Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches are easy, customizable, and tasty making it an ideal option for casual gatherings, game day parties, or a satisfying weeknight meal.
Remove the pork tenderloin from the package, and place it on a cutting board.
In a small bowl, combine the salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix to combine.
Rub your spice mixture all over the tenderloin, and then place it in the bottom of your slow cooker.
Add the water or chicken stock to the bottom of the slow cooker (don’t pour it directly over the pork, though, so that you don’t wash off your spice rub).
Add the lid, and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours, or until the tenderloin is easy to shred with a fork.
Remove the pork from the slow cooker, and shred with 2 forks. Return it to the slow cooker, and mix it with any liquid that might have remained in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Add your BBQ sauce, and stir to combine. Adjust salt and BBQ sauce amounts to your liking.
To make the sandwiches: Toast or grill your buns if you’d like. Add additional barbecue sauce to the inside of both buns. Add warm pulled pork, and top with optional cheese and pickles. Serve right away.
Notes
To make easy fridge pickles, just add 1 cup water, 1/3 cup vinegar (I like white vinegar best, and rice and apple cider vinegar work great, too), 2 teaspoons salt, 1 large sliced garden cucumber (about 2 cups), and thinly sliced onion or green onion (about 1/2 cup) to a bowl or mason jar, and stir or shake to combine well. Let rest for at least 15 minutes or overnight in the fridge. The pickled onions are just as good on the sandwich as the pickled cucumbers.
This recipe is really easy to scale up. If you are feeding a crowd, you can put up to 3 or 4 tenderloins in your slow cooker at a time. Your cooking time will increase as the pounds of pork increase by 30 minutes per pound of so.
I like adding the BBQ sauce after the pork is cooked for a few reasons. It doesn’t overcook the sauce or “burn” it. Plus, not everyone likes BBQ in my house, so I’ll pull some of the meat out before adding the sauce for those who don’t like it.
If you want your pork tenderloin to cook quicker, feel free to cut your tenderloin into 3 or 4 chubby pieces. When it’s cut up, it could take as few as 3 hours to cook until tender.
Pork loin and pork tenderloin aren’t the same cut of meat. A pork loin is MUCH larger than the small tenderloin. The tenderloin are often sold two to a package as they are so small.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Serve this with a side of corn on the cob, some hot baked french fries or tater tots, a bag of chips, or whatever else you like. This is also great with watermelon or fresh strawberries on the side.
MEAL PREP: Just prepare and shred the meat, and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you are ready to serve, just heat it on the stove or in your slow cooker until it is heated through.