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healthier slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches

Healthier Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Cooking pork tenderloin low and slow in a combo of barbecue sauce and apple cider makes for a very tasty sandwich. It's also a whole lot lower in fat than pork shoulder, which is a cut commonly used for pulled pork. Finish it off with a generous helping of nutrient-packed cabbage slaw and you've bumped up the nutrition even more and given the whole thing an appealing crunch.

Course Main Course
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings 4 to 5 servings
Calories 412 kcal
Author Katie Morford

Ingredients

  • ½ cup apple cider or apple juice
  • 1/2 cup favorite barbecue sauce, plus more for serving
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced, divided
  • 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 1/4 lbs)
  • 4 cups shredded green cabbage (about ¼ of a large cabbage)
  • 1 large apple, coarsely grated
  • 1 carrot, coarsely grated
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 4 to 5 soft sandwich buns (whole grain if you can find them!)
  • Favorite hot sauce, such as Cholula or Tabasco

Instructions

  1. Pour the apple cider and barbecue sauce into a slow cooker and stir to combine. Add the garlic, half the onion, and the pork. Cook on low until the meat is very tender and can easily be shredded with a fork, about 6 hours.

  2. Use two forks to pull the pork apart, breaking it up until fully shredded.

  3. To make the slaw, toss together the cabbage, apple, carrot, and remaining onion in a medium bowl. Pour the apple cider vinegar over the slaw, sprinkle with sugar, and add several grinds of black pepper. Toss again.

  4. Divide the meat over the bottom halves of the sandwich buns. Pile a generous portion of slaw on top of the meat and cover with remaining bun (enjoy leftover slaw as a side dish). Serve the sandwiches with extra barbecue sauce and hot sauce on the side.