Description
This Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin is a delicious and easy-to-make meal featuring tender pork infused with a sweet and savory honey garlic sauce. Perfect for busy days, it requires minimal prep and delivers juicy, flavorful pork every time.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 1 pork tenderloin (trimmed, silver skin removed — 1–1¼ lbs, cut in half crosswise to fit)
Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon seasoning salt
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛–¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Sauce
- ⅔ cup honey
- ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth (or substitute water)
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1½ tablespoons corn starch
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Prepare Slow Cooker: Lightly grease a 3-4 quart slow cooker with non-stick spray to prevent sticking and facilitate easy cleanup.
- Season Pork: Place the pork tenderloin in the slow cooker and season all over with ½ teaspoon seasoning salt evenly to enhance the flavor.
- Make Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, low sodium chicken broth, soy sauce, minced garlic, corn starch, apple cider vinegar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes until smooth and well combined.
- Add Sauce: Pour the honey garlic sauce around the pork tenderloin in the slow cooker. Avoid pouring directly over the top to keep some seasoning on the meat surface.
- Cook Pork: Cover the slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 2 to 3 hours or on high for 1.5 to 2 hours, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork reads at least 140°F, ensuring the pork is safely cooked yet tender and juicy.
- Rest the Meat: Once cooked, turn off the slow cooker and let the pork tenderloin rest in the cooker, covered, for 10 minutes. This resting period helps retain juices within the meat.
- Serve: Slice the pork tenderloin into medallions and serve with the sauce from the slow cooker spooned over top for maximum flavor.
Notes
- Don’t Overcook: Since pork tenderloin is lean, it can dry out quickly. Remove the pork as soon as it reaches 140-145ºF to keep it juicy.
- Pork Loin Variation: This recipe is for pork tenderloin, not pork loin. Pork loin is larger and requires longer cooking—4-5 hours on low without sauce, then add sauce to prevent burning.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze for 4-6 months. Thaw overnight before reheating in a microwave or oven until warmed through.
