When the weather is brutally hot and the last thing I want to do is stand over the stove, a slow cooker dinner like this one saves the day. Using frozen pork tenderloins plus just five more pantry-friendly ingredients, you get tender, juicy pork with a sweet and savory sauce that feels like a real dinner win on a busy weeknight. It is the kind of low-effort summer meal that lets the crock pot do the work while the kitchen stays cooler.
This pork is especially good served over fluffy rice, buttered noodles, or mashed potatoes to soak up the sauce. For easy sides, add steamed green beans, roasted broccoli, a crisp cucumber salad, or simple coleslaw. If you want to keep the meal extra summer-friendly, pair it with sliced watermelon or fresh corn on the cob.
6-Ingredient Slow Cooker July Heatwave Dinner
Servings: 6
Ingredients
2 frozen pork tenderloins, about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds total
1 packet dry onion soup mix, about 1 ounce
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Directions
1. Place the frozen pork tenderloins in the bottom of a slow cooker.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the onion soup mix, barbecue sauce, apricot preserves, Worcestershire sauce, and apple cider vinegar until combined.
3. Pour the sauce over the pork, cover, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the pork is very tender and cooked through.
4. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. If you want a thicker sauce, pour the liquid into a small saucepan and simmer for a few minutes until slightly reduced.
5. Slice or shred the pork, then serve with the sauce spooned over the top.
Variations & Tips
Make it sweeter: If your family likes a sweeter sauce, add an extra 2 to 3 tablespoons of apricot preserves before cooking. It gives the pork a glossy finish that tastes great over rice.
Make it tangier: For a stronger sweet-and-tangy flavor, add another tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or a little yellow mustard to the sauce mixture.
Turn it into sandwiches: Shred the cooked pork and pile it onto soft sandwich buns with coleslaw for an easy second-night dinner that feels totally different from the first meal.
Use what you have: Peach preserves work nicely if you do not have apricot preserves, and any smoky or honey-style barbecue sauce will fit right in. This is one of those flexible slow cooker meals that is easy to adapt on a busy day.
Meal prep tip: Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the pork with some extra sauce so it stays moist, then reheat gently for bowls, sandwiches, or wraps.