Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Glaze
In this easy slow cooker recipe, pork tenderloin is coated in a sweet and savory apricot glaze to create a super moist and juicy finished dish. There’s just 10 minutes of active prep work involved in this recipe, and then your slow cooker does the rest of the work for you which makes it ideal as a weeknight meal. But it tastes ‘fancier’ than it really is, so if you want to serve it to guests, everyone will love it and want the recipe! The glaze is made using pantry staples like soy sauce, mustard, vegetable broth, and of course apricot preserves. The salty soy sauce and mustard balance out the sweetness of the apricot preserves without overwhelming the fruity flavor. If you’re someone who grew up eating pork chops with applesauce, you’re going to love this more refined (but easier!) apricot glazed pork tenderloin recipe. Serve the pork tenderloin and apricot sauce with mashed potatoes, steamed rice, roasted broccoli, roasted Brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar, or a side salad for a hearty dinner your whole family will love. Any leftover pork tenderloin can be sliced and used in sandwiches the next day for lunch. Win-win! I have a great Pulled Pork Sliders recipe that you can pop this pork tenderloin right into that recipe and it’ll be great.
Ingredients for Apricot Pork Tenderloin
You’ll need just a handful of ingredients to make the slow cooker pork tenderloin with apricot glaze. Gather the following:
Pork tenderloin Olive oil Apricot preserves Reduced sodium chicken broth (vegetable broth works too) Lite soy sauce Garlic Stone ground mustard (Dijon mustard is a good substitution) Minced dried onion Salt Pepper Fresh parsley (or fresh thyme), optional for garnishing
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
Buying Pork Tenderloin vs. Pork Loin
This recipe is for apricot glazed pork tenderloin — don’t confuse it with pork loin! Pork tenderloin is smaller and narrower in size, and it’s usually sold in packs of two. It cooks very quickly in the slow cooker. Pork loin is wider and thicker in shape, with a layer of fat on top. I’ve slow cooked pork loin in the past, but this particular recipe uses tenderloin so it’s important that you buy the correct cut of pork.
How to Make Apricot Glazed Pork Tenderloin in a Slow Cooker
Making pork tenderloin with an apricot preserve glaze is very straightforward. Here’s an overview of the recipe steps:
How Can You Tell When Pork Tenderloin Is Done?
The only way to know for sure whether pork tenderloin is done is to use a meat thermometer or instant read thermometer. If you overcook the pork, it’ll turn out tough and dry; if you undercook it, it could make you sick. To make your life easier, invest in a meat thermometer. Pork tenderloin is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 135ºF. I recommend removing the pork from the slow cooker when it reaches 130ºF, then letting it rest on your counter for 5 to 10 minutes so the carry-over heat can finish bringing the temperature up to 135ºF.
Recipe Tips
Sear pork tenderloin before slow cooking. Searing the pork locks in moisture and adds both color and flavor. It’s not technically necessary for cooking the pork, but it’s recommended for the flavor and juiciness later on. Use low sodium soy sauce and broth. You can always add more salt to the recipe to suit your personal taste, but I often find full-sodium broth and regular soy sauce too salty. The other consideration is that the overall liquid volume will diminish and concentrate during the cooking process, so the liquid that remains will taste even saltier which is why I always start with low/reduced sodium products, and add salt at the end if necessary. Be careful not to overcook the pork tenderloin. Pork tenderloin is incredibly lean and cooks quickly in the slow cooker – around 2-3 hours on high, and 4-6 hours on low. This is where a meat thermometer comes in handy so you know exactly when to take the pork out of the Crockpot.
Flavor Variations
Use peach preserves if you can’t find apricot. Both work equally well in the pork tenderloin glaze, but of course the resulting flavor will be slightly different. Pineapple preserves, cherry preserves, mango preserves (not as common in the US but if you happen to be in Mexico it’s very common),or really any fruit preserves you enjoy will work well in this Crockpot pork recipe.
More Easy Pork Recipes:
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