Pork tenderloin in an inexpensive cut of meat that’s tender and full of flavor. It gets even better when you slow cook it with plenty of seasonings. Slice and serve for an amazing meal! I serve my pork tenderloin with a side of homemade Rice-A-Roni and roasted carrots for a complete dinner. If you love comfort food crock pot meals as much as I do, be sure to also check out my slow cooker beef bourguignon! I know that pork tenderloin can be a little intimidating if you’ve never made it before. However, this slow cooker pork tenderloin recipe will make it seem like it’s any other classic dish you’ve made a thousand times. It’s much easier than it first appears.
Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin Ingredients
This recipe is made with pork tenderloin, olive oil, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, chicken broth, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, cornstarch, butter and parsley.
HOW DO YOU MAKE SLOW COOKER PORK TENDERLOIN?
The first step is to season your meat and give it a good sear before placing it in the crock pot. If you’re short on time and don’t want to brown your pork first, you can place directly in the slow cooker and skip this step. I think it’s really worth the extra effort though because it adds so much more flavor. The pork goes into the slow cooker with a whole bunch of flavorings like garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, chicken broth and herbs. This forms the base of the gravy. The gravy is thickened at the end of the cooking time and fortified with a little butter to give it some richness. I serve my slow cooker pork tenderloin over rice or mashed potatoes to make the most out of all that delicious gravy.
Tips for Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin
This crock pot pork tenderloin recipe calls for 2 tenderloins, but can easily be halved to feed a smaller group. You can cut the pork in half to fit into the crock pot as needed, or you can use an oval shaped slow cooker. Make sure that you’re using pork tenderloin, not pork loin. They are two different cuts of meat. I recommend serving this dish with bread on the side to sop up all the pan juices. A green salad or steamed vegetable is also a welcome addition to the meal. You can even get creative and choose something like a fresh and unique fennel salad. More great side dishes to try include roasted mushrooms and candied sweet potatoes. Leftover pork can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The leftovers make for an awesome sandwich!
Flavor Variations
This recipe is fabulous as-is, but you can add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
Seasonings: Feel free to add other spices to the gravy mixture such as onion powder, garlic powder or paprika. Herbs: You can add some fresh herbs to the crock pot for extra flavor. I recommend adding a few sprigs of fresh thyme, or a little chopped oregano. Add-Ins: You can add some vegetables like carrots, onions, mushrooms or potatoes to the crock pot. Just be sure to cut them in large pieces so that they don’t get overly soft after the long cooking time. If you prefer your veggies to be on the firmer side, add them during the last 2 hours of the cook time.
Back in the day, I had no idea how to cook a pork tenderloin and didn’t even know where to start. Now, it’s one of the easiest dishes I make and the entire family loves it. I have no doubt you will thoroughly enjoy it as much as we did.
MORE PORK RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
Stuffed Pork Tenderloin Teriyaki Pork Stir Fry BBQ Pork Chops Mushroom Pork Chops Apple Pork Chops