simple and homey, like a fruit crisp or a pan of brownies.
4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Gravy-Smothered Pork Sirloin Tip RoastServings: 6
Ingredients
3 to 4 pounds boneless pork sirloin tip roast
1 (1-ounce) packet dry brown gravy mix
1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup water
Directions
Place the pork sirloin tip roast in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, fat side up if there is a fat cap. This lets the fat baste the meat as it cooks, just like the old Sunday roasts.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry brown gravy mix, condensed cream of mushroom soup, and water until fairly smooth. It will look pale now but will darken and deepen in flavor as it cooks.
Pour the gravy mixture evenly over the pork roast, making sure the top is well coated and some of the mixture runs down around the sides of the meat into the bottom of the slow cooker.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the pork is very tender and easily slices or pulls apart with a fork. Longer and slower will give you that classic, fall-apart Sunday roast texture.
When the roast is done, carefully lift it out onto a cutting board, letting some of the gravy drip back into the slow cooker. Slice the pork across the grain into thick slices; if it’s very tender, you can also pull it into large chunks.
Stir the gravy left in the slow cooker to smooth it out. If you’d like it a little thicker, remove the lid and let it bubble on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it looks glossy and slightly reduced.
Nestle the sliced or chunked pork back into the slow cooker, spooning the hot, darkened gravy over the top so the meat is well smothered. Cover and let it sit on WARM for about 10 minutes so the flavors mingle before serving straight from the slow cooker.
To serve, lift the glossy, gravy-covered slices onto a platter or plates, spooning extra dark amber gravy over the top and letting it pool around the edges, just like those old-fashioned Sunday suppers.
Variations & Tips
If you’d like a little more depth of flavor, you can replace half of the water with beef broth for a heartier, darker gravy, still keeping to the same simple four-ingredient idea. For a slightly different vintage taste, use a packet of onion gravy mix instead of plain brown gravy mix, or stir in a teaspoon of dried thyme or rubbed sage along with the soup and water. If your family prefers a smoother gravy, you can strain the gravy before returning the sliced pork to the slow cooker, pressing any soft bits through with the back of a spoon. To make the gravy creamier, stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of sour cream at the very end (after cooking) and whisk until smooth. For a smaller household, you can use a 2- to 2 1/2-pound pork sirloin tip roast and keep the other ingredients the same; just start checking for tenderness about an hour earlier. Leftovers reheat well and can be served over toast or rice for an easy second meal.
Food safety tips: Always thaw the pork roast completely in the refrigerator before putting it into the slow cooker; starting with frozen meat can keep it in the temperature danger zone too long. Keep the slow cooker covered while cooking so the temperature stays consistent. Use a meat thermometer if you’re unsure about doneness; pork should reach at least 145°F in the center, though this recipe typically goes well beyond that for tenderness. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking in shallow containers so they cool quickly, and reheat the pork and gravy to at least 165°F before serving again.
