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!
How to make healthy crockpot pulled pork:
Cooking healthy pulled pork is very easy. The key is the spices!
- Get your spices + other ingredients.
- 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 pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup Barbecue Sauce of Choice
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
Wendy Baker says
I count macros every day to stay healthy for myself and to find great tasting options for my family to also want to eat. This was close to recipe I’ve used for years, but equal if not better – same/better taste, easier, LOVE the sugar free BBQ options! Will definitely be switching to this going forward!
Liz Marino says
This makes me so happy to hear, Wendy! thank you so much!
Ellen milliken says
Hi! I made a large batch of pulled pork for an upcoming family vacation & immediately froze it.
My question…when I reheat it in the crockpot for use, do I need to add any liquid? I will be sure it is defrosted before reheating. Thanks!
Liz Marino says
I’ve never reheated food in the crockpot like that, so I can’t be sure. I would add a little bit of chicken or beef stock to it, I think it will help it be rehydrated/not dry!
Jasmin Enciu says
Hello! I see this is for a slow cooker/crock pot, but do you have any recommendations for how long it should be cooked if I use a Dutch Oven Instead?
The Clean Eating Couple says
No, I unfortunately don’t! I don’t think this would turn out as well in a dutch oven as it does in the crockpot
Jenna says
I’m made this with the instant pot directions which I was hesitant about because the cook time seemed short. I cooked for the 18 minutes with the 15 minute natural release and it was so tough. Ended up cooking for 45 minutes total and it still wasn’t “fall off the bone.” The flavor is great though
The Clean Eating Couple says
This recipe is much better when made in the crockpot than the instant pot. I personally thing the instant pot dries everything out and I rarely use it for this reason.
You mentioned that you cooked this for 45 minutes, when it was only supposed to cook for about 33 minutes. That extra time could’ve been part of the reason why it was so tough. If you make it again I would not cook it for any additional time. 15 minutes doesn’t seem like much time to cook pork, but you have to remember it’s also cooking as the pressure cooker comes up to temp, and while the pressure naturally releases. The meat was probably tough because of how long it cooked for.
Pork tenderloin is definitely not the same as a pork shoulder/butt and it’s much leaner so it will inherently be a little drier/tougher because of the lack of fat in it – but it should’ve easily shredded.
If you try this again, I wouldn’t cook it for the additional time and I’d try it in the slow cooker. This Slow Cooker Pulled Pork is another option!