How to Brown a Pork Loin in the Frying Pan for a Slow Cooker

If you are going to slow cook a pork loin roast, you can brown it in a frying pan beforehand to add texture and flavor to the finished roast. This method is called searing, and forms a delicious golden crust around the pork loin that will hold in the juices well while the roast slow cooks. The easiest mistake to make while trying to properly sear a piece of meat is putting it on the pan before it is hot enough. Timing is crucial to the perfect sear, but once you've got the technique down it soon becomes second nature.

Things You'll Need

Kitchen shears
Paper towels
Salt

Pepper
Vegetable oil
12-inch skillet

Instructions

Cut away any excess fat around the pork loin roast using a pair of kitchen shears.
Pat the pork loin roast all over with paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
Rub a generous amount of both salt and pepper into the trimmed pork loin roast, making sure to cover the entire surface area.
Heat up 2 to 4 tbsp. of vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet, depending on the size of your pork loin, on medium-high heat for four full minutes or until the oil is just starting to smoke.
Place the seasoned pork loin in the hot pan. It should start sizzling immediately upon contact. Do not move the pork loin, even slightly, and allow it to cook for three minutes.
Flip the roast over and sear the other side for another three minutes. Repeat until all sides of the roast have been seared.
Transfer the browned roast into the slow cooker and cook as usual.

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