Healthy Crock Pot Pulled Pork
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This Healthy Crockpot Pulled Pork recipe is a perfect easy, filling weeknight dinner. Made in the slow cooker with only a few ingredients, it’s low in fat, packed with protein, and paleo / Whole30 approved!
Warning: You’re going to want to eat this Healthy Crockpot Pulled Pork for dinner almost EVERY week once you try it!
Partially because it’s one of the easiest recipes ever, but also because it’s super delicious! This healthy pulled pork only requires 10 ingredients and 10 minutes of prep time.
The crockpot does the rest of the work for you to make the tastiest pulled pork with minimal effort and maximum flavor!
A few months ago I was in a total dinner rut!
I was so bored with everything that I was finding on Pinterest, totally sick of all my favorite recipes that I had found and saved over the years… and just plain didn’t want to cook.
If you’re looking for other slow cooker recipes – check out our slow cooker pot roast, slow cooker baby back ribs, or these Paleo Crockpot Recipes.
Then this pulled pork came into my life, and it has hands down been my favorite thing to make for dinner. Mostly because it requires so little work, which is perfect!
P.S. – If you love crockpot recipes, check out our crockpot whole chicken or these Healthy Crockpot Recipes!
What makes this pulled pork healthy?
- Low fat – Traditionally pulled pork is made with pork shoulder or pork butt which is higher in fat. We use pork tenderloins in this recipe which are much leaner! If you do want a pulled pork shoulder recipe, we love this Pulled Pork Shoulder.
- High Protein – This recipe is pure protein! 41g per serving!
- Low sugar BBQ sauce – We recommend you use a low or no sugar BBQ sauce to keep this low carb. So many BBQ sauces are high in sugar and honestly.. you don’t need all that sugar!
It’s also paleo, whole30 friendly, gluten free, sugar free, and dairy free. Most importantly it’s DELICIOUS. Cause that’s what really matters, right?
Ingredients for Healthy Crockpot Pulled Pork:
To make pulled pork you’ll need:
- pork tenderloins
- olive oil
- paprika, garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, cinnamon, ground ginger
- chicken broth
- BBQ sauce
I really love topping this with this BBQ sauce. It’s paleo/Whole30 friendly, but it also tastes amazing! I hate when BBQ spices are too sweet, or too smoky. This is another good BBQ sauce brand, and we also like this one, or our homemade bbq sauce!
How to make healthy crockpot pulled pork:
Cooking healthy pulled pork is very easy. The key is the spices!
- Whisk together your olive oil+ spices.
- Marinate your pork tenderloin. When you’re ready to cook. Put it in the crockpot with chicken stock. Allow it to cook low + slow.
- When it’s cooked, shred with forks or a mixer. Toss with barbecue sauce & enjoy!
Do you need to use pork tenderloins for this?
I prefer to use pork tenderloins in this recipe because they tend to be less fatty and very lean. You could also use a pork shoulder or pork butt if you prefer!
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Substitutions for healthy pulled pork:
This recipe is pretty straight forward but there are a few substitutions you can easily make!
Pork – You can use pork shoulder or butt for this recipe, but i prefer the pork tenderloins because they are so lean. Chicken will also work with this recipe!
Liquid Smoke – You can add 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke to the marinade if you’re looking for that smoky flavor!
Chicken – If you don’t eat pork, check out this Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken!
Spices – Feel free to change up the spices in this recipe or use your favorite BBQ rub
Oil – Avocado oil will work in this recipe in place of olive oil.
Instant Pot: You can also make this recipe in the instant pot. See below for instructions in the recipe!
BBQ Sauce: Any BBQ sauce will work great on this pulled pork but make sure to read your ingredients if you’re strict paleo/whole30 .
Can you make pulled pork in the instant pot?
Yes you totally can! This pulled pork is much better if you make it in the crockpot, but you can make it in the instant pot. Follow all the instructions for marinating. When you’re ready to cook – get instant pot to Sealing, Pressure Cook for 18 minutes.
When the instant pot is done, allow the pressure to naturally release for at least 15 minutes, then quick release. It’s better if you can naturally release the pressure completely because it keeps the pork super tender.
