Pork tenderloin is one of the best proteins for a busy weeknight. It’s tender, juicy, full of flavor, and most importantly, cooks quickly. Our slow cooker pork tenderloin is easier than using the oven, thanks to the crockpot. We put everything into the slow cooker before we start our day, and by the time dinnertime comes around, the house smells wonderful, and it’s ready to serve.
Plus, It’s a reliable cut of meat that we always know the family will love and pairs with most side dishes. It’s easy to change up the flavors with different spices and sauces. Our Instant Pot pork tenderloin with apples or honey garlic pork loin chops are two other delicious pork recipe options.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Less than 15 minutes to prepare the meal in the morning. Then slow cooker will do the rest of the work for you all day while you are at work. You’ll come home to a hearty dinner that tastes comforting and homemade.
- Easy and affordable 10 ingredient shopping list. When it comes to shopping at the store, all of the ingredients are easy to shop for and will keep your wallet happy.
- Pairs well with any side dish and also makes great leftovers. The crockpot pork tenderloin is great served alongside roasted veggies, baked potatoes, salads, and more!
Tips for Busy Cooks
We usually keep a package of pork tenderloin in the freezer at all times so we can make this meal quickly during the week. We defrost the meat overnight in the fridge, then assemble it in the slow cooker in the morning to cook all day. This makes a homemade dinner easy to accomplish!
Key Ingredient Notes
- Pork tenderloin – A tender cut of pork that is usually about 1 pound. Two pork tenderloins usually come in a package which makes them great for feeding a crowd.
- Sweet onion – It’s much milder and sweeter than regular yellow onion, adding a touch of onion sweetness to the sauce. You can substitute yellow onion if you want to.
- Brown sugar – It brings beautiful balance in our spicy gravy. We prefer brown sugar over granulated sugar in this dish.
- Red wine vinegar – This is another important ingredient for well-rounded flavor in our slow cooker pork tenderloin. Though any kind of vinegar would work, we like the flavor of red wine vinegar the most. The best substitute is apple cider vinegar.
- Soy sauce – We always use regular soy sauce vs low sodium soy sauce. Did you know that low sodium soy sauce may have less salt, but it has more chemicals? It’s true, that’s why it’s better to dilute the regular soy sauce with water to bring the salt down.
- Hot sauce – This is, of course, the crucial ingredient in this recipe, and we highly recommend using your favorite hot sauce. We personally like Frank’s RedHot.
- Cornstarch – It’s a thickener for the gravy to make that smooth luscious sauce.
Pork Tenderloin vs Pork Loin
Is pork tenderloin the same as pork loin? No, they’re not the same cut of meat. Pork loin is a large piece of roast, perfect for roasting as a whole and/or cutting into pork chops.
On the other hand, Pork tenderloin, is long thin log of meat and weighs about 1 to 1.5lbs. It takes the sauce really well, which makes it ideal for our today’s recipe.
How to make easy slow cooker pork tenderloin
- Place onions in the bottom of slow cooker.
- Add the pork tenderloin over the onions.
- In a small bowl, combine water, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, hot sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well and pour over the pork.
- Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or on high 3-4 hours, or until inserted thermometer reads 160°F.
- Transfer the pork and onions onto a platter. Tent with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes, while you finish the sauce.
- Carefully pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a saucepan. Bring it to boil.
- In a small dish, combine cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water. Add it to the sauce. Cook the sauce until nice and thick, about 5 minutes.
- Serve the pork, sliced, with spicy sauce over mashed potatoes, or steamed rice. Leftovers are great for sandwiches, egg rolls, and with baked potatoes as well.
Expert Tips:
- Cook the pork tenderloin until it registers 160ºF on a meat thermometer. This means 7 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high in the slow cooker. You don’t want to overcook the tenderloin or it will be tough and dry.
- You want to boil the sauce and add the cornstarch to thicken. If your sauce isn’t thick and glossy, simply add a teaspoon more cornstarch and whisk to combine while you are simmering.
- Allow the pork tenderloin to rest outside of the slow cooker for 10 minutes before serving. This will allow the meat to rest and the juices to distribute evenly in the meat, so when you’re ready to slice and serve, every bite is moist.
- You can add other vegetables to the bottom of the slow cooker if desired. We add sliced onions, but you could also add carrots, celery, or parsnips. Make sure it’s a sturdy veggie and that you cut them into 2-inch chunks.
What to serve with slow cooker pork tenderloin
It pairs so nicely with almost any side dish! Here are some of our favorites:
Storing Tips
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a skillet with broth until warmed through.
You can freeze cooked tenderloin as well for up to 2 months. Just defrost in the fridge and reheat fully before enjoying.
FAQs
You probably overcooked it or didn’t add enough stock while cooking it to ensure that it stays nice and juicy.
In the slow cooker, we recommend cooking either on low for 7 hours or high for 3 to 4. Depending on your day, you can choose what setting works best for you.
We always use stock, like chicken stock, to add even more flavor to the meat as it cooks.
More Delicious Pork Recipes
Easy Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2-3 lb pork tenderloin mine came in 2 pieces
- 2 large sweet onions sliced
- 1 cup hot water
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce of your choice
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic about 3 large cloves
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Place onions in the bottom of slow cooker.
- Place pork tenderloin over the onions.
- In a small bowl, combine water, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, hot sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well and pour over the pork.
- Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or on high 3-4 hours, or until inserted thermometer reads 160°F.
- Transfer the pork and onions onto a platter. Tent with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes, while you finish the sauce.
- Carefully pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a saucepan. Bring it to boil.
- In a small dish, combine cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water. Add it to the sauce. Cook the sauce until nice and thick, about 5 minutes.
- Serve the pork, sliced, with spicy sauce over mashed potatoes, or steamed rice. Leftovers are great for sandwiches, egg rolls, and with baked potatoes as well.
Share your thoughts! If you make this please leave a review letting me know how it was!
Notes
– Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a skillet with broth until warmed through.
– You can freeze cooked tenderloin as well for up to 2 months. Just defrost in the fridge and reheat fully before enjoying. Expert Tips:
– Cook the pork tenderloin until it registers 160ºF on a meat thermometer. This means 7 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high in the slow cooker. You don’t want to overcook the tenderloin, or it will be tough and dry.
– You want to boil the sauce and add the cornstarch to thicken. If your sauce isn’t thick and glossy, simply add a teaspoon more cornstarch and whisk to combine while you are simmering.
– Allow the pork tenderloin to rest outside of the slow cooker for 10 minutes before serving. This allows the meat to rest, distributing the juices evenly, so every bite is moist when you’re ready to slice and serve.
– You can add other vegetables to the bottom of the slow cooker if desired. We add sliced onions, but you could also add carrots, celery, or parsnips. Make sure it’s a sturdy veggie and that you cut it into 2-inch chunks.
Nutrition
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full nutrition disclosure.
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