Make this delicious Balsamic Pork Tenderloin recipe in the slow cooker with a tangy for an easy dinner the whole family will enjoy.
If you love balsamic, try this delicious Balsamic Glazed Chicken recipe!! Or add some balsamic to our favorite Bruschetta recipe.
Why this Recipe Works
This pork tenderloin recipe is simply an awesome dinner. I could wax poetic about it but at the end of the day, what we’re all looking for is a tasty meal that satisfies body and soul. Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin is that meal.
Best of all, this pork cooks all day in the Crock-pot. So if you are like me and enjoy mealtime to be less stressful, but fulfilling; this is YOUR recipe. You’re very welcome. I know I’m getting ahead of myself, but I know you will thank me.
This is my new “go-to” pork tenderloin recipe. Well, except for carnitas, because those don’t count.
Please. Make this. Then thank me. Otherwise I seem all conceited and stuff saying you’re welcome when nobody is thanking me.
What kind of pork to use
Tenderloin cooks beautifully in the slow cooker and can be dressed up with just about any kind of sauce or glaze you can think of, from barbecue sauce to Pineapple Salsa.
It’s one of my go-to cuts of pork because it tastes equally delicious when cooked quickly in an Instant Pot or stove top OR made in the slow cooker.
(This Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin is amazing)!
One important note: You can use pork tenderloin in this recipe or pork loin.
What’s the difference between pork tenderloin and pork loin?
While the names are similar, these two cuts come from different parts of the pig.
Pork loin comes from the animal’s backside and is also known as center cut roast. It’s cut as one large piece of meat that usually weighs several pounds. Because of its size and density, it’s usually slow roasted.
Pork tenderloin on the other hand, comes from a muscle near the pig’s backbone. It’s always boneless and sometimes sold under the name pork tenders or pork filet. Pork tenderloins are thin strips of meat and extremely tender whether cooked quickly at a higher heat or slow cooked.
When you make pork tenderloin in the crock pot it becomes so tender it can fall apart with the touch of your fork. When you add this tangy-sweet balsamic glaze? It becomes absolute heaven.
Pork Shoulder or Pork Butt can also be used in today’s recipe!
Cooking Instructions
A hands-off pork recipe that cooks all day long while you get other things done. Is there anything better?
STEP 1. Slow Cook the Pork
Lay 2 pork tenderloins (about 3 lbs total) across the bottom of a large slow cooker. Rub the top of the pork tenderloins with sage, salt and pepper.
Pour 1/2 cup of water in the bottom of the pot and add pressed garlic. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours.
STEP 2. Make the Balsamic Glaze
In small microwave safe bowl, mix 1/2 cup water with brown sugar, cornstarch, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. Heat for 1 minute, whisk and heat an additional minute.
The mixture should be thickened. Pour half of mixture over pork tenderloins and continue cooking an additional hour (or up to two).
STEP 3. Shred and Serve
When ready to serve the tenderloin, pour the remaining glaze over top. Use a serving fork to shred the pork and serve!
I most often serve this pork over simple white rice. It’s also so good served on sandwich rolls or with a side of Baked Potatoes and Roasted Broccoli.
Balsamic Glaze
The glaze on this pork is, in my opinion, the perfect balance of savory, sweet and tangy.
The brown sugar counterbalances the sourness of the balsamic so well and gives the pork that sweet”glazed” look and texture.
Leftovers of this pork keep well in the fridge for a few days, too. We love to add the meat to salads, wraps and sandwiches for easy lunches throughout the week!
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Ingredients
For the Pork:
- 2 pork tenderloins about 3 pounds total
- ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoon ground sage
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cloves garlic pressed
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the glaze
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
Instructions
- In a large crockpot, lay tenderloins on bottom. Rub sage, salt and pepper on top. Pour 1/2 cup water in bottom of pot and add the pressed garlic. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours.
- In small microwave safe bowl, mix 1/2 cup water with brown sugar, cornstarch, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. Heat for 1 minute, whisk and heat an additional minute. Mixture should be thickened. Pour half of mixture over pork tenderloins and continue cooking an additional hour (or two).
- With remaining glaze, you can keep it until ready to serve then pour warmed glaze over tenderloins, shred and enjoy.
Notes
- Pork- can also use pork shoulder, loin, or pork butt in place of the tenderloins.
- Leftovers of this pork keep well in the fridge for a few days, too. We love to add the meat to salads, wraps and sandwiches for easy lunches throughout the week!
Nutrition
Pork tenderloin cooked to perfection in the slow cooker is all you need for a dinner that’s as easy as it is delicious.
I have made this recipe many times and it is always a hit! This time I am going to make it for a large crowd (around 60 people!) How many servings does this recipe make?
