Pork Tenderloin Slow Cooker Recipe

Crockpot pork tenderloin is an easy freezer to crockpot meal for two! Just 5 ingredients, and your freezer is stocked with this dump and go slow cooker pork tenderloin.

You will love this Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin

It’s a cozy winter over here with just me and my crockpot. I’m happy to be filling up the crockpot recipes for two section here on Dessert for Two, and I’m even happier that I did it all before baby was born.

It’s been so lovely to pull a meal out of the freezer, read the tag for defrosting instructions and have a plan for dinner. Because if there’s anything about babies, it’s that the day goes by so quickly. I feel like I barely finish drinking my morning tea and before I know it, it’s time to pick up my older kid from school and start planning for dinner.

My ‘meal in a bag’ freezer recipes to the rescue! This slow cooker pork tenderloin boasts a hefty glug of Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, crushed garlic cloves and fresh rosemary sprigs.

Why this Pork Tenderloin Crock Pot recipe works for two

The lovely thing about pork tenderloins is that they’re perfectly portioned for two people. Each pork tenderloin weighs about one pound. They usually come two in a pack, and I make a plan for the second pork tenderloin immediately. I make my slow cooker pulled pork tenderloin usually, because it’s another dump in a bag and go recipe, just like this one!

Into a freezer-safe bag, add the pork tenderloin and all of the other ingredients. Zip the bag closed, squish everything around, and then place it in the freezer. Yes, it’s really that easy to make crockpot recipes for two!

I use the smallest crockpot that is commonly found. It’s a 6-quart slow cooker model, and while I know smaller slow cookers exist, they’re hard to find and vary widely in size. Plus, it’s nice to know that you can make recipes for two in your regular crockpot.

Recipes for two are going to cook faster in a standard size crockpot, so I’ve adjusted my recipes accordingly for this. If you’re adapting one of your own, be mindful of this. Technically, slow cookers work best when they’re two-thirds full, but that’s too much food for two people.

What you need for Crockpot Pork Tenderloin

• Pork Tenderloin. Pork loin and pork tenderloin are not the same thing. Pork loin is usually wider, shorter and has less fat. Ensure the package says ‘tenderloin.’ They usually come 2 per pack, each weighing about 1-2 pounds. This recipe is for using one, but if you want to use both, you don’t need to double any other ingredients.
• Olive Oil. One-third cup of olive oil for the marinade, which will also become the cooking liquid. It’s not necessary to use extra virgin, since it will be cooked for such a long time. Save your extra virgin oil for salad dressings or other raw uses.
• Balsamic Vinegar. An equal amount of balsamic vinegar (⅓ cup). If you have a flavored balsamic that isn’t too sweet, it’s great here! I’ve used a fig balsamic many times.
• Garlic Cloves. Three whole cloves of garlic, smashed before adding to the marinade.
• Rosemary. Two long sprigs of fresh rosemary, about 4-5 inches in length.
• Salt and Pepper. Equal parts salt and freshly ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon each.

How to make Pork Tenderloin in Crock Pot

1. Place the trimmed pork tenderloin (see note) in a freezer safe plastic bag.
2. Add all remaining ingredients, massage to evenly distribute the ingredients. If freezing, place in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you want to make it today, probed to step 4.
3. To cook, defrost overnight in the fridge. It doesn't have to be completely thawed to go in the crockpot, but it should sit in the fridge for at least 12 hours before cooking.
4. Place in a 6-quart slow cooker on HIGH for 2-3 hours. Check to see if it's done after 2 hours--it will be easy to slice and the ends that touch the edges of the crockpot will be dark.
5. Remove the pork from the slow cooker, let rest for 10 minutes. Using a serrated knife, slice the pork tenderloin into 1" slices and serve.

Freezer to crockpot meals

The beauty of ‘meat in a bag’ freezer to crockpot meals is that the real marinating happens as it defrosts in the fridge. So, please be sure to follow the defrosting instructions before attempting to cook. 

You can make this crockpot pork tenderloin a meal by adding roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes as a side dish. Most often, I choose Yukon gold potatoes for roasting, but if I have carrots or beets in the fridge that need to be used up, I’ll add those to the roasting tray, too. If I’m really struggling with a fussy baby, it’s microwave frozen vegetables, like peas or cauliflower, to the rescue as our side dish. Some days are easier than others with multiple babies in the house, you know this!

One final note: a pork tenderloin is not the same thing as a pork loin. A pork tenderloin is a much smaller, long and skinny cut of meat; a pork loin is a large, short and thick cut of meat that is meant to be cut into steak-like slices. Another fun thing to do with pork tenderloin is make my perfectly golden brown pork schnitzel recipe.

Be sure to check out all of my freezer meals for two and my crockpot recipes for two.

How to serve Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin

My favorite way to serve this is with roasted potatoes. An hour before the pork is done, preheat the oven to 400. Wash and chop 1.5 pounds of baby Yukon gold potatoes into 1" pieces, and place them on a large baking sheet. Toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. If you have an extra sprig of rosemary, remove the leaves and mix them with the potatoes. Roast the potatoes for 20 minutes, shake the pan to flip them, and then roast for another 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Yield: 3 servings

Crockpot Pork Tenderloin

Print

Crockpot pork tenderloin is an easy freezer to crockpot meal for two! Just 5 ingredients, and your freezer is stocked with this dump and go slow cooker pork tenderloin.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1-pound pork tenderloin, trimmed*
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

For the roasted potatoes:

• 1 ½ pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary

Instructions

1. Place the trimmed pork tenderloin (see note) in a freezer safe plastic bag.
2. Add all remaining ingredients, massage to evenly distribute the ingredients, and then place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
3. To cook, defrost overnight in the fridge. It doesn't have to be completely thawed to go in the crockpot, but it should sit in the fridge for at least 12 hours before cooking.
4. Place in a 6-quart slow cooker on HIGH for 2-3 hours. Check to see if it's done after 2 hours--it will be easy to slice and the ends that touch the edges of the crockpot will be dark.
5. An hour before the pork is done, preheat the oven to 400.
6. Wash and chop the potatoes into 1" pieces, and place them on a large baking sheet. Toss the potatoes with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Strip the rosemary from the stem and distribute it all over the potatoes.
7. Roast the potatoes for 20 minutes, shake the pan to flip them, and then roast for another 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
8. Remove the pork from the slow cooker, let rest for 10 minutes. Using a serrated knife, slice the pork tenderloin into 1" slices and serve with the roasted potatoes.

Notes

*Most pork tenderloins that come in a bag are trimmed, but if you see any grey or silver skin on the surface, pick it up and run your knife underneath it to remove it.

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  Crock-Pot 6-Quart Slow Cooker with Digital Timer

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

3

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 755Total Fat: 39gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 31gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 822mgCarbohydrates: 54gFiber: 5gSugar: 7gProtein: 45g

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