Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin - Easy Brown Sugar Balsamic Glaze

Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin is one of those meals that you can set and forget. In eight hours, you'll have super tender meat that falls apart as you cut it. This pork tenderloin recipe is perfect for weeknight dinners as well as folks on a budget. Bonus: This recipe is naturally gluten-free!

Pair it with the homemade brown sugar balsamic glaze for the perfect sweet and tangy sauce to pour over top.

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Ingredients for Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin

For the Pork Tenderloin:

• Pork tenderloin, or a pork butt. Pork tenderloin is one of my favorite cuts of meat because it's so naturally flavorful and tender that you just can't go wrong. Pork butt is typically a much larger cut of meat (and more expensive). It's great for shredding, which means it tends to go far in feeding a crowd of hungry people.
• Rosemary, fresh or dried
• Sage, fresh or dried
• Light brown sugar
• Apple cider vinegar is a crucial component of this recipe. It brings out the flavor of the pork with a nice touch of acidity, and it helps break down the proteins to make the pork extra tender.
• Minced garlic
• Water
• Salt & pepper to taste

For the Brown Sugar Balsamic Glaze:

This makes the best ever balsamic glaze for pork!

• Balsamic vinegar
• Soy sauce adds a touch of umami and saltiness. Be sure to buy gluten-free soy sauce to make this recipe gluten-free.
• Light brown sugar
• Minced garlic
• Cornstarch + water, optional, to make a slurry to thicken the glaze. Alternatively, you can simmer the sauce for longer to reduce.

How to Make Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin:

• Add the apple cider vinegar and water to the bottom of a slow cooker.
• For the dry rub: Combine brown sugar, sage, rosemary, and S&P. Rub the mixture on all sides of the pork tenderloin and place it in the slow cooker. Then, rub the minced garlic over top.
• Place the pork tenderloin in the slow cooker. Set to Low and cook for 8 hours, or set to High and cook for 4 hours.

• About half an hour before you're ready to serve the pork, prepare the Brown Sugar Balsamic Glaze. Add all of the glaze ingredients to a sauce pot on the stove and bring to a simmer, stirring until all of the sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer until the glaze is reduced by half and coats the back of a spoon, about 5-10 minutes. Quicker option: Instead, add a corn starch slurry while simmering to thicken the sauce into a glaze. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Remove the pork tenderloin from the slow cooker & slice about ½" thick, or shred. Set slow cooker to Warm and place the tenderloin back inside. Pour the glaze over top, and let sit for 10 minutes to absorb the flavors.
• Enjoy!

Equipment

You don't need any special equipment other than a slow cooker to make this Slow Cooker Balsamic Pork Tenderloin, but I recommend:

• A basting brush to brush the glaze onto the pork tenderloin.
• A sharp meat slicing knife and meat fork

How to Serve Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin:

• Eat as the main protein with sides like mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, gluten-free rolls, gluten-free cornbread, broccoli, glazed carrots, green beans, etc.
• Leave out the balsamic glaze and shred it and eat on a sandwich with coleslaw.
• You could even use the shredded pork for tacos or enchiladas.
• If you want something more simple, you can leave out the sauce and top the pork with your favorite BBQ sauce instead.

I paired it with some roasted carrots and my Gluten Free Dinner Rolls.

Notes on Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin:

• Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
• Be sure to check throughout the day to make sure there is still some liquid left in the bottom of the slow cooker. For a pork tenderloin, add ½-1 cup of water. It will not produce much of its own juice. For a pork butt, only add ¼ cup of water and keep an eye on it. Pork butts tend to produce a lot of broth.
• Optional step: For a roast, brown pork fat-side down on the stove top first in a cast iron skillet. This helps to render the fat and give it a golden brown color. Tenderloin can just be placed right in the slow cooker - it will brown up some on its own.

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