Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Tenderloin
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My husband called this BBQ Pulled Pork Tenderloin the best pulled pork he has ever had, and a compliment from him doesn’t come lightly. Made in the slow cooker, it stays tender and flavourful without ever turning wet or soggy. Perfect for an easy weeknight meal or game day party recipe.
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Most pulled pork recipes use pork butt, but I prefer pork tenderloin for this recipe. It has way less fat, so you can skip the greasy mess in the crockpot, and it still shreds apart beautifully. If you have pork butt, this recipe works just as well. Just be sure to cut off the fat cap first before coating the pork in the dry rub. When the pork is done, I like to sauce it in my Memphis BBQ Sauce. You can make the pork as saucy as you like!
This slow cooker recipe is a great choice when you need a fast and easy weeknight dinner idea. This recipe basically cooks itself! When it’s done, I serve the pulled pork tenderloin on brioche buns topped with my Tangy No-Mayo Coleslaw for crunch. Or if I have people over for game day, I use smaller buns or dinner rolls and make sliders. They are always a hit!
Star Ingredients
- Pork Tenderloin – I like pork tenderloin because it is inexpensive and lean. But if you want to use other cuts of pork like pork butt or pork shoulder, they will work just as well but are much fattier. If you do use these cuts of pork, be sure to remove as much visible fat as you can.
- Apple Juice – Adds moisture but also a flavourful sweetness to the meat. Apples are the perfect match for pork. But if you don’t have any on hand a can of beer will work just as well to add a more malty flavour.
- BBQ Sauce – I like a tangy sauce like my Memphis BBQ Sauce, but you can use any BBQ sauce you like. Some people like messy pulled pork fighting for its life in sauce and others, like myself, like mine saucy but not messy. Adjust the amount of BBQ in the end to how you like yours.
- Brown Sugar – A key component that tenderizes and adds flavour.
- Spices – Adding some punch and smokiness to the dish, giving the meat some colour, and amazing flavour.
Step-By-Step Made Simple
- Mix the spices together in a small bowl. Use your hands to rub the vegetable oil all over the pork and then massage the pork with the spice mixture to completely coat the pork tenderloins in the spice mix. The vegetable oil helps the spices stick.
- Add the pork to the slow cooker along with the apple juice. Cover and let slow cook on low for 8 hours. If you are in a rush, you can turn it to high and cook for 4 hours, but I don’t find the pork as tender when done quickly.
- When the pork is done, use tongs to move the cooked pork to a separate bowl. Shred the pork using two forks. I like to do this in a separate bowl so I can control how much juice gets added to the pork. I don’t like wet, soggy pork, so I find shredding the meat in the slow cooker risks having more liquid added than I might like.
- Add some of the liquid from the slow cooker to the bowl with the shredded pork along with the BBQ sauce and mix. The liquid from the slow cooker adds great flavour and moistens the meat, but too much waters down the sauce and makes the meat soggy. And if your meat is soggy, your bun will be soggy too. I find 1/2 cup of the liquid is plenty, and then the BBQ sauce is perfect.
Serve it Up
I usually serve these on brioche buns with some coleslaw, like I said before but if you don’t want the bun is not necessary. Serve the pork on its own with the coleslaw, hot banana peppers on the side or with some mashed potatoes, mac and cheese for a complete meal. This pulled pork loin recipe also works well as a filling for tacos.
Leftovers? No Problem!
Store leftover pulled pork in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave. I usually find that more BBQ sauce is needed when reheating because the sauce gets absorbed by the meat.
Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Tenderloin
Equipment
- 1 slow cooker
Ingredients
- 3 lb pork tenderloin
- 1 tsp vegetable oil or any mild flavored cooking oil
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ tsp paprika
- 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup apple juice
- 2 cups Memphis BBQ Sauce or BBQ sauce of your choice
Instructions
- Add all of the spices to a small bowl and mix to combine.
- Remove the silvery membrane from any of the pork tenderloins if they have them. Do this by using a sharp knife to separate one end and then tug hard to pull it away. If it is tough to do, you can either trim it away or leave it. It is tougher but it won't hurt you or taste bad.
- Use your hands to rub the vegetable oil all over the meat. Then sprinkle the meat with the spice blend and massage it onto the tenderloins to completely cover.
- Pour the apple juice into the slow cooker and then add the pork tenderloins. Do not pour the apple juice over the tenderloins or you will wash away the spices.
- Cover the slow cooker and let cook on low for 8 hours.
- When the meat has an internal temperature of 160°F remove it from the slow cooker into a large bowl or dish. Use two forks to shred the meat.
- Add a little of the remaining liquid from the slow cooker to the meat (about 1/2 cup) and mix and then mix in the BBQ sauce. Add more or less BBQ to achieve the sauciness you want.
- Serve the BBQ pulled pork on brioche buns or on its own.
Nutrition
Notes
- Beer can be used instead of apple juice but the flavor will be more malty than sweet.
- Pork Butt or shoulder can be used but are fattier cuts of meat, so be sure to trim away the fat cap and any excess fat you can see before cooking.
- If you are short on time, you can cook in the slow cooker on high for 4 hours but the pork is often less tender with this method.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
