Julie Clark
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Pulled Pork Tenderloin
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Learn how to cook pork tenderloin so that it is tender and perfectly shreddable. This BBQ pulled pork tenderloin cooks in the slow cooker on high in 4 hours.
The key to using a lean pork tenderloin for pulled pork is to first cut the tenderloin in chunks, then slow cook on high temperature along with seasonings, bbq sauce, chicken stock and our secret ingredient…butter!
Use pork tenderloin for lean pulled pork.
If there’s one food I love in the late summer and early fall, it’s pork butt smoked on the pellet grill.
My favorite part? Smelling that amazing smoked aroma while it slow cooks all day long. My least favorite part? Shredding the meat and getting rid of any extra fat. It’s not the most fun process!
Although there are many who would say pork tenderloin should never be used in the slow cooker, I’m not one of those people. Pork tenderloin is a lean meat, and with our method you can easily shred the pork and have the same taste as the traditional pulled pork you love. No mess!
This slow cooker pork tenderloin recipe cooks best on high in 4 hours. So although it’s a slow cooker recipe, it cooks pretty quickly!
To keep the meat tender, add moisture to the slow cooker liner. I add bbq sauce, chicken stock and our secret weapon, butter, which adds flavor to the lean meat.
The pulled pork tenderloin leftovers can be made into pork enchiladas, pulled pork baked potatoes, pulled pork pizza, pork sliders on Hawaiian rolls or pulled pork mac and cheese. The leftovers make some of my favorite pork recipes!
And be sure to try our fried pork tenderloin sandwich.
Enjoy! -Julie
Ingredients
- Use a bbq sauce and pulled pork rub that you love, since this will be where the main flavor profile comes from. Our pork rub recipe features spices of smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder and cumin.
- Butter adds fat since the meat is so lean. I do the same with my mississippi pot roast and garlic butter pork tenderloin.
- This recipe would work with a small pork loin, too.
Pulled Pork Tenderloin
Learn how to cook pork tenderloin so that it is tender and perfectly shreddable. This BBQ pulled pork tenderloin cooks in the slow cooker on high in 4 hours.
Servings 12
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork tenderloin
- ⅓ cup pulled pork rub
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- ½ cup chicken stock or chicken broth
- ¼ cup salted butter cut in slices
- 1 cup bbq sauce
Instructions
- Slice each pork tenderloin in about 6 pieces, against the grain. Coat all sides of the pork tenderloin with the pulled pork rub. 3 pounds pork tenderloin, ⅓ cup pulled pork rub
- Place the pork in the slow cooker. Top with the onions. 1 small yellow onion
- Pour the chicken stock around the pork and place the butter in slices over the pork. Top with bbq sauce. ½ cup chicken stock, ¼ cup salted butter, 1 cup bbq sauce
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Shred pork with two forks. Serve on buns for sandwiches along with additional bbq sauce, slaw and cheese, or any way you'd like.
Notes
- Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It also freezes well. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop.
Nutrition
Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 350mg | Potassium: 534mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 225IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg
How to Make Pulled Pork Tenderloin: Step by Step
Prepare the pork. The muscle fibers of a pork tenderloin are really long, so slicing the pork tenderloin across the grain in about 2″ chunks allows you to have perfectly shreddable pork. Cover all sides of the pork pieces with the spice rub.
Fill the crockpot and cook. Place the pork in the crockpot along with the other ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours. The exact timing will depend on your crockpot and the size of the pork pieces, but start checking at 3 hours to see if the pork is shreddable. You don’t want to overcook the pork tenderloin.
Serve! This pork is so delicious served on a sandwich with our creamy coleslaw, but is also great in a bowl with butter rice, sweet potatoes or butternut squash and steamed broccoli.