Do you need to use barbecue sauce in this recipe?
You could leave the barbecue sauce off this recipe, but I love adding a low/no sugar BBQ sauce to it for extra flavor and to keep it moist.
Just be careful with the barbecue sauce you use because many of them have tons of added sugars and funky ingredients.
Pulled Pork FAQ:
Yes, you need to put liquid in the slow cooker for pulled pork. The liquid helps to essentially steam the pork which results in juicy, flavorful pulled pork.
The best cut of meat for pulled pork is pork butt or pork shoulder, but I like to use pork tenderloins because they are lean and low in fat.
The best cut of pork for pulled pork is pork shoulder or butt. The fat helps the meat get super tender. However, we love to use pork tenderloin for pulled pork. Pork chops will also work!
Absolutely! Pork loin or pork tenderloins can make great pulled pork. The key is cooking them low an slow because they are a leaner cut of meat.
How to Store Pulled Pork
Storing: This will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Freezing: You can freeze this recipe for up to 3 months. We like these containers for freezing. Make sure to thaw the pork completely before enjoying.
Reheating: You can reheat this recipe in the microwave, toaster oven or on the stove in a lightly greased pan.
Why is my crock pot pulled pork tough?
Your crockpot pulled pork might be tough because you didn’t cook it for long enough. Pork really needs 6-8 hours (or longer depending on the cut) to make sure that the meat breaks down. Try to keep your crockpot set on low vs the high setting to avoid getting tough pulled pork.
How do you keep pulled pork moist in a crock pot?
To keep pulled pork moist in the crockpot make sure there is enough liquid and avoid using the high heat setting. You can always add more liquid and the pork will soak up the juices. Beef or chicken broth will add the most flavor.
Serving Suggestions
We love to serve this recipe with Crispy Roasted Potatoes and Healthy Green Beans Almondine. You can also serve them on a slider, or with some of our other veggie side dishes
Healthy Crockpot Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs pork tenderloin (approximately 2 medium pork tenderloins)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup Barbecue Sauce
Instructions
Crockpot Instructions:
- Clean off ‘silver skin’ from pork tenderloin. (This is optional, but recommended to keep it lean)
- In a bowl, whisk together olive oil + spices. Marinate pork in olive oil + spices overnight if possible in a ziploc bag, otherwise place tenderloins in crockpot and cover with oil/spice marinade. Make sure all areas of the pork have some marinade on them.
- Pour chicken stock on top of marinated tenderloins.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours in the crockpot or high for 4-6 hours.
- When finished cooking, use tongs or a fork to pull the tenderloins apart (it will fall apart!). Allow the juices to soak into the pulled pork.
- Toss with your favorite barbecue sauce + enjoy!
Instant Pot Instructions:
- We recommend making this recipe in the crockpot, not the instant pot. It's much better when cooked low and slow.
- Clean off 'silver skin' from pork tenderloin. (This is optional, but recommended to keep it lean). Cut pork tenderloin into 5-6 inch sections. You can leave the tenderloins whole, but it will take longer to come to pressure.
- In a bowl, whisk together olive oil + spices. Marinate pork in olive oil + spices overnight if possible in a ziploc bag, otherwise place tenderloins in instant pot and cover with oil/spice marinade. Make sure all areas of the pork have some marinade on them.
- Pour chicken stock on top of marinated tenderloins. **Important Note** Add an extra cup of chicken stock or water. The instant pot requires more liquid.
- Set instant pot to Sealing, Pressure Cook for 18 minutes. When instant pot is done, allow the pressure to naturally release for at least 15 minutes, then quick release.
- When finished cooking, use tongs or a fork to pull the tenderloins apart (it will fall apart!). Allow the juices to soak into the pulled pork.
- Toss with your favorite barbecue sauce + enjoy!
Video
Notes
- I prefer to use pork tenderloins in this recipe because they tend to be less fatty and very lean. You could also use a pork shoulder or pork butt if you prefer!
