Slow Cooker Cajun Apple Pork Tenderloin

Slow Cooker Cajun Apple Pork Tenderloin - delicious tender pork tenderloin in a spicy sweet cajun apple sauce.

Cajun Pork Tenderloin

This week my local grocery store had pork tenderloin on sale, so of course I just had to grab some up for an easy recipe to add into the slow cooker. 

Also in my fridge was a jar of unsweetened apple sauce, I buy this frequently as the kids love it on yoghurt or oatmeal and it's a great ingredient for using in baking too. 

But this week I just knew I wanted to use it for a slow cooker recipe for some pork and so with the pork tenderloin all purchased, all that was left was some inspiration for seasoning and Cajun just seemed like the perfect choice.

Homemade Cajun Seasoning

I rarely buy ready mixed spices, it's far cheaper to buy singular spices and make your own blends and you easily adjust things to you own taste.

For the Cajun seasoning mix for this Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin I mix:

• 4 teaspoons of paprika (not smoked)
• ¾ teaspoon of sea salt
• ¾ teaspoon of garlic powder
• ¾ teaspoon of onion granules
• ½ teaspoon of cayenne 
• 1 teaspoon of oregano
• ½ teaspoon of thyme

The ½ teaspoon of cayenne does add quite a kick of spice, so adjust this if you don't like your food too spicy. 

Homemade Unsweetened Apple Sauce

I use store bought unsweetened apple sauce, because it is readily available in Canada and just an easy ingredient to have on hand. But if you are in the UK you might struggle to find this, usually only easy to source online or sometimes in the baby food section believe it or not.

But don't let that put you off, because homemade unsweetened apple sauce is just super easy to make. 

Just peel approx 5 medium apples (use a sweet tart variety) and slice up, add to a saucepan and just cover with some water (should be around 180ml but depends on size of your apples), then bring to a boil and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the apples are soft, then you can mash or blend in a blender. That's it, so simple!!

Pork Tenderloin 

Make sure you use pork tenderloin for this recipe or pork fillet as it's usually called in the UK. Don't use pork loin which is a chunkier piece of pork as it will take much longer to cook and won't work as well in this recipe. Some diced pork or even chicken are other great substitutes to try.

Can this be cook in an Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker)? 

I haven't got round to testing this in an pressure cooker yet, but generally whenever I cook a pork tenderloin I do it for a very short time, otherwise it's overcooked and dry.

I would not cook it for any longer than 5 minutes, (I sometimes even set my pressure cooker to zero (as just the coming to pressure is long enough), and then allow a natural release for 10 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure. 

Do let me know how it turns out if you try this in your pressure cooker. 

Substitutes for Maple Syrup

Whenever I am adding sweetness to a sauce, more often than not I use maple syrup. Why? Well I do live in Canada after all, it's our staple. I always have it on hand so it's the easiest ingredient to pick and not as processed as white sugar. 

But don't go buying some especially for this recipe, if you have honey on hand that will work perfectly too. 

Sides Dishes to Pair with Cajun Pork Tenderloin

I served this alongside some cooked long grain rice and then for my vegetable sides I sauteed a finely diced red pepper and some zucchini in spray oil and seasoned with just a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Stirring in some cooked sweetcorn towards the end. 

Then when plated up we also had some sour cream and fresh cilantro (coriander). Such a yummy plate of food.

Other great sides:

• Crispy Golden Potatoes
• Garlic and Herb Roast Potatoes
• Cheddar and Spring Onion Mashed Potatoes
• Red Pepper and Coriander Rice
• Lime and Coriander Rice
• Roasted Butternut Squash

Vegetable Suggestions:

• Sauteed Peppers and Onions
• Steamed Broccoli
• Roasted Broccoli
• Sauteed or Roasted Asparagus
• Sauteed Garlic Shredded Brussel Sprouts
• Stir Fried Veg Mix
• Roasted Green Beans

More Pork Recipes

Looking for some other pork recipes to try? Check out these:

• CHEESY TOPPED MEDITERRANEAN PORK LOIN CHOPS
• CREAMY PORK CASSEROLE
• SLOW COOKER PINEAPPLE PORK
• STOVE TOP BBQ PORK
• CREAMY GARLIC PORK WITH CABBAGE
• SLOW COOKED TERIYAKI PORK TENDERLOIN
• PINEAPPLE MEXICAN PORK CARNITAS (SLOW COOKER AND PRESSURE COOKER)
• SLOW COOKER PULLED PORK SANDWICH

or head on over to my Full Recipe Index with over 900 delicious Slimming World and Weight Watchers friendly recipes all fully searchable by meal type, ingredients, syn value and smart points etc

LET’S CONNECT!

