Go Back
pulled pork in a slow cooker
Print Recipe

Pulled Pork Tenderloin

A really simple slow cooker pulled pork that uses a dry rub and BBQ sauce for great flavour. Serve it with a side of corn and biscuits.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Keyword: Dinner, Pork, Supper

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pork tenderloin
  • 1 1/2 tsp brown sugar, packed
  • 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 3/4 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 small onion, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup BBQ sauce See Notes, below.
  • 1-2 dashes hot sauce Optional

Instructions

  • Combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl to make a dry rub.
  • Coat pork tenderloin in dry rub, using your hands to ensure it is distributed evenly.
  • Place pork tenderloin in slow cooker; cut in two if it won't fit and nestle the pieces beside each other.
  • Add onions and garlic to BBQ sauce. If using hot sauce, add it to the BBQ sauce mixture. Stir to combine everything.
  • Pour BBQ sauce over pork in the slow cooker. Stir gently to ensure the sauce is distributed evenly around and under the pork. (The image below shows the pork before cooking.)
  • Cook for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours on low, until temperature has reached about 160F. See Notes, below.
  • Remove the tenderloin from slow cooker, shred, then return to slow cooker and toss with sauce. To ensure it is nice and hot, you can put the lid on and let it cook on high heat for about 10 minutes. Serve with biscuits, crusty bread, or over rice.

Notes

  • Use whichever BBQ sauce you prefer. We use Stubb's Original, but any store-bought or homemade sauce will do. 
  • Cooking time is approximate. If you use a larger tenderloin, it will take longer. As pulled pork goes, this recipe yields very little. You can double it, but adjust the cooking time accordingly. The best way to ensure the meat is done is to use a meat thermometer.
  • There is some disagreement about the correct internal cooking temperature for pork tenderloin. The USDA recommends 145F, while Health Canada recommends 160F. If you were serving pork medallions, you could go with the lower temperature and tent the meat for a while to prevent drying, as per the USDA. For this recipe, I go with 160F since the meat will be tossed in a sauce and won't taste dry.