Easy Apple Cider Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin Recipe

Easy Apple Cider Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin is an easy healthy recipe made by cooking lean pork tenderloin in a sweet and savory apple cider based liquid. The sauce is reduced after cooking and served over tender slices of pork for a delicious meal your whole family will enjoy!

I've partnered with my friends at OhioPork.org to create this delicious recipe and blog post for you. All opinions are my own. 

With summer winding down, I'm looking forward to more Fall inspired meals like this Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin! I can't think of any flavors more representative of Fall than pork and apples. The combination is irresistible!

This Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin recipe is the perfect meal for those busy evenings or a delightful Sunday dinner. It can even be made during the day, and simply reheated at dinner time.

What is pork tenderloin?

Pork tenderloin comes from the primal loin cut of the pig. The loin is the area between the shoulders and the legs. Pork from this area tends to be leaner than pork cut from other areas of the pig. Do not confuse pork tenderloin with a pork loin roast. Although they are from the same area of the pig, they are not the same. If you're looking for a pork loin roast recipe, check out my recipe for Grilled Pork Loin or my recipe for Maple Dijon Pork Loin Roast with Sauerkraut.

The pork tenderloin is cut from the bottom portion of the loin. This area is closest to the inside of the pig. Pork tenderloin is the leanest and most tender part of the loin. 

When shopping for pork tenderloin, you will find it in your fresh meat case. In most packages labeled pork tenderloin, you will find two long, skinny tenderloins. One package of tenderloins usually weighs between 2 and 3 pounds.

Pork Tenderloin in the Crock Pot

You might be surprised that I'm saying this but, generally speaking, cooking pork tenderloin in the Crock Pot is not something I would recommend. This is because Pork tenderloin is one of the leanest, most tender cuts of pork.

Slow cooking in a crock pot tends to dry this lean piece of pork out. Therefore, it's best suited for cooking methods that cook using high heat quickly, like in this recipe for Easy Pork Tenderloin Marsala or Grilled Orange Pork Tenderloin. 

However, I'm here to tell you, you CAN cook delicious, moist pork tenderloin in your crock pot! It just takes a bit of care and know how to do it successfully. That means, there isn't hours of slow cooking to make this recipe. But technically, it is slower than cooking in a skillet or in the oven. 

I found that cooking the pork tenderloins in the Crock Pot on LOW for about 2-3 hours was just about right. You might find you will need to adjust the time a bit in either direction, because like ovens, some slow cookers cook faster than others. But, if you follow the directions below, you should end up with a delicious, moist and tender pork meal!

Apple Cider Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin

Like salt and pepper, or peanut butter and jelly, pork and apples were just made to be together! In this recipe for Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin, apple cider is used as a base for the braising liquid. Combined with onions, chicken stock, seasonings, and just a bit of apple cider vinegar this sauce gives the pork tenderloin a wonderful sweet and savory flavor.

If you can't find apple cider (it can be a seasonal product in some areas) you can substitute unfiltered apple juice.

Once the pork is cooked to an internal temperature around 145 degrees F in the crock pot and removed to rest, the braising liquid is turned into a luscious sauce by reducing it and adding butter. The sauce is delicious served over the pork tenderloin slices and over side dishes like Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes.

How to make the best Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin

1. Remove the pork tenderloins from packaging. Pat dry with a paper towel. Season and sear in a large skillet over medium-high heat in olive oil. 
2. Brown pork tenderloins on all sides. Do not skip this step. Browning adds so much flavor, and everyone loves flavor! Remove each pork tenderloin from skillet and place in crock pot.
3. Add  chopped onion to skillet and cook until translucent, then add garlic. 
4. Slowly add apple cider vinegar and stir, scraping up brown bits. Bring to boil.
5. Turn heat down to low and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated. 
6. Add apple cider, chicken stock, and bay leaf to skillet. Stir to combine. Turn off heat and swirl in butter. Pour mixture over pork tenderloins in the slow cooker. 
7. Cover Crock Pot and cook as directed in recipe card below. 

Variations

• If you can't find apple cider, you can use apple juice in it's place. The flavor will be lighter, but it will still work.
• Add a peeled, cored, and chopped apple (any variety) with the onions in the skillet. 
• Switch up the seasonings on the pork tenderloins. Add dried sage or dried rosemary, or both. 
• Swap red onion for white onion or yellow onion. 

In a hurry? Cook this recipe in the skillet on your stove top. Here's how: 

Reduce apple cider amount to 1/2 cup. 

