A crock pot really brings out the best in pork tenderloin, leaving it juicy and tender, and saving you time in the kitchen. There are a number of ways you can prepare pork tenderloin in a crock pot, depending on your mood and the ingredients you have on hand. Whatever ingredients you use, you will be sure to come home to a welcoming aroma and a satisfying meal.
General Guidelines
The most basic way to prepare pork tenderloin in a crock pot is to place it in the crock pot with about ½ cup of liquid, seasoning and any fruits or vegetables you might like to add. Optionally, you can brown the tenderloin in a little bacon fat or oil first, and then deglaze the pan with the liquid, scraping all the delicious brown bits from the pan and pouring it over the tenderloin in the crock pot. Cook the pork tenderloin on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
Hearty
You can make a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs meal in a pot with a pork tenderloin roast. Cover the pork tenderloin with your choice of peeled, chopped potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, turnips, parsnips, bell pepper and winter squash. Season the meat and vegetables with any combination of the following: garlic, salt, pepper, red wine, dry onion soup mix and fresh or dried herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage or Italian seasoning mix. Use chicken broth or water for the liquid and cook as outlined in the above section.
Fruited
The flavors of fruit and pork complement each other nicely and are a classic combination. Cook the pork roast according to the general guidelines above, and use pineapple, apple, or orange juice for the liquid. Add any of the following ingredients to the crock pot with the pork tenderloin: chopped apples, cranberry sauce, dried cranberries, mandarin orange sections, apricot preserves and fresh or canned pineapple. Add some onion, garlic, carrots and bell pepper strips to contrast the sweet flavors, if desired. Season the fruited pork tenderloin with your choice of soy sauce, honey, ginger, pure maple syrup, brown sugar, allspice, salt and pepper.
Barbecue
If you have a jar of barbecue sauce on hand, you can throw together a crock pot pork tenderloin meal in no time. Simply place the tenderloin in the crock pot, pour the barbecue sauce over it, and add some chopped onion, garlic, hot sauce, salt and pepper. If you cook the tenderloin for approximately 9 to 10 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high, you will be able to easily pull the meat apart and serve it on buns or over rice covered with the sauce.
Tags: pork tenderloin, tenderloin crock, salt pepper, barbecue sauce, bell pepper