This easy crock pot pork tenderloin takes less than 10 minutes to prepare and slow cooks to perfection in 4 hours. The pork practically melts in your mouth and comes with its own wine and garlic gravy. Made with wholesome ingredients and no onion soup mix packet but equally simple and delicious
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If you like pork tenderloin and you like red wine, I guarantee you will love this!
1) It takes less than 10 minutes to prepare and is super fantastically easy.
2) The pork cooks in a slow cooker {read: easy}.
3) Not only do you get a lean but amazingly flavorful slice of pork, it also makes this to-die-for gravy that is perrrrfect over these smashed potatoes.
Why you should make this Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin recipe
When I first prepared this for one of my friends, she said “this might be my favorite meal you’ve ever made. Will you give this recipe to my mom please?”
That’s a pretty bold statement considering I make her try my recipes feed her delicious meals all the time!
But really, it’s so delicious! You cook the pork for a few hours and end up with the most flavorful piece of pork sitting it a gravy that is literally made for mashed potatoes (or roasted potatoes like I served in the picture).
Cost of this meal:
This meal is also pretty inexpensive. One pound of pork tenderloin is around $5, frozen green beans were on sale for 89 cents at my neighborhood grocery store at the time, and my smashed potatoes were leftovers. Plus they came from a 10 pound bag of potatoes for $2.50!
So I definitely spent less than $10 for this entire meal.
How to make pork tenderloin in the slow cooker
It’s quite simple…
- Place the pork in your slow cooker.
- Add in liquid.
- Top with garlic.
- Stir together the spices and sprinkle over pork.
- Cook and enjoy!
Tips for cooking this Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin
What I love is that you do not have to sear the meat before cooking, and you don’t have to cut off fat from the pork. You might consider slicing off the silver skin which is a tough, shiny membrane of connective tissue. When you don’t remove it, you’ll have a few slightly unpleasant bites of tough, chewy meat because silver skin does not break down.
I like to use kitchen scissors to remove the silver skin because I find it easier than using a knife. But you can easily slice it off using a knife.
Variations for the Pork Tenderloin in the Crock Pot:
Make sure that when you make this you pick a really tasty red wine to use.
If you aren’t a red wine drinker, skip the wine and use an equal amount of unsalted broth. Chicken, beef, mushroom, and vegetable broth would all work.
However, I tested this recipe using chicken broth and found it to be not nearly as flavorful as the pork made with the wine. So I highly suggest using wine, or you can add a little extra salt and seasoning.
Is pork tenderloin healthy?
Pork tenderloin is a lean cut of pork and typically has very little visible fat, so it also makes it an easy choice when you’re preparing this meal since you don’t have to bother cutting off any fat.
Plus, pork tenderloin is a great change from your typical chicken dish. I feel like people always eat chicken because it’s familiar and lean and whatever. But pork is so underrated and it’s nutritious.
According to the Pork Checkoff website, pork is an excellent source (more than 20% of the recommended daily value) of thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, phosphorus and protein. It’s a good source (meaning it has between 10% and 19% of the recommended daily value) of riboflavin, zinc and potassium.
Tips for buying pork tenderloin:
- Make sure you buy the pork that has no added solutions or marinade.
- The marinade or solution won’t add anything to your meal other than a lot of sodium and other potentially strange ingredients. Not to mention that this pork totally beats any pre-marinated pork you’d buy at the store.
- This recipe is for pork tenderloin, but other people have had success with using pork loin. Pork loin is usually thicker, so you will need to cook it for a longer period of time. Just make sure that you use a thermometer and cook it to an internal temperature of at least 145°F.
- If you’re worried about putting pork tenderloin in the slow-cooker because you think it might dry out, don’t be! It is seriously falling apart, and I could hardly slice it without it shredding. You definitely do not need a knife for this meal! And all that gravy in the slow cooker goes beautifully served over the pork.
What to serve with this dish:
In the pictures, you can see that I served it with these sautéed green beans and smashed potatoes.
Basically, I always have a big serving of veggies + a carbohydrate for my main meals. In this case, the crock pot pork tenderloin has a lovely gravy that is perfect served with mashed potatoes to soak up the goodness.
MORE MAIN COURSE SLOW COOKER RECIPES:
- Beef Carnitas Tacos
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
- Vegetarian Lasagna
- Slow Cooker Maple Mustard Pork Chops and Onions
- Chicken, Sweetpotatoes and Peppers
If you try this Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin or any other recipe on the blog, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know your thoughts in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
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Crock-Pot Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork tenderloin or pork loin
- 3/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup red wine or broth (see notes)
- 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
- 1 TBSP minced garlic about 3 cloves
- 2 TBSP dried minced onion or chopped onion
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp onion powder or additional dried minced onion
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- dash turmeric optional
- dash nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Put the pork tenderloin in the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Pour in water, wine, and Worcestershire sauce into the slow cooker.
