It’s tough to beat the convenience of Crock Pot pork tenderloin for an easy weeknight dinner! This tender, juicy meat is seasoned with plenty of herbs and spices, and then drizzled with barbecue sauce just before serving.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love this Pork Tenderloin Crock Pot Recipe
- Is it better to cook pork tenderloin fast or slow?
- Ingredients Needed for this Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin Recipe
- How to Cook Pork Tenderloin in a Crock Pot
- How Long to Cook Pork Tenderloin in Crock Pot
- Serving Suggestions
- Preparation and Storage Tips
- Recipe Variations
- Tips for an Amazing Pork Tenderloin Slow Cooker Recipe
- Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin Recipe
If you love pork tenderloin as much as we do, be sure to try this honey dijon roasted pork tenderloin, a Dutch oven pork tenderloin with gravy, this 4-ingredient bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin, pork tenderloin with apples, and this grilled pork tenderloin, too!
Why You’ll Love this Pork Tenderloin Crock Pot Recipe
- Easy. This hands-off meal doesn’t require your attention! Instead, the slow cooker does the work while you focus on other tasks, prepare sides, or just relax!
- Flavorful. Thanks to a zesty spice rub, the meat has plenty of flavor and doesn’t get watered down in the slow cooker.
- Healthy. Tenderloin is a lean cut of pork, so it’s a great way to add delicious, low-calorie protein to your diet.
The Difference Between Pork Tenderloin and Pork Loin
Pork tenderloin, a smaller cut that generally weighs about 1 pound, does not come from the same part of the pig as the larger pork loin. Since pork tenderloin is naturally lean and tender, it does well when cooked quickly at high temperatures.
By contrast, a pork loin roast lends itself well to slower roasting or grilling techniques. For more details about these two different cuts of meat, check out this article. Today, we’re focused only on the pork tenderloin!
Is it better to cook pork tenderloin fast or slow?
In general, it’s better to cook pork tenderloin fast at a higher temperature. This is because the tenderloin is naturally tender, does not have much fat or connective tissue, and therefore doesn’t require the longer cooking time that you need to break down the tough connective tissue and fibers in other cuts of meat (such as a pork shoulder roast). Cooking the tenderloin quickly at a higher temperature helps prevent it from drying out.
That said, sometimes the Crock Pot is just really convenient! You can still achieve a tender, juicy, and delicious pork tenderloin by cooking it slowly. The key is not overcooking the meat. Instead, you’ll cook the pork tenderloin for a relatively short time in the slow cooker — about 1 hour on the HIGH setting is usually enough!
Whether you cook your pork tenderloin fast or slow, you’ll know that the meat is perfectly done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. The center will still be slightly pink at this temp (which is totally fine!), and the juices will run clear. An instant-read meat thermometer is the key for a delicious Crock Pot pork tenderloin recipe.
Ingredients Needed for this Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin Recipe
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for the best Crock Pot pork tenderloin. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Low-sodium chicken broth: just a little bit of cooking liquid helps to keep the meat moist in the Crock Pot.
- Brown sugar, chili powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, ground black pepper, and cayenne: create a zesty rub that seasons the meat as it cooks.
- Olive oil: keeps the meat moist, helps the spice rub adhere to the pork, and helps transfer the flavor of the seasoning into the meat.
- Pork tenderloin: we use two pork tenderloins for this recipe, which typically weigh about 1 lb. each. Larger tenderloins may require a longer cooking time.
How to Cook Pork Tenderloin in a Crock Pot
Crock pot pork tenderloin is about as easy as it gets! You’ll find the detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Pour chicken broth into the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Combine the seasoning mixture in a small bowl.
- Rub the pork with olive oil and season on all sides with the spice rub.
- Place in the Crock Pot, cover, and cook until the pork is done.
- Let the meat rest, then slice into rounds and serve with barbecue sauce.
How Long to Cook Pork Tenderloin in Crock Pot
As I mentioned above, the key to a tender and juicy Crock Pot pork tenderloin is not overcooking the meat. It will be perfectly done when an instant read thermometer registers 145 degrees F.
Since slow cookers run at slightly different temperatures, the total cooking time will vary. In general, you will need to cook pork tenderloin in a Crock Pot on the LOW setting for 2-3 hours or on HIGH setting for about 1 – 1 ½ hours.
