This is the kind of slow cooker supper I lean on when June evenings are soft and busy, the garden needs watering, and I’d rather be on the porch than over a hot stove. It starts with a raw butterflied pork tenderloin laid right in the bottom of the crock, just like my mother used to do with her Sunday roasts, then only four more pantry-friendly ingredients go in. By suppertime, the pork is tender, the sauce is rich and savory-sweet, and it tastes like you fussed all afternoon even though you hardly lifted a finger. Around here in the rural Midwest, these easy, set-it-and-forget-it meals have seen many husbands ask for seconds—and thirds.
Serve this tender pork spooned over mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or simple white rice so it can soak up all that good gravy. Add a bright side like green beans, sweet corn, or a crisp lettuce salad with sliced tomatoes to balance the richness. Warm dinner rolls or thick slices of country bread are perfect for mopping up the sauce, and if you want to keep it feeling like a June evening, finish the meal with fresh berries or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin ComfortServings: 4
Ingredients
1 1/2 to 2 pounds raw pork tenderloin, butterflied and opened flat
1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (1-ounce) packet dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Directions
Lay the raw butterflied pork tenderloin flat in the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, cut side down so it covers as much of the bottom as possible. This helps it cook evenly and matches that old-fashioned method of starting with the meat right in the pot.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix, water, and Worcestershire sauce until fairly smooth and well combined.
Pour the soup mixture evenly over the pork tenderloin, making sure the meat is mostly covered. Use a spoon to spread the sauce if needed so the pork is nestled in the mixture.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the pork is very tender and reaches an internal temperature of at least 145°F (63°C). Cooking on LOW gives a softer, more comforting texture.
Once cooked, carefully lift the pork out with two spatulas or large spoons, as it will be very tender. Let it rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes, then slice or pull it into large chunks.
Stir the sauce in the slow cooker to smooth it out, then return the sliced or pulled pork to the pot and gently toss to coat it in the gravy.
Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if needed with a little salt and black pepper. Serve the pork hot with plenty of the slow cooker gravy spooned over each portion.
Variations & Tips
If you like a little sweetness, stir 1 to 2 tablespoons of brown sugar into the sauce mixture before pouring it over the pork; that sweet-and-savory flavor is very Midwestern and reminds me of church potlucks. For a touch of tang, add 1 tablespoon of Dijon or yellow mustard to the sauce. You can also swap the cream of mushroom soup for cream of chicken or cream of celery, depending on what you have in the pantry. If you prefer a thicker gravy, after the pork is done and removed to rest, stir together 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water, then whisk it into the hot sauce in the slow cooker, cover, and cook on HIGH for about 10 minutes until thickened. To stretch the meal, tuck a few halved baby potatoes or thick-sliced carrots around the pork before adding the sauce, keeping in mind that extra vegetables may add a bit of moisture and can slightly thin the gravy. For food safety, always start with fully thawed pork tenderloin, not frozen, so it moves quickly through the temperature danger zone. Keep the slow cooker covered while cooking and avoid lifting the lid often, which can lengthen cooking time. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the pork reaches at least 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers. Reheat leftovers to at least 165°F (74°C) before serving.