- Top the pork with minced garlic.
- In a small bowl, stir together remaining ingredients. Sprinkle mixture over pork.
- Cover slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours {if possible, flip pork over after 3 hours} or HIGH for 2-3 hours.
- Serve pork with the gravy that has formed - especially good over smashed potatoes
Notes
*Be sure to use a wine you enjoy drinking!
*You can use less wine if you want or skip the wine altogether. Unsalted chicken or beef broth is ok, but you will likely need to add more spices. Make sure the liquid totals 1 1/2 cups.
*Based on this recipe from allrecipes.com
What to use in this recipe:
Meme
Pin for later:
This recipe was originally published on January 15th, 2013. Recipe was re-tested, and text was updated.
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Can’t wait to try this!! Gotta love the crock pot 🙂
it’s soo good! Crock-pots are the best!
I am trying this out today! I had a larger pork loin about 4.95 lbs and will serve to my daughter and son-in-law tonight. Of course I did the math to increase the ingredients for a larger roast. Excited to try this!
Thank you
Dianne
I hope everyone enjoyed it!! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I just made this for dinner tonight and I was terribly disappointed. It was, to be blunt, gross. The pork was dry and flavorless. I used a really good wine and added extra seasonings (just because that is what I usually do with any recipe) but it was still not good. My husband, myself and my children all could not eat it. We sufficed on the pasta and spinach I served along with it. Hopefully we can salvage the pork, mask the flavor it does have and make it into bbq pork sandwiches.
I’m so sorry you didn’t enjoy it! I’m not sure what went wrong because I {along with many others} have had great success with the recipe. I hope you were able to salvage the leftover pork.
Thank you for your honest feedback
I too was so disappointed with this recipe. Unfortunately, I chose to serve it to visiting family. They were polite about it, but I was very embarrassed to serve such a poor meal. Guess I should try these things out on myself before subjecting guests to it.
I made this for dinner this evening and it was absolutely wonderful, this recipe is definitely a keeper! We served it with fresh green beans and mashed potatoes. With a little extra cornstarch the liquid made a wonderful gravy, needless to say everyone had seconds.
Oh I am so happy that you and your family enjoyed it!!! It is one of my personal favorites 🙂
Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment!
It’s currently in the crockpot cooking. It was a 2.5lb roast, so i adjusted the ingredients. We’ll see how it turns out!
Great! Can’t wait to hear how you like it!
Does it need to cook it longer if 4 1/2 lbs. of pork tenderloin is used?
Yes; I don’t know the exact time. I would do it for at least 6-8 hours and check. I would just keep an eye on it. Sorry I can’t give you a more accurate time; I just have never made it with a larger piece of pork
could I use Red’s Apple Ale in place of the wine?
I’ve never tried that, so I can’t say for sure that it would be good. But I think that sounds delicious! Let me know if you try
I’m using a 4.50 lb roast. Can I cook it on high for 4+ hours or would that dry it out?
It’s in the crockpot now.
I think you should be ok. I’ve never used more than 2 pounds.
I would make sure that you increase the amounts of the other ingredients to make sure there is enough sauce for the pork {so multiply everything by 4 since you are using 4 times as much meat}. Hope that helps! Enjoy!
Making this right. The whole house smells like heaven. Can’t wait to try it.
Oooh I love the way it smells; hope you enjoy it!!
This was delish!!!! I can’t imagine what could happen for it not to be good. Best and most tender pork loin I’ve ever made. Thank you!
I completely agree! So glad you enjoyed it, and thanks so much for taking the time to come back & comment!!
Can I cook longer than 4 hours??
I have not tried that yet. I think it would be ok; probably just fall apart a little more. The gravy should keep it pretty moist.
You could try a larger cut of pork or a bigger piece of tenderloin which would need a longer cooking time.
Hope that helps!
Does adding both fresh garlic and garlic powder cause this to be too “garlicky”? Also, I don’t like onions and wouldn’t be adding that to my meal. Would it still taste good that way?
I didn’t find it to be too garlicky but I really like garlic. The flavor mellows out a lot while cooking for 4 hours.
As for the onions, I think it would still be good, just won’t have as much flavor. You could try sprinkling with some chives or green onions for a less onion but still add flavor. However, I think it would still be tasty if you omitted the onion ingredients {both dried minced onion and onion powder} entirely.
Hope that helps!
Made this recipe tonight and it was delicious!! I took out most the liquid from the pan and made gravy and poured it on top and it was falling apart as I was trying to cut the meat into portions. Totally would recommend making this recipe!! Definitely a “do-over”.
