Sometimes you need to drop a nice big chunk of meat into a crock pot early in the day and not even think about it again until it's time to eat. And there are a million ways to do that with delicious results, so if you have your favorites, by all means, stick with them. But if you're looking for a new idea or something a little different, this is SO flavorful and super simple to prepare. And it fits well into almost any healthy eating plan. Low fat, low carb, low sugar, low calorie, etc. I served it with homemade savory coleslaw and ranch style beans in the spirit of barbecue, but with a little twist.
Ingredients:
2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Instructions:
1. Mix together salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary. Rub over tenderloin.
2. Sear the loin over medium-high heat on all sides and then place in crock pot on low.
3. In the same pan you used to sear the loin, add the water, balsamic vinegar, coconut sugar, and soy sauce. Deglaze the pan and bring liquid to a very low boil. Mix corn starch with 1 tablespoon water and add to boiling liquid. Stir just until the sauce begins to thicken.
4. Pour half of the sauce over the loin in the crock pot and set aside the other half to glaze the pork just before serving (if desired).
5. Cook pork on low heat in crock pot for up to 6 hours. (Unlike fattier meats, pork tenderloin can become dry if it stays in the crock pot too long, so this is not one you want to cook all night or leave alone for a long day away from home.)
6. If you like, you can certainly serve the pork straight from the crock pot. I prefer to create somewhat of a caramel-y glaze with the sauce, which is very easy to do. Just break up the tenderloin a bit and put on a foil-lined baking sheet (it should fall apart pretty easily after cooking several hours), pour or brush the reserved sauce over the top, and broil for 2-3 minutes in the oven. It only takes a few minutes, and it adds a nice layer of texture and flavor.
Enjoy!