Slow-Cooked Pork Tenderloin with Pumpkin-Cider Sauce and Apples
This comforting slow-cooker recipe features tender pork tenderloin seared and then simmered to perfection in a rich, savory pumpkin-cider sauce with aromatics and chunks of sweet apple.
Ingredients
Prep the Pork Tenderloin
- 2 tenderloins pork tenderloins about 1 1/4 lb each
- kosher salt – Morton ~ 3 1/2 tsp or Diamond ~ 2 Tbsp
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 medium red onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
For the Sauce
- 3/4 cup apple cider
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
Last Hour of Cooking
- 3/4 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 medium apple e.g., Honeycrisp, peeled and 1/2-inch diced
Finish the Sauce
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar to taste
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch for slurry
- 1 tablespoon water for slurry
- toasted pepitas for garnish
Instructions
Prep the Pork Tenderloin
- Pat pork tenderloins dry. Season generously all over with salt and pepper.
- Sear: Heat neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sear pork until deeply browned on all sides. Transfer to slow cooker.
- Aromatics: In the same skillet, add red onion; sauté 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic, pumpkin pie spice, smoked paprika, and sage; bloom 30 seconds.
- Deglaze: Pour in apple cider, scraping up browned bits; reduce 1 minute. Add chicken stock and stir in mustard, brown sugar, soy sauce, and fish sauce.
- Transfer: Tip the onion/liquid mixture into the slow cooker. Nestle the seared tenderloins on top.
- Cook: Cover and cook on LOW 3-4 hours, aiming for 135-140°F in the center; start checking at 3 hours.
- Last hour: Add diced apple around the pork. Whisk pumpkin purée into the cooking juices and turn the slow cooker to HIGH.
Finish the Sauce
- Move pork to a board; tent. Pour liquids (including apples) into a saucepan. Simmer 3-5 minutes until apples are perfectly tender and sauce thickens slightly. Whisk in cold butter, 1 Tbsp at a time, then add heavy cream. Stir in 1-2 tsp apple cider vinegar to brighten; adjust salt and pepper.
- Slurry (optional for extra body): In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with water. Stir into simmering sauce and cook 1 minute until thickened.
- Slice tenderloins and spoon gravy over slices. Garnish with toasted pepitas.