I’m so glad you liked it Melissa, and thanks for taking the time to come back and comment!! This pork is one of my all-time favorites
Just finished my tenderloin must say impeccable tender juicy an my family’s enjoying every bite. Thanks for the recipie.
You’re so sweet to come back and comment!! I’m so happy y’all enjoyed it 🙂
Got a big slow cooker for Christmas and have tried a bunch of recipe. Must admit I’ve made a few things with mixed results but this was good. I may never roast a Pork Tenderloin in the oven ever again!
I had a probe to keep an eye on temperature and I ran it at high – with a huge loin. Put some onions cut up on the bottom and half way through added potatoes to elevate the pork so the probe would go in deeper. I was afraid it was too close to the edge and wouldn’t register correctly. All went well.
I must admit I used different seasonings but the basic recipe was delicious.
When we added the gravy I made from the stock with flour and butter it elevated it to supurb! the mashed potatoes disappeared under layers of sauce and string beans were a memory.
Thank you!
I am so happy that everything worked out and you enjoyed it! Isn’t it nice how easy it is to make
I made this for my family last night. It was bland and flavorless. I cook with wine and minced garlic regularly, so I thought this sounded great.
I’m so sorry it didn’t turn out well. Thanks for taking the time to come back and give an honest critique.
It is one of my favorite recipes, but we all have different tastes 🙂
I have to say these comments are somewhat confusing. I hope everyone is aware that a pork tenderloin is not the same cut of meat as a pork loin roast.
Pork tenderloins usually come in a one pound roast, or two one pound roasts in a package; totaling 2 pounds.
When I read all the comments about 4 and 5 pound roasts, I question that they have a pork tenderloin; more than likely they are cooking a pork loin roast. Different thing.
Maybe that’s why I’m seeing good reviews and bad reviews.
Hi Judy! I agree with you. This is one of my favorite meals, but I really like red wine and garlic and this has a distinct red wine and garlic taste. Let me know if you end up trying it 🙂
I just put this in the crockpot. I love garlic, too, so I even added extra. Never found I could add too much to a slow cooker recipe. 😉
Can’t wait to try it for dinner tonight!
Adding even more garlic sounds AMAZING! Hope you enjoyed it, Erin!! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Pork tenderloin was on sale this week so I decided to give it a try. I used to bake it in the oven but after eating it this way, I’ll never go back. You were right, it pretty much shredded as I sliced it but it is absolutely delicious. I had it with sweet potatoes and spinach. This one is definitely a keeper. Thank you!
I am SO EXCITED you enjoyed it! It’s one of my all time favorites 🙂 Yay for the slow cooker making this pork tenderloin a dream!
I made this last night and it was awesome. I even added mushrooms. The pork was so tender. I increased the seasoning to my taste. My husband loved it. Thank you!
Sandra!! I am SO HAPPY you enjoyed it! Adding mushrooms is a great idea! Thanks again for adding your comment. xo
I buy theHormel lemon/garlic tenderloin sealed in heavy plastic at Publix. I make this recipe with that piece of meat, costs $7.99 and feeds my husband and me for two meals. We make sliders using the buns from Publix fresh bakery rolls. I make slaw by buying the southern slaw packaged at Publix and add Marzetti cole slaw sauce for our slaw. I personally put bread and butter pickles, diced onions, with the slaw and add a dollop of Sweet Baby Ray’s bar b que sauce. I put black beans with Fage or sour cream as a side. Best meal and easiest meal….$8.00 for four meals….delicious!
Should you shear your meat in a pan before putting it in the crock pot ?
You can if you want, but I didn’t. I just threw it in the pot with everything else and it was delish! 🙂
hi there! i just made this today and while delish….i added carrots and potatoes to it which significantly increased the cooking time! ive never had that happen before! i fyou are adding other meal components i would definity add at least 2 hours on high at the beinning or end. if you opt for the end you could even take the roast and add it back for 15 minutes or so before serving!
That is so interesting and good to know!! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and comment 🙂
I noticed a lot of folks used large porkloins , I buy mine at Costco and there large and long about 2ft or more and cut it into 2 or 3 pcs. Will try your recipe tomorrow for a dinner Birthday party for hubby. We usually make pulled or some other roast from them. Yours sound yummy so will try it to.
Great! Great for today’s playoffs.game hasn’t started yet and half eaten , thanks Rick in North Carolina
Woohoo!!! Glad you enjoyed it!
Trying this for dinner tonight. The spices smell good together to me.. I’m not sure why some people had bad experiences with this. I even added the dash of tumeric and nutmeg (I know the latter you have to be careful with how liberally you spice or that’ll be all you taste). Will comment back with the results. 🙂 First time making a pork tenderloin. I used a 1.5lb tenderloin and beef broth in place of the red wine and water. Very excited!
