Juicy Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin
Experience incredibly tender and flavorful pork tenderloin with a savory-sweet glaze, all made with minimal effort using your slow cooker. This recipe is designed to be relatively low in carbohydrates.
Ingredients
Main:
- 3 lbs pork tenderloins approximately three 1-lb tenderloins or two 1.5-lb tenderloins
Liquids & Aromatics:
- ¾ cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Spice Rub Blend:
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
Fat:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces
Instructions
- Prepare the Pork: Gently pat the pork tenderloins dry with paper towels. Carefully trim any visible excess fat or the tough, shiny "silver skin" membrane from the surface of each tenderloin for the most tender result.
- Combine Rub Ingredients: In a small mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the packed brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and ground black pepper.
- Season the Pork: Place a tenderloin on a clean plate or cutting board. Generously coat all sides of the tenderloin with the spice rub mixture, pressing lightly to help it adhere. Repeat with the remaining tenderloins. Reserve any leftover rub.
- Arrange in Slow Cooker: Pour the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce into the bottom of your slow cooker. Carefully place the seasoned pork tenderloins into the slow cooker. Sprinkle any remaining spice rub from the plate over the pork. Distribute the pieces of butter on top of and around the tenderloins.
- Cook: Secure the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on the Low setting for 2.5 to 3.5 hours, or on the High setting for 1.5 to 2.5 hours. Cooking times can vary significantly between slow cooker models and depending on the exact size and thickness of your tenderloins.
- Check for Doneness: Begin checking for doneness towards the lower end of the cooking time range. Insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of each tenderloin. The pork is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 145∘F to 150∘F (63∘C to 66∘C). Avoid overcooking, as tenderloin can become dry. If not yet at temperature, replace the lid and continue cooking, checking every 10-15 minutes.
- Rest and Serve: Once cooked, carefully remove the pork tenderloins from the slow cooker and transfer them to a clean cutting board. Tent them loosely with foil and let them rest for 5-10 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a more tender and flavorful result. After resting, slice the tenderloins into ½-inch to ¾-inch thick medallions. Serve the medallions drizzled with the pan sauce from the slow cooker.
Notes
- Serving Yield: This recipe produces approximately 9 servings. For a smaller portion yielding about 4-5 servings, you may halve all listed ingredients.
- Pork Cut Consideration: This recipe is specifically developed for pork tenderloin. Using pork loin, a different and often tougher cut, will necessitate a considerably longer cooking duration to achieve tenderness.
- Safe Cooking Temperature: The USDA advises cooking pork to an internal temperature of 145∘F (63∘C), followed by a 3-minute rest period, for safe consumption. A slight pink hue in the center is normal and indicative of a moist, correctly cooked tenderloin. Accurate temperature measurement with a meat thermometer is highly recommended.
- Calories: 311 kcal
- Protein: 34.1 g
- Fat: 15.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.5 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Sugars: 5.0 g
- Sodium: 546.5 mg