- You can marinate this pork ahead of time for up to 24 hours for even more flavor
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the ease of this recipe! Tried it for the first time and so stinking EASY! Overall I liked the spices added (may go less on the cinnamon next time and a little more on the garlic powder). And I will never “shred” pork or chicken any other way than putting it in my KitchenAid mixer. 30 seconds = PULLED PORK DONE! BAAAAHHHHH YEEEESSSSSSSSS! I let my family add their own amount of BBQ sauce – I tend to like mine more coated than my hubby. Sandwiches were so good and I’ve already been adding to leftovers to salads – delicious! Thanks Liz!
So glad you liked it, Kelly! Isn’t shredded meat in the kitchen aid the best!!?? So glad you were able to use it so many different ways!
Do you have to marinate it in an oil before putting it in the crock pot, or would the broth be enough moisture?
i would highly recommend marinating it. Pork tenderloin is a leaner cut of meat, meaning it has less fat. Without the oil, I think that this will be dry, and lack the flavor that the healthy fats in olive oil bring.
Needed a recipe for my son’s family birthday party that would satisfy everyone’s new year diet resolutions. This was amazing. It was so flavorful and juicy. Some people had over salad, some had plain, some put on sandwiches. It made enough for 6 adults and 2 kids. This is going into my rotation.
So glad you liked it, Berni! It’s perfect for a crowd and easily customizable!
Which do you prefer using, the crockpot or using the instapot?
Definitely the crockpot. I don’t really like my instant pot. I think everything tastes better in the crockpot! 🙂
I’ve made this recipe many times and it never fails. My family is split between wanting the pork in the marinade juices alone and wanting BBQ sauce on it so I choose to serve it as it and let everyone add sauce to their liking. It’s so simple and makes excellent leftovers!
Thank you so much, Diana! So happy to hear your whole family loves it. It’s good with or without sauce.. we go either way in our house 🙂
Loved loved this pork recipe! Seriously dummy proof and for this full time working mom of 3, that’s what I need. I had all the simple ingredients on hand too. I made mine in the crockpot for my husbands birthday dinner. Put in the crockpot at 12:30 pm and cooked on low for 6 hrs, shredded it and let sit for another 30 mins. So juicy and delish! I served with baked sweet potatoes and served the pork on top of the potatoes. Perfection with the bbq sauce too I used. Also added asparagus on the side. Highly recommend!
So glad you liked it, Monica! And that it was easy for you to make 🙂
This is such an easy crockpot recipe to make your entire house smell great on a cold night. The flavors all mixed well and ate with Brussels as our side. Thanks for the tasty recipe.
So glad you liked it, Laura!
Loved this recipe – so tender and tasty and so simple. I will definitely be making again. Also, the crispy roasted sheet pan potatoes are the perfect side with this!
So glad you like it, Valerie! Aren’t those potatoes the best?!
Our whole family absolutely loved this. I did not add any barbecue sauce and it was still beautiful . Definitely making again.
So glad you liked it, Kareela! The BBQ sauce honestly isn’t even necessary – it tastes great on it’s own!
Liz always has easy and tasty recipes. Loved this pulled pork recipe because it basically makes itself. I used my sugar free bbq sauce and it was freaking delicious. If you like this try her homemade baked fries!!! Yum!
Thank you so much Jennifer! This + the fries are seriously my favorite combo!!
This recipe was one of the best pulled pork easy crockpot meals I have ever made! The taste was amazing and you don’t need to over do it with the BBQ sauce! The pork was tender and I decided to pair it with a baked sweet potato and cucumber & tomato salad! This is definitely a keeper!
I’m SO glad you liked it, Missy!! I totally agree – it’s fine without the BBQ sauce and flavorful on it’s own. Have you seen my Easy Paleo Slow Cooker Recipes Book? It is filled with recipes like this one!!
I love this! Thanks for sharing. If I were to make this recipe without the BBQ sauce, are the spices still on the sweeter end?
Hi Melanie – I wouldn’t say that the spices are on the sweeter end, but the pork still has a lot of flavor even with out BBQ sauce! You can shred it and just skip the sauce if you’d like!
I’m making this for our 9 month old to try today. I have a question though. The piece of pork I bought is 1.1 lbs. I adjusted the spices, but how would I adjust the cooking time? I’m using the crock pot.