Thanks so much for coming back to comment, Amy!!
Doesn’t it smell glorious?! I cannot wait to hear how adding turmeric and nutmeg tastes!!
Enjoy! xo
Hi! Excited that you’re trying it 🙂
You’ll cook it on Low for 4 hours (see step 4 in the recipe instructions). Hope that helps!! Enjoy!!!
a mouthwatering meal!
planning to make it for company.
thank you so much!! Enjoy! xo
A busy week is always in need for a crock pot dinner and this looks perfect for a fall weekday dinner!
LOVE anything in the slow cooker! What a great idea!
If I could marry my crock pot I would–crazy but true I swear. Anthony is gonna be so happy with me when I make this for him!
Can you place all the ingredients in the crockpot the night before and then turn it on the next day?
Great question! I’ve never tried this, but I assume it would work. Just make sure to refrigerate the crockpot overnight. I’d be careful not to immediately start cooking on high because it could damage the crockpot (going from the cold fridge to the hot cooking); maybe let it sit out for about 30 minutes before starting cooking.
5 stars!! ***** This was FANTASTIC! I don’t understand the negative reviews at all!!! I am a self-proclaimed “Foodie” and this was absolutely delicious! My husband loved it too! It makes the house smell amazing!! My pork loin was about 1.8 pounds, and I did use the turmeric…I can’t tell that it made that much of a difference….thanks for a great recipe!! Will definitely make again!!
YAYYYYY!!! I am so excited you enjoyed it! Isn’t it so delicious?!
Thanks for taking to time to come back and share 🙂
xo
What if your not a wine person….how do you know which red wine to use ? If I drink wine I usually go for the sweeter tasting ones.
Great question! I would say your best bet is to use pinot noir — that’s what I use 🙂
Enjoy!
Made this tonight!! Absolutely delicious!!
The only minor adjustments I made were omitting the optional turmeric and nutmeg, and I used my homemade Worcestershire sauce. I also used chicken broth in place of the water. So for the 1.5 cups of liquid, it was 3/4 cup Cabernet red wine and 3/4 cup chicken broth.
Also, just FYI I used a slightly frozen pork tenderloin and just cooked it an extra hour…came out perfect!
Could you use white wine instead?
Hi Joanna! I haven’t tried it with white wine… only with red. I have tried it with chicken broth and it was still pretty good, so I think that white wine would be tasty 🙂
Let me know if you try it and how it goes!! xo
What if we don’t want it to be “fall apart” done? Would 2-3 hours on low work, as long as it’s at least 145 degrees and then covered for a while once removed?
Yes, I think it should! I found that cooking it on low instead of high helped it not fall apart as much. It will be very tender, but you should still be able to slice it without problems. Hope that helps! xo
I’ve never used a crock pot before but received one as a gift. I’m trying out this recipe tonight. Does it matter what size crock pot you use? Mine is a 7qt. And I have a 1 lb tenderloin that fits perfectly in the bottom.
So exciting!! That size should be fine! I think 6-7 quarts is an average size for a slow cooker — mine is 6 quarts and worked well with this recipe, so your size should work! Enjoy!
I made this today. It was absolutely delicious! Smelled good and had awesome flavor. Everyone in my family loved it. The juice/gravy was really tasty over homemade mashed potatoes too. I tweeked the recipe a little bit by only doubling the salt, pepper, worcestershire, minced garlic and onion. You can add more or omit seasononings and ingredients to your taste. That’s why I don’t understand the negative comments I read either? Unless they used the wrong cut of meat.
Again this is an excellent recipe and I will be adding it to one of my favorites! Thank you for sharing!
Just about to serve this. It’s lovely! I’m not a huge fan of the crockpot but I have two sick kids in the house so I needed something from which I could walk away. The only changes I made were I omitted the Worcestershire sauce (dietary restrictions) and added a little sumac instead, and I used arrowroot instead of cornstarch (another dietary restriction). I finished the gravy with a little butter for richness and I’m impressed! I’m a total food snob so I’m not quick to love others’ recipes but I’ll definitely make this again!
I just a got an Instant Pot for Christmas. I’ve read some reviews that the slow cooker function is not as good as using a slow cooker. I’d like to get rid of my slow cooker if i can switch over to the IP for those recipes so I’m taking an informal poll of people who use both. Do you still use your slow cooker now that you have an IP?
I am trying this recipe now but just realized it was for a tenderloin. I used a 1.5 lb pork roast sirloin boneless roast do you think it will be ok?
Hi Cinda! I think you should be ok 🙂 I might need to cook a little longer if it is thicker, but I imagine that it’ll still be delicious! Enjoy! xo