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Crock Pot Balsamic Pork Tenderloin

Easy Pork Tenderloin

This easy Pork Tenderloin is easy, can be made ahead of time, and it's virtually hands-off, thanks to the magic process of cooking the pork in a crock pot. This recipe will give you tender and juicy pork that looks and tastes like it was made at your favorite Italian restaurant.
5 from 39 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course Appetizer, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 5
Calories 365 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds pork tenderloin
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme

Rub for tenderloin:

  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon rosemary
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Sauce for tenderloin:

  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions
 

Prepare the pork:

  • First, pat dry pork tenderloins with paper towels, and let pork sit at room temp for 30 minutes (if you have time) prior to cooking. This will ensure that you get a nice sear on the tenderloin and will keep the cooking time as stated in the recipe.
  • Second, combine the rub ingredients in a small bowl, then stir to combine.
  • Third, sprinkle the rub over the pork and use your hands to massage the rub this into all sides of the pork.
  • Next, heat a large skillet over medium heat until very hot. Make sure the skillet is nice and hot before you add the oil and pork to get the best sear on the pork. After the pan is hot, add olive oil and swirl in pan to distribute evenly, then add pork and sear for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

Make the sauce:

  • Combine the sauce ingredients into a measuring cup and stir well.

Cook the pork:

  • First, add the sauce mixture to the crock pot.
  • Next, place pork into crock pot.
  • Then, add the fresh thyme to the crock pot. *You can add whole sprigs of thyme, instead of chopping it if you'd like, just remember to pull the stems out of the sauce once you're done cooking the pork.
  • Cover the crock pot with a lid and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or on HIGH for 2.5 -3 hours.
  • Cook pork to an internal temp or 145°F if you are slicing.
  • Allow pork to rest for 5 minutes on a cutting board once it's pulled from the crock prior to slicing to allow the juices to redistribute and keep your pork moist.
  • If you would like to shred the pork instead of slicing, cook to 165°F about 1-2 hours longer. Pork will be a drier texture but will stay wonderfully moist in the sauce.

Notes

Nutrition: 
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation. The owner of this site is not responsible for nutrition facts.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 365kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 39gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 118mgSodium: 1300mgPotassium: 861mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 739IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 3mg
Keyword balsamic pork tenderloin, crock pot meals, crock pot pork tenderloin, dairy free dinner, easy meals, gluten free dinner, healthy dinner, healthy meal prep, instant pot meals, pork dinner, pork tenderloin, slow cooker meals
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