This slow cooker pork tenderloin is simmered in a garlic and herb gravy and produces perfect results every time. An easy crock pot dinner that the whole family will love.
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!
Recipe FAQs
The amount of time you cook a pork loin depends on the weight of the meat. Most often, it averages about two hours of slow cooker time per 1 pound of pork tenderloin.
It’s definitely not a must that the pork tenderloin needs to be seared before it is slow cooked. However, when the meat is seared, it allows for more complex flavors to be released when the slow cooking process is in progress. If a portion of meat is sear with a coating of flour before slow cooking, this helps thicken the sauce in the crock pot dish.
The great this about this lean cut of meat is because it’s naturally tender, it can be enjoyed in many different cooking methods. This slow cooker pork tenderloin is especially flavorful, but you can also pan sear, air fry, grill or roast pork tenderloin.
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
Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin Video
Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided use
- 2 pork tenderloins approximately 2 1/4 lbs total
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium high heat.
- Season the pork tenderloins on all sides with the salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Cut the pork tenderloins in half if needed to fit into your slow cooker.
- Sear the pork for 5-6 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
- Place the pork in a slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, mix together the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, chicken broth, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and garlic.
- Pour the sauce over the pork. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or HIGH for 4 hours.
- Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place on a plate; cover with foil to keep warm.
- Pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a pot. Heat the pot over medium heat and bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup of cold water. Add the cornstarch to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Cook for 1 minute, or until sauce has just thickened.
- Add the butter to the pot and stir until melted. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Slice or shred your pork and pour the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Notes
- If you’re short on time, you can skip browning the meat and simply season your pork and add it straight to the slow cooker.
- Make sure you are using pork tenderloin, not pork loin, as they are two different cuts of meat.
Curious if this could be made in an instant pot? And how would that timing work?
I think it could work but unfortunately I haven’t tested the recipe this way. I will be sure to let you know when I do have an Instant Pot specific pork tenderloin recipe on the site.
New recipe for me—wasn’t sure about balsamic vinegar but this was delish!! Meat very tender and the glaze tasty. It’s a keeper!
Do you think you could substitute white wine for the chicken broth or no?
You could probably substitute around 1/4 cup of white wine for the chicken broth, but a cup would be overwhelming and a totally different flavor!
If I only used 1 tenderloin instead of 2, do you think the cooking time would change?
I’d reduce the cooking time by an hour!
Delicious! I took your advice to try the Dutch oven at 325. It worked perfectly. The meat was fork-tender when I checked it after 2.5 hours. Definitely a “keeper.”
Would recommend assembling this the night before and then cooking it the next day? Thank you!
I would be concerned about leaving partially cooked meat overnight, but you could absolutely mix up the sauce the night before!
We love this dish. My Crock Pot is a smaller 2.5 quart size, so even 1/2 tenderloin needs to be cut in half. The other half goes in the freezer. I don’t halve the sauce because it makes a tasty gravy. After browning the meat, I lightly brown an onion (cut in half), and add that to the Crock Pot. Next I add a little more olive oil to the pan, and make a lightly toasted roux, add the chicken stock to that and bring it to a boil. After a short break, I’ll add the rest of the ingredients to the CrockPot (the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and minced garlic). One thing you don’t mention, but I learned, is the “silver skin” should be removed. It never gets tender. Thank you for the recipe.
How long in the small pot? I have a 3 qt I was going to use.
Very yummy
Curious what is the fiber content, do you know? Thanks
I do not know but I assume it’s very low since meat doesn’t typically contain fiber.
I made this as written and it was wonderful. However, I could not slice the tenderloin as pictured. It just fell apart. Any suggestions on how to present the dish sliced rather than shredded?
How long did you cook it for?
I cooked it on low for 8 hours.
I checked mine today at 4 hours. The tenderloin was already at 205 degrees Fahrenheit.
Try checking the temp of the meat for doneness at 6 hours. Also, allow the meat to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
What can I substitute for Italian seasoning?
You can mix together equal amounts of dried oregano, basil and parsley.
Can you make this in a Dutch oven? If so, what is the cook time?
You could try 325 degrees F for 2-3 hours but I haven’t tested the recipe this way so it’s just an estimate!
Can I put mt potatoes in with the pork?
You can put in potatoes but I’m not familiar with mt potatoes!
I absolutely love every one of your recipes that I have tried. This one was no exception. My 95 year old father in law moved in with us and to say he is a picky eater is an understatement. After tasting thisI had already made a Plan B in case he didn’t like it. To my surprise he ate with gusto. I also followed your advice and served it with your homemade rice a roni which was fabulous by the way….much tastier than the boxed kind. Thank you so much for sharing your cooking talent…..keep those recipes coming!
Can I make this recipe in a crock pot instead of a slow cooker?
Yes they’re the same thing!
This dish was absolutely delicious. I just added all of the ingredients to the crockpot and then simmered at the end.
Made this for the first time and it was a huge hit. So easy and delicious. It’s now in my favorites folder, so I’ll be making it a lot. Thank you!
Fantastic! My wife and I were blown away by how delicious this was. Threw in a bag of baby carrots, and made some fingerling potatoes on side. It was tender, moist, and So tasty! That was 2 weeks ago, and we’re doing it again tonight. Gonna put it over some red mashed potatoes. Never making crock BBQ tenderloin again! This is where it’s at! Thank you.
First time cooking a pork tenderloin ever and it turned out delicious! I was concerned about liquid and it drying out, so I threw in a couple small vidalia onions and it was fantastic. The gravy was perfect and the tenderloin was falling apart. Definitely have some good leftovers to look forward to tomorrow 🙂
I seriously understand why this recipe has so many 5 star ratings. It’s delicious and easy, beloved by my whole family. I will definitely be making this again and again!