I got this amazing slow cooker pork tenderloin recipe from my sister-in-law Carol. I can always count on her to have great recipes with perfect instructions at her fingertips. She is the most organized person I know and is always willing to help.
I made two promises to myself recently. I want to try using some new foods, especially meats other than beef, and I want to make better use of my slow cooker. This recipe was a great start because it turned out fantastic. It's easy to do, the unique flavors are incredible, it's a complete meal, and it's an attractive presentation!
The seasonings make a sauce that keeps the pork moist and tender and creates the most delicious umami profile! You absolutely can't go wrong when you start with the classic Trifecta of honey, soy, and garlic, but this recipe adds depth with balsamic vinegar and cinnamon for intriguing results.
Umami? For years, we were taught there are four basic taste groups: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Umami, or the "fifth taste," is a relatively recent discovery. Officially named as a distinct taste in the 1980s, umami is true savoriness.
We all get stuck in a rut when we shop for groceries. Those darn meal times come around so often, and we just robotically go to the same familiar items. I had never bought a small packaged pork tenderloin like this one, and now I wonder, "Why the heck not?" I can't wait to buy one again!
Pork tenderloin is a long, thin, and cylindrical cut of meat that's relatively small compared to other cuts, usually weighing around one to one and one-half pounds. It is very tender and lean, with minimal marbling. It's easy to overcook it, but not with this recipe!
The seasonings for this slow cooker pork tenderloin make a sauce that keeps the pork moist and tender and creates the most amazing umami flavor! You absolutely can't go wrong when you start with the classic Trifecta of honey, soy, and garlic, but this recipe adds depth with balsamic vinegar, stone ground mustard, and cinnamon for intriguing results.
Cut several slits across the tenderloin, but don't cut all the way through. Place apple slices in the cuts, then whip up the sauce in a small bowl.
Put potatoes and carrots around the tenderloin. I used carrots cut into pieces about three inches long and small "B" size red potatoes. I cut some of the larger potatoes in half and snugged the vegetables up against the sides of the slow cooker to get some brown on them. Yum!
Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables, cover, and cook on high for about 4 hours. That is it! I'm a garnish lover, so I put everything into an oval serving dish and fancied it up with some thin slices of orange.
I did that for you so you can see what a pretty dish it is, but it would be 100% as delicious served right out of the slow cooker! I am so happy with the recipe, and my husband, who doesn't love pork as much as I do, said it was delicious! He certainly cleaned his plate, and we saved the "plan-overs" for dinner the next evening!
When the weather turns colder and our days get busy, it's so nice to have such a wonderful meal to come home to! I will make this one again and again! Here are some of our other favorite cozy dinner recipes: Oven-Baked Hamburger Steak and Crockpot Cranberry Meatballs! If you have slow cooker recipes you'd like to share, I would be thrilled!
PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD
A wonderful recipe for moist, tender pork tenderloin with potatoes and carrots made in a slow cooker. The sauce has intriguing flavors!
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Love, GB (Betty Streff)
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Looks really good.i wonder how it would be if kraut was added.
Wow! John, that is an amazing idea and I bet it tastes incredible! Do let me know! Thanks for sharing!
That’s a good question. That would probably be good too! I’m out of apples, I wonder if I could use unsweetened apple sauce in the slits instead. Looks great either way!
I think that should work but you will end up with more liquid. Why not thicken the sauce with some cornstarch and make gravy? Sounds good to me!
I am tripling this recipe and want to cook it a little slower....just for timing sake. I am going to start it on high...and then switch to low the last 3 or 4 hours...I willet you know how it turns out!
Oh please, I hope you do! I am anxious to hear how it worked for you!
Was wondering how long you would cook it if you wanted to cook it on low while you were gone all day. Have you ever tried that?
Pork tenderloin is such a "skinny" and lean cut of meat I would question cooking it on low for eight hours. I'm not sure if it would dry out too much. I used to commute 60 miles to work so I hear you! Maybe this could be something you cook in the evening after work and reheat the next day, or make it on the weekend or other day off? Does anyone in the family come home earlier and could turn it down to a keep warm setting? I have a friends who raise and promotes pork- I will ask their expert advice and get back to you!