This slow cooker 4-ingredient brown sugar bacon pork tenderloin is the kind of low-effort dinner that feels a lot more special than it should for how little work it takes. Sweet brown sugar, smoky bacon, and tender pork cook down into a rich glaze that tastes like you planned ahead, even if you just needed something easy on a busy weekday. It is a great recipe to keep in rotation when you want a comforting main dish with almost no prep and very few groceries.
Serve this pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes, roasted green beans, buttered corn, or a simple side salad to balance the sweet and savory flavors. It also works well with rice or dinner rolls to soak up the extra glaze, and leftovers are delicious sliced thin for sandwiches or tucked into a grain bowl the next day.
Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Brown Sugar Bacon Pork Tenderloin
Servings: 6
Ingredients
2 pork tenderloins, about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds total
10 to 12 slices bacon
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Directions
1. Pat the pork tenderloins dry with paper towels. Rub the Dijon mustard all over each tenderloin, then coat them evenly with the brown sugar.
2. Wrap the bacon slices around the tenderloins, slightly overlapping as needed, then place the wrapped pork in the slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, or until the pork is tender and reaches a safe internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit in the center.
4. Carefully transfer the pork to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Spoon some of the glaze from the slow cooker over the top before serving.
Variations & Tips
Make it a little less sweet: If you prefer a more savory balance, reduce the brown sugar to 3/4 cup. You will still get that caramelized glaze, but the mustard and bacon will come through a bit more.
Add a little heat: Stir a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or a small spoonful of hot honey into the mustard before coating the pork. It is an easy way to give the glaze a sweet-spicy twist without adding extra work.
For crispier bacon: Since slow cookers do not crisp bacon much, you can place the cooked tenderloin under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes after it rests. Just keep a close eye on it so the sugar does not burn.
Use a thermometer: Pork tenderloin cooks fairly quickly, and slow cookers can vary a lot. Checking for 145 degrees Fahrenheit helps keep it juicy instead of overdone.
Prep ahead: You can wrap the pork with bacon and coat it with the mustard and brown sugar the night before. In the morning, just place it in the slow cooker insert and get dinner going with almost no effort.