After you add cider, chicken stock, bay leaf, and butter to skillet (step 7) place browned pork tenderloins back into the skillet and turn up to medium heat. Cover skillet and cook over medium heat until the internal temperature of the pork tenderloins are 140 - 145 degrees F when checked with a meat thermometer. Remove pork tenderloins to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to rest for 3-5 minutes. Remove bay leaf from skillet and turn up heat to medium-high. Bring sauce to boil and reduce by 1/4th. Serve pan sauce over pork tenderloins.

Storage for leftovers

Store any leftover pork tenderloin in airtight container with the crock or pan juices in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. 

Pork is leaner today!

Did you know that according to the National Pork Board, today’s pork is 16% leaner and 27% lower in saturated fats compared to 26 years ago! This makes cuts like pork tenderloin a lean cut of meat and an ideal choice when in the market for lean proteins. 

Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin, Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin, Pork Tenderloin in Crock Pot

main dish, pork

American

Yield: 6 servings

Author: Renee Paj

Easy Apple Cider Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin Recipe

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 3 HourTotal time: 3 H & 15 M

Pork Tenderloin is seasoned, pan seared, and then slow cooked in a sweet and savory apple cider sauce for a tender and flavorful pork dinner!

Ingredients

• 1 package of pork tenderloins (2 to 3 lbs. total)
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 2 TBSP unsalted butter, room temperature
• fresh thyme for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Remove pork tenderloins from package and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Season all sides with salt, pepper, thyme, and garlic powder.
3. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. When oil begins to shimmer, add pork tenderloins and brown on all sides.
4. When pork is browned, remove to crock of slow cooker. Set aside.
5. In same skillet you browned pork, add onion. (you can add a little more oil if needed). Saute over medium heat, scraping up browned bits from bottom of the pan as the onion cooks. Cook onion for about 5 to 6 minutes, or until it becomes translucent. Add minced garlic, and cook for one more minute.
6. Add apple cider vinegar. Turn heat up to medium high and cook until most of the vinegar has absorbed.
7. Add apple cider, chicken stock, and bay leaf. Bring to boil then take off heat. Swirl in the butter until melted.
8. Pour mixture over browned pork tenderloins in Crock Pot.
9. Put lid on and set Crock Pot to LOW. Cook for about 2-3 hours, or until internal temperature is about 145 degrees F and pork is fork tender.
10. When pork is done, remove tenderloins to cutting board and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.
11. Remove bay leaf from liquid.
12. Carefully pour braising liquid into a medium sauce pan. Bring to boiling over medium high heat and then turn down to simmer. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half.
13. Take off heat and whisk in butter.
14. Slice tenderloins and serve with sauce.

Notes

To make this recipe for pork tenderloin on the stove:

Reduce apple cider amount to 1/2 cup.

After you add cider, chicken stock, bay leaf, and butter to skillet (step 7) place browned pork tenderloins back into the skillet and turn up to medium heat. Cover skillet and cook over medium heat until the internal temperature of the pork tenderloins are 140 - 145 degrees F when checked with a meat thermometer. Remove pork tenderloins to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to rest for 3-5 minutes. Remove bay leaf from skillet and turn up heat to medium-high. Bring sauce to boil and reduce by 1/4th. Serve pan sauce over pork tenderloins.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

123.99

Fat (grams)

7.05 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

2.99 g

Carbs (grams)

10.31 g

Fiber (grams)

0.83 g

Net carbs

9.48 g

Sugar (grams)

6.14 g

Protein (grams)

4.98 g

Sodium (milligrams)

428.75 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

21.12 mg

Nutritional Information is an estimate.

https://www.reneeskitchenadventures.com/2019/08/crock-pot-pork-tenderloin.html

Copyright © 2019 Renee's Kitchen Adventures

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Suggested side dishes for Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin

You might want something to spoon all that yummy cider sauce over and these Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes are the perfect thing to do that to!

I also really love green beans with pork and this recipe for Country Style Green Beans is always a hit! This Red Cabbage Slaw with Cashews would also pair nicely with this pork meal! 

More delicious pork recipes you'll love!

• Breaded Oven Baked Pork Chops
• Pork and Sauerkraut
• Perfect Pork Tenderloin (oven baked)

More Slow Cooker Recipes 

Easy Slow Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut

Fall-off-the-Bone Slow Cooker Ribs

Don't forget to pin Easy Apple Cider Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin to your pork Pinterest boards and share on social media if you love this recipe! 

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