An easy, healthful dinner idea is called for this week, and this recipe checks all boxes thanks to the slow cooker. I’m an occasional slow cooker user, deploying it about once or twice a month for things like homemade beef broth and any kind of dried bean. I also think it’s great for pork loin or tenderloin because you can create delicious, juicy pulled pork without the fat content of a pork shoulder (Boston butt). Admittedly, a pork shoulder is one of my all-time favorite cuts of meat, but for weeknights, I want something leaner. Pork tenderloin fits the bill.
Adding chicken stock, slivered onions, fresh tomato and fresh rosemary to the slow cooker gives the pork an aromatic, woodsy flavor with a hint of sweetness. Once the pork cools, shred it on a cutting board, drape it in your favorite barbecue sauce and serve it with tangy pickles and a couple of quick sides.
Here’s how:
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Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin Barbecue Sliders
Two pork tenderloins, each about 1 ¼ pounds, or one 2-3 pound pork loin
1-2 cups chicken stock
1 medium onion, slivered
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes (Any kind of fresh tomato is fine. Sliced grape or cherry tomatoes work nicely.)
3-4 3-inch sprigs fresh rosemary
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
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Place the pork in the bottom of a slow cooker. Add enough stock to come halfway up the sides of the pork. Sprinkle the exposed skin liberally with salt and pepper. Add the onion, tomatoes and rosemary, distributing evenly around the pork. Pour Worcestershire sauce over the pork’s surface. Place the lid on the slow cooker, and turn to the low setting for about 5 hours, or high for about 3 hours, adapting if necessary.
Remove the pork. Place it on a cutting board and let it cool slightly. Reserve the juice, if you prefer. Shred the pork with two forks. Serve the pork on toasted whole wheat or white slider buns, adding your barbecue sauce of choice or the pan juices. Serve with pickles, slaw and your favorite side dishes.
Maggie Heyn Richardson is a regular 225 contributor and the author of Hungry for Louisiana, An Omnivore’s Journey. Reach her at hungryforlouisiana.com.