Looking for a quick midweek meal? This pork tenderloin in the slow cooker cooks super fast and pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes!
Ever since making the whole chicken in the crock-pot, I knew I would be bringing out the slow cooker again. I mean, they are great! Place all your ingredients in, set the timer, and bam! Off to keep yourself busy with other tasks. Plus, they are great for people who don't want to spend hours in the kitchen prepping and cooking.
Since Mr. TCW created his first meal in the slow cooker a month or so ago now, he has been fascinated with making more meals in it. I was going to leave the pork tenderloin for him to make, but getting home later from work leaves him no time to use the crock pot. So, I decided to make pork tenderloin in the slow cooker while I prepped the walls for painting. I love my crock pot because you stick the thermometer probe into the meat and tell the settings to cook it until it reaches a specific temperature. In this case, I cooked the meat to 145F. No more setting the timer and worrying about overcooking the meat with this handy little feature! And when it is all done, complete the tenderloin by broiling it under the broiler to create an evenly caramelized piece of meat! It takes a matter of minutes and finishes the dish perfectly.
Pork Tenderloin in the Slow Cooker
Quick and simple, this pork tenderloin is completed in no time and can be browned under the broiler if desired!
Ingredients
- 1 (2 ½ lbs) pork tenderloin, silver skin removed
- 1 granny smith apple, quartered and then sliced thin.
- Salt and pepper
Sauce
- ¼ tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ⅛ cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. coarse mustard
Instructions
- Place your tenderloin into the slow cooker. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Combine all the sauce ingredients and mix well. Add in the sliced apples. Toss again and pour over tenderloin.
- Cook for 4-5 hours on low, or until meat reaches 145F internally (pork tenderloin is really easy to overcook so if you have a probe attached to your slow cooker, I highly suggest using it.)
- Allow to rest for 10 minute before slicing.
- *For deeper color and flavor, broil your meat for a few minutes before slicing!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 464Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 207mgSodium: 500mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 75g
We paired the pork tenderloin in the slow cooker with a side of rice, and the vegan sweet potato salad I made the other day (which I will be posting soon!) The meal was enough to feed my husband and daughter. Next time I will look around for a larger piece of meat so they have some leftovers.
Update! Making this again (years later!) my husband said it was just as good, if not better 🙂 We paired it with some mashed potatoes and a vegetable side to add more sustenance.
The act of broiling the meat after cooking it in the crock pot never occurred to me until I began browsing Pinterest. There is nothing wrong with the meat completed straight in the crock pot; broiling just gives it a nice crust and caramelized topping. If you don't want to create more dishes or heat up the house with the oven, the meat will be fine as is. The little extra step of broiling took me 5 minutes and gave the meat some nice color. I used the same technique for my Whole Chicken in the Crock Pot.
Annick Hupperetz
Hello Kacey,
I did your recipe last night and I congratulate you, it was excellent. 🙂
Kacey
I am so happy it worked for you! Glad I posted it just in time for you to use up your pork tenderloin 🙂
Jamielyn@iheartnaptime
This looks incredible! I can't wait to try this!
Marlynn @ UrbanBlissLife
I love making pork tenderloin in the slow cooker and this recipe looks perfect for our busy weeknights ahead! I also love the suggested paired side dish too.
Kacey
Thanks, Marlynn!
Kirsten / Comfortably Domestic
Pork roasted in a crock pot always comes out so tender and juicy. The sauce and the apples have me drooling over this one.
Kacey
Pork tenderloin is so easy to overcook, but if done right it is so juicy!
Cookin Canuck
I really need to cook pork in the slow cooker more often. This recipe sound so easy and flavorful!
Kacey
Don't worry, I don't break it out enough either!
Katerina @ Diethood
Slow cooked pork tenderloin?! YEAH! This must happen, asap!
Chrisy @ Homemade Hooplah
Loving the seasonings you used! I'd love to cook this in the crock pot all day and have it waiting for me when I get home 😀
Dee Dee (My Midlife Kitchen)
My crock pot (or slow cooker) is my favorite kitchen appliance, hands down. And this recipe is a perfect example of why that is! Yum!
Julie @ Texan New Yorker
Fabulous idea to use the meat thermometer! Your recipe title got my attention immediately, because I was thinking "how's that going to work? Pork tenderloin overcooks SO quickly!"
But your solution is just perfect! I'll have to try this, I love my slow cooker.
Kacey
I wouldn't trust myself cooking a tenderloin in the slow cooker without that thermometer!
Cyndi - My Kitchen Craze
I need to make this for my parents. We don't eat pork in our family, but my parents love it. My mom always tends to over cook her pork and it makes it so dry. She would love this dish. Especially since she works all day too.
Kacey
Aww, that would be so sweet of you! It is hard NOT to overcook pork.
Cathy | Lemon Tree Dwellingc
Wow - does this look moist & flavorful! My family would love it!