Serving Suggestions
We love to slice the pork and drizzle it with homemade maple bbq sauce (shown here) or store-bought bbq sauce just before serving. It’s great on sandwiches or when paired with any of these sides:
- Hush Puppies or Hoe Cakes
- Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw
- Baked Potato Wedges, Twice Baked Potatoes, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives, Skin On Mashed Red Potatoes, Baked Potatoes, or Easy Potato Salad
- Skillet Cornbread, Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn, Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Honey Cornbread, Old-Fashioned Corn Sticks, Sweet Cornbread Muffins
- Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, Stovetop Shells and Cheese, or No-Boil Easy Mac and Cheese
- Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, Easy Drop Biscuits
- Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
- Corn Salad, Jiffy Corn Casserole, or Fried Corn
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Wedge Salad, Kale Apple Salad with Bacon, Classic Caesar Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, Mandarin Orange Salad, Marinated Vegetable Salad, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Refrigerator Dill Pickles, Cucumber Salad with Vinegar, Tomato Cucumber Onion Salad, or Cucumber Dill Salad
- Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon or Southern-Style Green Beans
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Fried Apples or Baked Apple Slices
- Southern Succotash
- Southern Collard Greens
- Fried Okra
- Perfect Oven-Roasted Asparagus
- Broccoli and Cheese
- Easy Pasta Salad
- Homemade Baked Beans with Bacon
- Charleston Red Rice
- Okra and Tomatoes
- Southern Squash Casserole
- Cheese Grits
- Fried Cabbage with Apples and Onion, Braised Red Cabbage, or Roasted Cabbage
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Storage: Store leftover pork in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Leftovers are delicious on sandwiches the next day!
- How to Reheat: Place the pork on a sheet pan and warm in a 325°F oven just until heated through (about 10-15 minutes). Be careful not to overheat, or the tenderloin will become dry. You can also reheat individual portions of pork in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Recipe Variations
- Add vegetables. Since the tenderloin cooks quickly, you’ll want to pick vegetables that will be done by the time the meat is done. For instance, if you’re using potatoes, carrots, onions, or other heartier vegetables, make sure that you dice them very small (or parboil them) and arrange them in the bottom of the slow cooker (with the meat on top) so that they’re tender by the end.
- Try other cooking liquids in lieu of the chicken broth. For instance, white wine, beer, Coca Cola, vegetable broth, beef broth, apple cider, or even water (in a pinch) will yield different flavor profiles for the finished dish.
- Use other seasoning, such as extra cayenne (to make it spicy) or cumin (for a smoky flavor). Additional herbs such as parsley, chives, and rosemary would also be great.
- To feed a smaller family, cut all of the ingredients in half and cook just one pork tenderloin.
- Use a larger pork loin or pork roast instead of the tenderloin. You’ll just need to increase the time in the Crock Pot to account for the bigger piece of meat.
Tips for an Amazing Pork Tenderloin Slow Cooker Recipe
- The total cooking time will vary depending on the size, thickness, and temperature of your pork and on the temperature of your slow cooker. As a result, use a meat thermometer to know exactly when your pork reaches the desired level of doneness.
- The tenderloin is ready to come out of the slow cooker when it reaches an internal temperature of 140-150°F. The temperature will continue to rise as it rests, and you want to make sure that you don’t overcook the meat (because it can become dry). Anywhere between 140°F and 160°F is fine; however, cooking it more towards medium (145°F) will produce juicier pork.
- According to the National Pork Board, it’s perfectly safe to consume medium pork (that’s cooked to about 145°F). At this stage, the pork will have a slight touch of pink in the center and will be at its juiciest!
- Let the pork rest for at least 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. This will give the juices a chance to redistribute so that your meat is as juicy as possible.
More Crock Pot Pork Recipes to Try
Crock Pot Beer Pulled Pork
12 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Crock Pot Pork Loin
4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Crock Pot Pork Chops with Bacon and Onion
2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
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Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne (or more if you like it spicy)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pork tenderloins (about 1 lb. each)
- Optional, for serving: homemade maple bbq sauce or your favorite store-bought bbq sauce; sliced green onion; chopped fresh herbs such as parsley or thyme
Instructions
- Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of a slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, chili powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, black pepper, and cayenne.
- Rub the olive oil all over the pork. Season on all sides with the spice mixture. Place the seasoned pork in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 2-3 hours or on HIGH for about 1 – 1 ½ hours, or until the pork reaches and internal temperature of 145°F. Slow cookers run at different temperatures, so cooking time will vary. Check the temperature of your meat early and be careful not to overcook it.
- Let the pork rest for about 10 minutes before slicing into rounds and serving. Drizzle with barbecue sauce if desired, and garnish with green onions or fresh herbs.
Notes
- The total cooking time will vary depending on the size, thickness, and temperature of your pork and on the temperature of your slow cooker. As a result, use a meat thermometer to know exactly when your pork reaches the desired level of doneness.
- The tenderloin is ready to come out of the slow cooker when it reaches an internal temperature of 140-150°F. The temperature will continue to rise as it rests, and you want to make sure that you don’t overcook the meat (because it can become dry). Anywhere between 140°F and 160°F is fine; however, cooking it more towards medium (145°F) will produce juicier pork.
- According to the National Pork Board, it’s perfectly safe to consume medium pork (that’s cooked to about 145°F). At this stage, the pork will have a slight touch of pink in the center and will be at its juiciest!
- Let the pork rest for at least 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. This will give the juices a chance to redistribute so that your meat is as juicy as possible.
How much will temperature rise while resting?
Typically the temperature will rise about 10 degrees while resting.