This Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin is covered in an easy garlic herb rub and drizzled with a honey balsamic glaze!
This crock pot pork tenderloin is made with minimal effort and maximum flavour. It is moist, tender and perfect over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes!
If you like this recipe, you’ll also enjoy this Honey Balsamic Pork Tenderloin, this Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin Recipe or this Pork Tenderloin Marinade.
Table of Contents
So when I busted out my crock pot this morning to make this Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin, I almost felt a little guilty.
It’s been a while.
But crockpot season is back and I couldn’t be more excited.
That means our fall comfort food favorites like this Crockpot Whole Chicken, Slow Cooker Pot Roast, and Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup are back on the menu. Time to get cozy!
We also love using it on busy days for prepping a big batch of Slow Cooker Chicken Breast or Crockpot Shredded Chicken.
But about this slow cooker pork tenderloin!
I wanted to keep the recipe simple, but I also like to add a ton of flavor. I’ve done this with a garlic herb rub and a honey balsamic glaze — it’s sweet and savory and a little tangy!
Tips and Tricks for Cooking this Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin:
- One of the most important things is not to overcook your tenderloin! It is so moist and tender when cooked perfectly, and we don’t want it to turn dry and unappetizing. The best way to know is to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature — it should be about 160 degrees F and you need to let it rest 5 minutes before slicing.
- Be sure to trim the silver skin! It can be tough and isn’t something you’ll want to eat (if you forget, it’s not the end of the world, but it’s good practice!). For a visual on how to do this, check out this video.
- If you’re not a fan of balsamic vinegar, you can omit it or swap in a bit of apple cider vinegar. You can also just cook it in a combination of broth and barbecue sauce and it will still be delicious!
Should I sear my pork before adding it to the slow cooker?
It’s up to you.
I usually don’t, as I’m not a big fan of extra dishes and prep time 😉
But you absolutely can, and it does add a nice crust and great flavor. It just depends how much time you have!
To sear it before slow cooking, rub the pork tenderloin down with a bit of oil and season with the seasoning blend.
Sear at a high heat for 2-3 minutes per side until golden, then add to the slow cooker.
How long does it take to cook crock pot pork tenderloin?
Most pork tenderloins are roughly the same diameter, so the cook time for this recipe will mostly vary depending on your slow cooker or crockpot.
I recommend starting with 2 hours on low or 1.5 hours on high, checking the temperature and adjusting from there.
It’s important to know your slow cooker and how well it heats — do you usually end up having overcooked meat or undercooked? Do you usually need longer or shorter cook times? How well done do you like your tenderloin? These are all important things to consider and will vary from person to person.
Can you overcook pork tenderloin in the slow cooker?
Yes!
You can overcook anything in the slow cooker, although it takes a little longer.
Unfortunately, pork tenderloin is not one of those slow cooker meals you can just let cook all day. Ideally, you will turn off the slow cooker after 2-3 hours of cook time to avoid drying it out.
If your slow cooker has a keep warm option and will automatically switch when it is done, this is a great way to avoid overcooking your pork in the crockpot.
What is the difference between Pork Loin and Pork Tenderloin?
While you can absolutely use this recipe for a pork loin, you will need to adjust the cook time because they are not the same thing.
A pork loin is much thicker (likely twice as thick in diameter) as a pork tenderloin, so it’s important to know the difference because a pork loin will need at least twice as much time.
Check out my Easy Slow Cooker Pork Loin Recipe for more tips for that specific cut of meat.
Can I cook vegetables with my pork?
Definitely!
The trick is to add vegetables that can cook at a low heat and be ready in 2-3 hours.
Vegetables that are firmer and take longer to cook like potatoes and carrots are not the best option here unless you parcook them before you add them.
Green beans, peppers, broccoli and vegetables that cook quickly are better options for a short cook time.
More pork tenderloin recipes:
- Instant Pot Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin & Potatoes — if you don’t have a few hours to cook dinner!
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin — for when the weather is warmer!
- Easy Roasted Pork Tenderloin — with a simple but so flavorful rub
- Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Sauce — such vibrant winter flavors!
- 25+ Pork Tenderloin Recipes — if you just can’t get enough 😉
Glazed Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin recipe
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin about 1 lb
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ⅓ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
Instructions
- If your pork tenderloin is longer than your slow cooker, cut it in half crosswise (so you have two shorter pieces that will fit inside). If it fits, you can leave it whole.
- In a small bowl, combine garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, onion powder and paprika. Rub over all sides of the pork tenderloin and place in the slow cooker (I use a 2.5 quart oval slow cooker).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the broth, honey, balsamic vinegar, ketchup and corn starch and pour into the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for 1.5-2 hours, or low for 2-3 hours, until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 150-160 degrees F.
- Move tenderloin from the slow cooker to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- *If desired, you can thicken the sauce further on the stove. Simply strain it into a small pot and add a corn starch slurry — combine 1 teaspoon corn starch and 1 teaspoon water and stir into the sauce. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened.
Notes
- Pork Tenderloin: you can swap for boneless, skinless chicken breasts and use the same cook time. If you have a pork loin and not a pork tenderloin, see my Easy Slow Cooker Pork Loin.
- Seasonings: to save time, feel free to swap the seasoning rub with your favorite all purpose blend.
- Honey: if you don’t have honey, you can use a sweetener of your choice: brown sugar or maple syrup will work great as well.
- Balsamic Vinegar: gives a punch of flavor! It is not going to taste very vinegary, but you can reduce it or swap with cider vinegar if you don’t like balsamic.
Nutrition Information
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Sarah says
EXCELLENT recipe! I had this tonight with my mom and we ate every last bite (with just a smidgen of help from our pups). We had this with Wegman’s mashed potatoes and oven-roasted asparagus (recipe from spoons across america). It all went together wonderfully and I will certainly make again!
