Slow Cooker Barbecued Pulled Pork with Tangy Coleslaw

Some nights I’m just not in the mood to cook dinner. I’m tired, I’m cranky and I just want dinner to magically appear on the table. This is when my crockpot, or slow cooker, comes in handy.

My mom introduced me to slow cooking when she made me register for a crockpot on our wedding registry. I was kind of annoyed – mostly because they seem soooooo “antiquated” and “Grandma-ish” – but I soon learned to appreciate the wonder of this hard-working, yet often overlooked, cooking machine!

Now that I have kids, I love my slow cooker even more because it just makes my life…easier. And what mom doesn’t want that?!

Anyway, this super easy meal can be tossed into the crockpot in minutes and is a major crowd pleaser. I use pork tenderloin in my recipe because I prefer leaner cuts of meat, but you can use pork shoulder if you prefer. The tangy coleslaw is the perfect topper for this sweet & hearty pulled pork sandwich!

P.S. I usually make this on the weekends so I can add the barbeque sauce little by little over the course of the day.

SLOW COOKER BARBECUED PULLED PORK

Ingredients:

1 lb pork tenderloin, frozen
3-4 ounces of chicken broth
1, 16 oz jar of barbecue sauce (we always use Bone Suckin’ Sauce)

TANGY COLESLAW

Ingredients:

1 small head of cabbage (washed and sliced into thin slices)
1 carrot (washed, peeled and cut into thin strips)
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon each, coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions:

Step 1.) Remove pork tenderloin from freezer and place into crockpot. Add chicken broth and approximately 1/4 jar (4oz) of Bone Suckin’ Sauce. Set crockpot to low heat for 6 1/2 hours.

Step 2.) Over the course of the day, gradually add in more Bone Suckin’ Sauce and flip the tenderloin at least twice. When the timer beeps, remove the tenderloin and shred with two forks. Return to the crockpot, add any remaining Bone Suckin’ Sauce. Change the heat setting to warm and let sit for 1/2 hour.

Step 3.) In the meantime, wash and slice your head of cabbage and place into a large bowl. Wash and peel your carrots into thin strips with a vegetable peeler. Add to bowl.

Step 4.) In a seperate bowl, add mayonnaise, cider vinegar, celery seed and salt and pepper, to taste. Add to slaw mix. (You may need to add a bit more mayo and/or cider vinegar based upon how much cabbage you have.) Place into the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Step 5.) Slice rolls, add some pulled pork, and top with a hearty whallop of crunchy coleslaw!

Note: Pork tenderloin is usually sold in your grocery store in 1.5 – 2 lb packages, with the tenderloin split into half. I open the package upon purchasing and seperate the two pieces of tenderloin and store them in seperate freezer bags. When served with vegetables and sides, (1) one, 1 lb tenderloin will feed a family of four comfortably – pork tenderloin sandwiches are very heavy and very filling.