Find me ON FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TWITTER | and YOUTUBE, come and follow me TO MAKE SURE YOU KEEP UP TO DATE ON ALL NEW RECIPES.

You can also subscribe to Slimming Eats so that you never miss any new updates.

Need extra Support? Come check out my amazing Facebook Support Group

IF YOU TRY THIS RECIPE, LET US KNOW! LEAVE A COMMENT, RATE IT AND  TAG US IN YOUR PHOTOS @SLIMMINGEATS ON INSTAGRAM

Continue to Content

Slow Cooker Cajun Apple Pork Tenderloin

Yield: SERVES 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes

Slow Cooker Cajun Apple Pork Tenderloin - delicious tender pork tenderloin in a spicy sweet cajun apple sauce.

Print

Ingredients

• 800g (28oz) of uncooked pork tenderloin
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• ½ cup (120ml) of unsweetened apple sauce
• 3 tablesoons of maple syrup
• ¼ cup of water (60ml) of water
• 2 spring onions, sliced

For the cajun seasoning:

• 4 teaspoons of paprika (not smoked)
• ¾ teaspoon of sea salt
• ¾ teaspoon of garlic powder
• ¾ teaspoon of onion granules
• ½ teaspoon of cayenne
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon of dried thyme

Instructions

1. Mix all the seasoning for the Cajun seasoning together in a bowl.
2. Rub this all over the pork tenderloins (or you can add the pork tenderloin to a zip lock bag with the season and shake to coat.
3. Add the pork tenderloin to a slow cooker with the onion.
4. In a bowl whisk together the apple sauce, water and maple syrup.
5. Pour this over the pork tenderloin.
6. Cook in the slow cooker for 4 hours on low or 2 hours on high
7. Remove pork and rest for a few minutes before slices.
8. If you require a thicker sauce, add sauce to a saucepan and simmer on a high heat until it reduces down.
9. Pour over the pork, sprinkle with the chopped spring onion and serve with your choice of sides.
10. Enjoy!!

Notes

This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, Slimming World and Weight Watchers friendly

• Slimming World - 3 syns per serving
• WW Green Smart Points - 6 per serving
• WW Blue Smart Points - 6 per serving
• WW Purple Smart Points - 6 per serving

SUITABLE FOR FREEZING

If you wish to share this recipe, then please do so by using the share buttons provided.

DO NOT COPY AND/OR PASTE FULL RECIPES OR SCREENSHOTS OF ANY CONTENT FROM SLIMMING EATS TO ANY SOCIAL MEDIA, IT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

ALL IMAGES AND CONTENT ON SLIMMING EATS ARE COPYRIGHT PROTECTED.

Nutritional information, syn values, points etc are an estimate and is to be used for informational purposes only. Ingredients can vary greatly from brand to brand and therefore it would be impossible to give accurate information. It is always advised that you calculate by the ingredients you use.

It is the responsibility of the Reader to assure the products or ingredients they use in any recipes from Slimming Eats are allergen-free (gluten-free, egg-free, soy-free and/or dairy-free, for example). Slimming Eats assumes no liability for inaccuracies or misstatement about products, opinions or comments on this site.

Check Legal section, for Full Disclaimer, Disclosure and Privacy Policy.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Andrew James Slow Cooker Sizzle to Simmer | Sear and Stew 3.5L Digital Slow Cooker | Digital Display & Timer | Tempered Glass Lid & Removable Bowl | Silver
• 
  TOMORAL Measuring Cups and Spoons  

Nutrition Information

Serving Size 1 SERVING
Amount Per Serving Calories 292Total Fat 5.3gSaturated Fat 1.8gSodium 544mgCarbohydrates 20.4gFiber 0.7gSugar 13.5gProtein 44.1g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram