Slow Cooker Magic: Maple Bourbon Glazed Pork Tenderloin and Honey Mustard Mashed Potatoes

There’s something about a tenderloin that just melts on the tongue that makes me think of Sunday dinners with the kids, and this one’s got a little sweet-and-savory magic going on. I’ve been perfecting this maple bourbon glaze for years, and honestly, the secret is letting it rest overnight in the crock before serving — it’s the only way the pork truly drinks up that rich, cozy flavor. Pair it with creamy honey mustard mashed potatoes, and you’ve got a weeknight that feels like a hug on a cold evening.

Slow Cooker Maple Bourbon Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Honey Mustard Mashed Potatoes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs

Total Time 8 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 663

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 lbs pork tenderloin trim excess fat
• 1 cup maple syrup pure grade B is fine
• 3 tbsp bourbon use a decent rye whiskey if you prefer a sharper bite
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 cup whole milk warmed
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper

Method

 

1. Pat the pork tenderloin dry with paper towels and season generously on all sides with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and dried thyme.
2. Place the tenderloin in the bottom of the slow cooker insert, skin side down if it has one.
3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the maple syrup, bourbon, and minced garlic. Simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened, then remove from heat and brush half of the mixture over the pork.
4. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 7 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. While the pork cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potato chunks and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until a fork slides in easily. Drain thoroughly and let them sit in the hot pot for 2 minutes to dry out excess moisture.
6. Return the potatoes to the pot off the heat. Add the butter, warmed milk, Dijon mustard, and honey. Mash until smooth and creamy, stirring in the remaining maple-bourbon mixture from the pork pan if desired for extra flavor.
7. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board. Let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain into 1/2 inch medallions.
8. Brush the sliced pork with the remaining maple-bourbon glaze from the pan and serve immediately over the honey mustard mashed potatoes.
9. Before serving the sliced pork, verify doneness with a food thermometer to ensure the internal temperature has reached the safe minimum for your region.

Notes

When making the glaze, let the maple syrup reduce on the stove for exactly 3 minutes after removing it from the pork. This concentrates the flavor and prevents the glaze from being too runny when you brush it on. For the mashed potatoes, add the butter and warm milk to the hot potatoes before mashing, not the other way around. This ensures the butter melts completely and the potatoes become silky smooth instead of gummy.

Food Safety Note: Always use a food thermometer to confirm your dish has reached a safe internal temperature before serving, and follow your country’s official food safety guidelines for meat, poultry, and slow-cooking. Cook times in this recipe are estimates — appliance and ingredient variation affects actual cook time.