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so happy to hear that Sarah!
Sonia says
Can I use beef broth instead? I had everything but that.
Ashley Fehr says
You could but I find that beef broth has a very strong flavor so I prefer not to. I would likely choose water or even apple juice before beef broth.
Rhonda says
How could I make this in my instant pot?
Ashley Fehr says
I actually have the same recipe in Instant Pot version! You can find it here: https://www.thereciperebel.com/instant-pot-pork-tenderloin-garlic-herb-rub/
Kathleen says
Can you make this with frozen tenderloin? How long would you cook it for?
Thanks, sound delicious.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Kathleen! I have never made it with frozen pork tenderloin (it’s not really recommended but it’s not impossible 🙂 ) I would probably give it 8 hours for frozen.
Linda P. says
Wonderful recipe! I made it with a frozen tenderloin, and it only took about three hours. It was slightly pink in the center, but when we reheated the leftovers the next day, it was perfect. Easy and delicious!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Linda! I’m so glad! With tenderloin, slightly pink is actually perfectly cooked by most peoples standards, so there’s nothing wrong with that!
Lynda Cottrill says
Delicious and so easy! My family loved it!
I doubled the recipe and cooked it on high in my crock pot for four hours.
Thank you for the great recipe 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for leaving a comment Lynda! I’m so glad you liked it!
Kelly says
Just made this, came out great! So easy. Will definitely be using this again.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Kelly! I’m glad to hear that!
Ania says
I want to make that tenderloin but I don’t have balsamic vinegar. Do you think that skipping it can compromise the taste much? I was thinking mabey a hint of mustard will do the trick? What’s your opinion ?
Ashley Fehr says
I think you could leave it out but it won’t have that same tang that balances out the sweetness — I would probably substitute with a bit of apple cider vinegar if you have some, or even white vinegar. You can also just leave it out, then taste the sauce at the end and add a bit of something if you think it needs it!
Sherri Jalbert says
Can you add potatoes and veggies in the crock pot
Ashley Fehr says
Definitely! You’ll just want to make sure they cook in about the same amount of time. Potatoes may cook longer.
Sara says
Did I mess this up? Because I cannot understand how this was so good to everyone else but so yucky to me….All day the house has smelled nauseatingly vinegary – like Easter egg dying day. I used good quality aged balsamic. I did double the broth recipe because the roast was 2.25 lbs and I wanted enough to make a gravy when done. The meat itself was tender but vinegar and onion powder was all I tasted. No hint of honey whatsoever. Cooked for 4 hours on low. Maybe it needs longer to reduce the balsamic more? Too bad — I really wanted to like this.
AMANDAVUO says
I prepped it tonight and will put it on tomorrow… i hope this isn’t the case for me! I tripled the recipe because mine is 2.2 lbs (2 tenderloins)… fingers crossed. Do you not like balsamic vinegar? Was the vinegar old?
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Sara! I’m sorry you found that. Can I ask what you were cooking? A pork tenderloin is right around 1lb pretty much without exception. Balsamic vinegar will generally smell strongly when cooking but the honey should balance it out when the sauce is finished. I’m sorry you didn’t find that to be the case!
wendy top says
I made this tonight and it was unfreakingbelievable! Thanks for a great recipe!
Ashley Fehr says
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks Wendy 🙂
Adrienne Miklovic says
I’d love to try this recipe. I would have to at least double it for my family and I have a six quart crock pot. How do you think this would effect the cooking time?
Ashley Fehr says
I think if you have to stack the tenderloins directly on top of each other, you may find you need a little more time. It will depend on how many you can get to lay flat on the bottom, but I think in a 6 quart that that could be done?
Terry says
I made this with a garlic balsamic vinegar and it was absolutely amazing. Thank you for the recipe.
Ashley Fehr says
Sounds amazing!
Meg says
really nice meal!! I improvised a bit with the rub, using garlic salt with parsley and dried onion flakes..added a bit more broth so as to have more sauce–still delicious! The tip about not overcooking was especially helpful. Will definitely make this again. 5 stars. unable to leave rating below!
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Meg! I’m so glad you liked it! It looks like your rating has stuck — thanks for coming back to leave a comment 🙂
Taryn says
You had me at honey balsamic. Yum! This is a great pork tenderloin recipe!
Jenn says
Love all the tips here! I’ve never done a pork tenderloin before but I’m so excited to try with this recipe!
Sarah @Whole and Heavenly Oven says
I’ve totally been completely ignoring my crockpot since I got my instant pot too. LOL I’m seriously all over how incredibly TENDER this pork looks! That honey balsamic glaze is speaking right to me.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Sarah!
Joanie says
The pork is fall-apart tender and the flavors are so delicious! Why I never think to use my slow cooker for pork tenderloin I’ll never know, but this recipe is certainly a keeper and one I will make again and again.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Joanie!
Rebecca Hubbell says
I love an easy dinner recipe and this one sure hit the spot, so easy and so much flavor!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Rebecca!
Sue H says
Sounds yummy. Sad for me I only have a 1.7 frozen port tenderloin. Any idea of how much extra to cook it? Ready to defrost that puppy!
Ashley Fehr says
You can absolutely use it! I would still cut it in half, and I would probably do the first check around 2.5-3 hours. If it is just longer and not wider, then it might not need any extra time.
Danielle says
We also love sauce. All kinds! I haven’t used my slow cooker either since I got my Instant Pot. It’s probably time to break it out and give it some love. This pork sounds delicious! That sauce sounds just amazing.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Danielle! You gotta mix it up every now and then, right? 😉