Hi Amy – I’ve never tried this so I’m not entire sure but I think you could cook it for an hour less. Let me know how it turns out for you!
So yummy I made this yesterday and it came out perfect!
I’m so glad you liked it, Nicole!! 🙂
I am trying this today. I marinated just as you said, but a bit less of each spice since my wife has IBS and finds that spices upset it. My daughter is coming over who is totally “organic” and she balked at it at first but I assured her it would be clean and used organic chicken broth. Her 15 yo son is totally looking to chow down on this! I’ll have her bring over her favorite organic BBQ sauce. Another daughter is gluten sensitive so this works for her. I have 2 crockpots going–one with this recipe and one with baked potatoes. The gluten sensitive one might choose to eat the pork on a baked potato, o/w I have some whole wheat buns and some dairy free cheese and cooked organic broccoli and cauliflower for whoever wants to dress up their baked potato. As others have said, it smells delicious and I can’t forsee any dryness problems. Thanks!
That makes me so happy to hear, Rick!! I love this recipe because it is super versatile and everyone can love it! I’m glad your entire family can enjoy it!! 🙂
I made this recipe for pulled pork today and it was absolutely amazing! The meat was tender and juicy and fell apart just by stirring it with a wooden spoon. My picky 3 year old also enjoyed it! I also had to keep myself from peeking when it was cooking- the house smelled that good!!
I made this recipe today in my instant pot on the slow cooker setting. It was absolutely amazing!! I had to keep from peeking before the 6 hours was up because the house smelled soo good! It was a huge hit with the family as well- my picky 3 year old loved it! It was perfectly moist and the meat fell apart just by stirring it with a wooden spoon.
I love hearing that Ann!! I’m so glad your family loved it 🙂 That makes me so happy!!
I make this a couple times a month when doing my food prep…yummy!
So glad you enjoyed it! It’s perfect for meal prepping!
Can’t wait to try! Just a question: how many oz in a serving? I’m trying to get better sense of my macronutrients and I see its 315 calories per serving but don’t know the serving size. Thanks!
Hi Jesse – The recipe calls for 2.5lbs of pork. There are 16 oz in a pound, so the recipe has 40oz total. When you divide it by 6 servings per the recipe it’s about 6.6oz per serving.
This was by far the best pulled pork I’ve made.
It was a hit in my house, i will definitely be making
It again!
I’m so glad you liked it, Shawnna!! The leftovers are great in tacos or even for breakfast with eggs!
Made this recipe, it was delicious!! Easy to make & healthy too.! My picky eaters loved it.
Thank you so much Toni! Glad you and your family liked it!
I had nearly 3lbs of meat and cooked on low for 5.5 hours. The internal temp read 200 degrees after 5 hours. Turned out a little dry.
Hi Alicia – I’m really sorry to hear this turned out dry… I’m wondering if it has something to do with your crockpot? I’ve made this at least 20 times and never had a problem 🙁
Everything I make in my crock pot comes out dry. Any tips on avoiding that? I’m trying this recipe this week. Thanks!!
Hi Angie – If you follow the directions on this it definitely won’t come out dry! I always try to add some liquid to my crockpot recipes, I find it helps!
I tried this with a different marinade and it came out dry after 6 hours . I used the instant read thermometer at 6 hr mark like you said and the temp was over 200 🙁 . I did have lime juice in my marinade, but I didn’t think it would alter the time that much….I plan to try again this weekend with a cook time of 4.5 hours and see how it is.
Hi Rachel – I’m not sure what could’ve possibly happened.. I just made this today and had no issue with it! Did you use the broth and cook it on low? I’m wondering if something is off with your crockpot and the temperature is too high! I actually cooked it for an extra two hours today and it was completely moist! 🙁
I’ve done it with chicken too and it’s SO yummy!!
Anything that combines BBQ, Sweet potatoes and my slow cooker is a winner in my book! Totally need to make this!
I couldn’t agree more!! 🙂
Looking at the pictures made me hungry!
Love how easy the recipe is. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Cecilia!! I hope you give it a try 🙂