This slow-cooker sweet island pork is a fall-apart tender with the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. This is my go-to recipe whenever I’m making dinner for someone!
Serve this pork with easy, roasted sweet potatoes and dairy-free coleslaw for a delicious meal. You can also use the meat to make amazing slow-cooker pork tacos!
This slow-cooker island pork tenderloin is without a doubt one of my top 10 favorite recipes on my site! It is flavorful and versatile. I use it for everything from salads to tacos.
I also make this pork tenderloin recipe every time I have to bring dinner to someone. I usually make it along with chili-roasted sweet potatoes, cilantro lime rice and roasted broccoli. (Add in a container of gluten-free cookies for good measure!)
If you love pork tenderloin, you also might like to try these pork tenderloin medallions with chunky applesauce or this sous vide pork tenderloin.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pork tenderloin: Pork tenderloin usually comes in packs of 2. You’ll need both for this recipe.
- Brown sugar: Gives the pork a delicious sweet-smoky taste. The sugar balances perfectly with the garlic and hot sauce.
- Garlic: This recipe calls for a full 2 tablespoons of garlic. But just trust it! It doesn’t overpower the dish and rather lends a delicious savory flavor.
- Hot sauce: This pork doesn’t taste spicy. The hot sauce simply rounds out the other flavors. My kids eat this dish all the time and don’t notice any spice. If you’d like it spicier feel free to add more hot sauce!
- Spices: Cinnamon, cumin and chili powder make the best combination. You use the spices to form a crust on the pork.
How to Make the Pork
This recipe requires a few extra steps to get into the slow-cooker, but it’s 100% worth the effort. Browning the meat makes a huge difference in the flavor of these tacos.
- On a large plate, combine the salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and cinnamon.
- Rub the spice mixture evenly over the pork tenderloins.
- Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add the pork and brown on all sides, 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to the slow cooker.
- Add ½ cup of water to the pan and scrape any browned bits to deglaze. Pour the liquid into the slow-cooker.
- Add the brown sugar, garlic, and hot sauce. Combine and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- Shred the meat before serving and mix with the sauce. Season it with more salt, hot sauce and sugar if needed. I almost always add a little more salt.
What to Serve with this Pork
One of my favorite things about this slow-cooker pork tenderloin recipe is how versatile it is! I love serving it so many ways:
- As a yummy plate with roasted sweet potatoes, rice and salad
- In gluten-free tortillas as pork tacos topped with pickled onions
- Over greens with a zesty cilantro lime dressing for pork salad
- On gluten-free buns topped with BBQ sauce
More Slow-Cooker Recipes
Slow-Cooker Sweet Island Pork
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of pork tenderloin
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
Instructions
- On a large plate, combine the salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and cinnamon. Rub the spice mixture evenly over the pork tenderloins.
- Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add the pork and brown on all sides, 4-5 minutes per side. Remove the heat from the pan. Transfer the pork to the slow cooker.
- Add ½ cup of water to the hot, now-empty pan and scrape any browned bits to deglaze. Pour the liquid into the slow-cooker. Add the brown sugar, garlic, and hot sauce. Combine and cook on low for 4-6 hours. (Now is a good time to make the pickled onions so they can sit!)
- Shred the meat before serving and mix with the sauce. Season it with more salt, hot sauce and sugar if needed. I almost always add a little more salt. Enjoy!
Notes
- Pork tenderloin: Pork tenderloin usually comes in packs of 2. You’ll need both for this recipe.
- Brown sugar: Gives the pork a delicious sweet-smoky taste. The sugar balances perfectly with the garlic and hot sauce.
- Garlic: This recipe calls for a full 2 tablespoons of garlic. But just trust it! It doesn’t overpower the dish and rather lends a delicious savory flavor.
- Hot sauce: This pork doesn’t taste spicy. The hot sauce simply rounds out the other flavors. My kids eat this dish all the time and don’t notice any spice. If you’d like it spicier feel free to add more hot sauce!
- Spices: Cinnamon, cumin and chili powder make the best combination. You use the spices to form a crust on the pork.
I followed the pork tenderloin recipe, shredded at end, then mixed with Sweet Baby Ray’s Original and served on Martin’s Potato buns. Superb recipe. Add some cole slaw and you are golden.
Yum that sounds delicious! I’m glad it turned out for you 🙂
This meat is amazing! New family favorite. Thanks for wonderful recipes.
FAMILY STAPLE! Seriously, this pork is the best. THanks for the recipe Erin!!
I’ve been making this for years and it’s my favorite slow cooker meat recipe! The recipe makes a ton so we eat it with rice and mangos the first night and then I use it for tacos the next night and then put it in a spinach salad the next night. It’s so versatile, love it!
I made this last night & it was SO good. Subbed garlic powder & cayenne pepper for fresh garlic and hot sauce, but it was still amazing! We barely had leftovers this morning, but they went great with scrambled eggs!
I'm making this for like the millionth time tonight. Life changing.
Also, have I commented on this post enough????
I put this over corn tortillas with black beans, caramelized onions and (you guessed it) feta! They were delicious!
yum! I'm totally going to do this for Sunday dinner this week! Also, love the cloth!! It's perfect for this dish 🙂
That looks delicious and I love the cloth napkin! 🙂
This looks and sounds delicious! Sweet pork is one of my favorite meals, but I usually do a cafe rio style. I'm definitely making this, over coconut rice and with pineapple on top sounds divine!