Made this today and had it for dinner tonight. I really enjoyed it as did the very fussy eaters in my house. I didn’t make the tomato salad, would rather do that with summer tomatoes. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks. ????
So glad you enjoyed the pork! Definitely give the tomato salad a try in summer 🙂
I found this recipe and had to use it immediately, but only had about 4 hours, so I put it in my crockpot on high and prayed. It was so delish! With the leftovers I made a dinner roll recipe and cut up about 3 cups of leftover pork, mixed it with about 1 cup of broccoli and 1 cup of mozzarella and stuffed this meat mixture into the dinner rolls to make a sort of meat pie. I made another batch of that great Balsamic glaze and used it as a dipping sauce for the meat pies. Delish again!
Could you put small red potatoes and carrots in crockpot at same time as meat and cook together?
Hi
This sounds amazing !!! I was wondering could I start with frozen tenderloins? Mine haven’t defrosted overnight and I am dying to try this tonight 🙂
Thanks for sharing
Yes, get them in there now!
How many hours do you think I should cook them for? Maybe 8? Thanks so much for responding so soon! You rock!!!
Hi
This sounds amazing !!! I was wondering could I start with frozen tenderloins? Mine haven’t defrosted overnight and I am dying to try this tonight 🙂
Thanks for sharing
Tried this tonight and oh my goodness! My mom is going back for thirds! We used a pork shoulder instead of loin because it was on sale. Used an electric fry pan instead of the crock pot so we could eat sooner. Even with those changes, it was still incredible! We did make the tomato salad also. What a great way to change it up a bit! Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing this recipe! 🙂
I’m not a fan of pork loin, but this recipe was DELICIOUS! I followed recipe exactly. I didn’t make the cherry salad, but the pork pulled apart and the extra sauce added on my plate made it great! Hubby really enjoyed it also. Couldn’t get much easier either! Definitely a keeper and I will make it again! Thanks for sharing!
Hello! I have pork tenderloin in the freezer and wanted to try to make this tomorrow, but do not have ground sage. Is it a necessity for the recipe/taste or can I go without? Or maybe use something else? Thank you so much! 🙂
You can use poultry seasoning, or skip it all together. It will still be delicious!
made this tonight except put the glaze over some potatoes and roasted them. My husband says it is a hit. He can’t wait to eat leftovers tomorrow!
Thank you for this recipe. Made it today, we just finished and it was a definite hit. Just my husband and I, so lots of leftovers, but I’m not complaining. Can’t wait to have it again.
I am going to try this Saturday – do you brown the meat before putting in the crockpot? A cooking magazine said that sealing the the meat was the key, I am a newbie crockpotter (word??)
Thanks
Hi Susie, I’ve done it both ways. It becomes so tender it really isn’t necessary to sear it first. One extra step, one extra dirty dish 🙂
I made this tonight and it was delicious! I used a small pork roast and halfed the recipe but next time I’ll defintely make the recipe as is. We didn’t have enough left over! We all kept going back for more it was so good. Definitely a keeper! I look forward to trying the beef roast version next.
I made this tonight for my fiancé (I’m a vegetarian, so any meat I can just throw in a crockpot is great for me, and I must admit the house smelled wonderful all day!). He is very even-keeled, doesn’t excite easily. He took one bite and…. “oh my, God…” and “wow” and “…I might need a moment….” and “this is the best thing ever…” followed repeatedly :). I made it with roasted carrots since he doesn’t like raw tomatoes; I mixed them with some of the glaze when they came out of the oven. I halved the recipe since it was only him eating…and he nearly ate all of it! Thank you thank you thank you!! Will be making this often (plan to travel with my crockpot and a hunk of tenderloin when I visit my parents this weekend, haha!)
This is amazing!!!! I have made it a handful of times already, and it comes out wonderful every time! I do have a question though. If you were to do it on high, instead of low, how long would you cook it?
You can do 4hours. By cooking it on high though, it won’t get as tender and shreddable (is that a word??)
This recipe is amazing! My entire family loved it, and that says a lot.
I’m so glad to hear it Ana! It’s a family favorite here too!
i made this and it’s delishhhhhhhhhhhhhh….. i will make it again and again. i’m glad i made it.
Have you ever put this together in advance to freeze? this sounds delicious, but I am trying to put together make-ahead meals
I have only frozen this into portions AFTER cooking.
Pork tenderloin
I am loving this recipe. We love pork. However I really dislike sage. Could another spice be used in place of sage
You can leave the sage out, or use Italian Seasoning. Even rosemary would be delicious. You could also use poultry seasoning…
Thank you for the recipe! It is cooking in the crockpot right now and smells wonderful. I love anything with balsamic. I will be making roasted Parmesan and garlic red potatoes for the side dish.