Crockpot Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
Incredibly tender and delicious, this Crockpot balsamic pork tenderloin has a fragrant garlic-rosemary rub and a luscious balsamic glaze that is so simple to make. This is one of our favorite recipes for a home-cooked meal from the slow cooker on busy weeknights.
Best Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin
Whether it’s because of demanding jobs, kids’ sports practices, or just the general frenzy of daily life, we all can appreciate the value of slow cooker dishes, but in my book they need to actually taste good. This Crockpot balsamic pork tenderloin seems too simple, but after making it more than five times for my own family, I can attest it meets the mark.
This is that rare dinner that I consider cozy and substantial enough for a Sunday supper but is also so easy to make that you can enjoy it after any old busy day. It’s:
- Super easy to prep in the morning. I’m usually serving breakfast and packing lunches in the morning; I cannot cope with a complicated dinner prep at the same time.
- Packed with flavor. Brown sugar and balsamic are magical.
- Made with everyday ingredients. Primarily pantry staples.
Serve this with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, Italian or French bread, or any kind of rice that you like. For vegetables, try roasted broccoli, steamed peas, or green beans. It would also be fantastic with baked sweet potatoes or roasted baby carrots if you have a bit of time to prep those prior to eating. The balsamic glaze is a must for passing at the table to drizzle on your sides!
Pro Tip
The two most important things when cooking pork are: 1.) Do not overcook, and 2.) Let it rest after cooking and before slicing. When people say they don’t really like pork, it’s nearly always because of experience with dry, tough pieces of meat. Follow these two steps and you dramatically reduce the odds of that unpleasant experience, and instead you, too, can understand why people actually enjoy pork when it’s cooked properly.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are a few notes and shopping tips about the ingredients you’ll need to make this, as well as possible substitutions. Find full amounts in the print-friendly recipe card below.
- Pork tenderloin. Usually sold in a long, thin sleeve. Buy 1 or 2, depending on your needs. This recipe works with either amount.
- Fresh garlic.
- Dried rosemary, kosher salt, and black pepper. Dried rosemary works perfectly for the seasoning rub, but a few sprigs of fresh rosemary or another herb make a beautiful garnish. Oregano is shown on the plate in photos here.
- Brown sugar.
- Balsamic vinegar.
- Soy sauce. I have only tested this with a low-sodium soy sauce, which is all I would recommend. If you try it with coconut aminos, I’d love to know how it turns out and am certain other readers would, too.
- Cornstarch. This is important to thicken the glaze in the final step.
Is pork loin the same as pork tenderloin?
No; pork loin and tenderloin are two different cuts of meat! The most obvious difference between the two is the size: pork loin, also sold as center loin roast or a pork center rib roast, is much wider and thicker than pork tenderloin. Pork loin also has a visible cap of fat running along its top surface. Pork tenderloin is a separate cut that is narrow and thin, and typically has very little if any visible fat.
This recipe is designed for use with pork tenderloin only; pork loin takes much longer to cook.
How To Make Crockpot Pork Tenderloin
Let’s make the easiest dinner ever that you will be so happy to inhale upon returning from your busy day.
This is a general overview. As always, you will find full instructions with exact ingredients and times in the print-friendly recipe card below.
- Rub seasoning gently all over the pork and pour 1/2 cup water around it in the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- Quickly simmer glaze when pork is done cooking.
- Broil for 2-3 minutes after placing the pork on a parchment-lined pan and pouring a layer of glaze on top. This is technically optional but not really because the bubbly, browned top that results makes such a difference to enhance the flavor, texture, and presentation.
Can I cook this on high instead?
You can cook a pork tenderloin in the slow cooker on high for roughly 2 hours, but I highly recommend using the low setting and a longer cook time if you can. Pork is relatively lean and susceptible to drying out, but cooking it low and slow can help mitigate that risk.
Should I let pork rest before cooking?
Yes; it’s best to let pork rest for at least 3 minutes after it has been fully cooked before cutting and serving. If the meat is sliced immediately after being removed from the heat source, the juices are still running at peak temperature and will literally spill out onto the plate, both making a mess and making your meal less tender and juicy. By allowing even a 3 minute rest, you give the juices a chance to be reabsorbed.
Recipe FAQs & Expert Tips
What internal temperature should pork reach?
The USDA recommends cooking pork of any kind — tenderloin, loin, butt, chops, etc. — to an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees F, then allowing the meat to rest for at least 3 minutes. To make it easy to know when meat is done but not overdone, use an inexpensive yet informative instant read meat thermometer. This makes the absolute biggest difference to avoiding dry, tough pork!
Should I sear pork before putting in the slow cooker?
This comes down to personal preference. In this recipe, the broiling step at the end achieves a related effect of adding flavor and texture over high heat, so I skip searing to save myself time, energy, and a pan to wash.
Storage & Reheating
I always have some extra after making this, because one tenderloin is not really enough for my family, but two yields more than we eat in one meal. As a result, I can attest it is great leftover, as long as you don’t overheat and dry it out.
- Storage: Place leftover pork and glaze in any airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. (These are our favorite meal prep boxes for the fridge.)
- Warming: Reheat on 50% power in the microwave until warmed through. Using half power reduces the chances that your pork will dry out in the microwave; the same trick works really well with chicken, fish, and shrimp.
Related Recipes
Looking for more easy ways to cook pork? Try my popular recipe for baked boneless pork chops or skillet balsamic pork chops with mushrooms for a year-round go-to. In the fall, we love skillet pork chops with apples, and in the summer, pork pineapple kabobs with mango are a fun and unique treat off the grill.
Other favorite slow cooker recipes include crockpot teriyaki chicken, Barbacoa, BBQ chicken, and slow cooker shredded chicken tacos. Busy families still gotta eat!
If you try this Crockpot Balsamic Pork Tenderloin recipe, don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below. I love hearing how recipes turn out in your kitchen, and it helps other readers, too.
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Crockpot Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon dried rosemary
- 4-5 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1-2 pounds pork tenderloin
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon corn starch
Instructions
- Combine rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Place tenderloin in your crockpot, then rub the rosemary mixture all over it.
- Pour 1/2 cup of water around the pork, cover, and cook on low for 4-6 hours, until the pork registers 145 degrees F in the thickest part.
- To make the glaze, combine brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and corn starch in a small saucepan. Set the pan over medium-low heat. Stir well and simmer gently until it is smooth and slightly thick.
- Transfer pork to a parchment-lined baking pan or rimmed baking sheet. Pour about half of the glaze over the top. Place in the oven on the broil setting for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully, just until the top is browned. Remove pork to a cutting board, let rest for at least 3 minutes, then slice into medallions and serve with extra glaze as desired.
Notes
- Serving Size: The yield of this recipe will vary considerably depending on whether you use 1 tenderloin or 2, and their total size. I find the amount of rub and glaze listed in the recipe works pretty well for up to 2 tenderloins, and you could obviously double it if you want to make more at a time. For us, 1 tenderloin is a little scant for 2 adults and 2 kids, so we usually make 2 at a time and have some leftovers to enjoy.
- Nutrition Facts: These are just an estimate based on 1.5 pounds of pork tenderloin, plus the rub and all of the glaze, divided into 6 portions. If you need very specific calorie or nutrient counts, I recommend using a dedicated app or consulting with a professional nutritionist.
- Recipe: Adapted from Brooklyn Active Mama.
