You'll love this healthy take on barbecue pulled pork!
Looking for a slow cooker recipe for barbecue pork that won’t sabotage your healthy eating goals? Look no further than our Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork! This barbecue recipe is ideal for those who love the taste of southern barbecue but want to avoid the calories and fat found in most barbecue recipes. In our recipe, we swap out several of the high-calorie and processed ingredients for healthier, whole food options.
This Pulled Pork Recipe is So Delicious
This fork-tender, pull apart pork will literally melt in your mouth, and it tastes incredible in sliders, sandwiches, and tacos. Ingredients like honey, cumin, and cinnamon add impressive depth of flavor to this recipe. Meanwhile, apple cider vinegar gives pulled pork a tangy kick that’ll keep your taste buds on their toes.
And the best part? This slow-cooker pulled pork is a snap to whip up. Thanks to our favorite appliance, the slow cooker, it doesn’t take much effort to throw this delectable barbecue recipe together! You can even transport it with you and serve it at someone else’s home. Simply prepare the recipe in advance and plug in the slow cooker when you arrive!
We Use Clean-Eating Ingredients
This delicious pulled pork recipe is filled with nutrient-rich ingredients. Apple cider vinegar, for example, gives pulled pork a tangy twist that’ll truly stimulate the taste buds. Meanwhile, this superfood delivers antibacterial, antimicrobrial, and anti-inflammatory properties that can boost the immune system and your overall health.
Conventional recipes call for brown sugar to give pulled pork its lightly-sweet touch. In our recipe, we use honey instead of sugar, lowering the recipe’s overall glycemic index and offering anti-inflammatory properties. This cleaner swap still delivers that sweet flavors you crave.
A Waistline-Friendly Nutritional Profile
This clean-eating recipe tastes incredible, and it carries a nutritional profile your body will love! One serving of our savory pulled pork clocks in at just 156 calories and 5 grams of fat. This represents a fraction of the calories and fat you’ll find in conventional recipes. As a bonus, our pork packs a protein punch at a whopping 15 grams per serving. This means our mouthwatering pulled pork will keep you satisfied while warding off cravings that might strike later on.
How To Make BBQ Pulled Pork
This recipe is a breeze to make. It just takes a few simple steps and the help of the slow cooker. Start by mixing the tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, garlic, onion, chili powder, honey, cumin, cinnamon, and salt together to create the sauce. Then, place your chops in the sauce and cook on low for four to six hours, or high for two to three hours, depending on your schedule preferences.
Check to make sure the meat’s internal temperature is at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit before turning off the slow cooker. If you don’t have a thermometer, you’ll know the pork chops are finished when they pull apart easily and feel fork-tender.
For a fabulous BBQ feast that’ll give your friends and family will rejoice over, dish up your pulled pork with one of these savory sides!
- Easy Baked Beans
- Creamy Southern Style Coleslaw
- Avocado Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Cheesy Mexican Cornbread
Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 15 ounces tomato sauce can
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon cumin ground
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon ground, less to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
- 4 boneless pork loin chops
Instructions
- Mix together all of the ingredients in the slow cooker, except the chops. This will create the barbecue sauce.
- Please note that this makes a lot of sauce. If you feel it’s too much, simply save some of it for another use, but do not reduce by more than half. Place the chops in the sauce and cook as directed.
- Cook on low setting for 4 to 6 hours or high for 2 to 3 hours, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches at least 165 degrees. Meat should easily pull apart when done.
- Optional: Garnish with red onion and add a slice of provolone cheese to each sandwich.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Have you made this recipe?
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Editor’s Note: This recipe was originally published on May 7, 2012.
This is sooooooooo yummy!!!
I am going to make this one…..LOOKS YUMMY
My favorite recipe! My husband loves BBQ and I am thrilled that it's skinny! Thank you! Proves you don't have to sacrifice taste for healthy!
Trying this one today!! Looks Delish!!!!
I made this last night and the pork was delicious I did find the taste of Cumin in the sauce was a little too strong for my liking.
Next time I make it I will half the amount of Cumin. But overall it was an easy and delicious crock pot meal!
This is my favorite recipe that I have tried here, so far. I love the sweet/smokiness of the sauce. And SO easy to put together. 🙂
This is my husband's favorite dish and it is so simple. I love these wonderful, healthy recipes.
Love this.
This is a favorite of mine. Since moving down south pulled pork has become a staple in our home and to have a healthy & easy version of it is amazing!!!!
YUMMY!
love this one
This is my top favorite of all the recipes I have tried! Whole family loves!!
This one is awesome and can switch out with chicken. This is a favorite, no doubt.
If I were to sub out with chicken, how many pounds would you suggest I use?
Jessica, Here’s a Slow cooker pulled chicken recipe https://skinnyms.com/slow-cooker-barbecue-pulled-chicken/
I'm trying this one tonight. I'm a little worried because my house smells more like tacos than BBQ sauce…I will return when it's finished. I hope it's good.
Can wait to hear about it?
this is my fav and I will be making this often….I love a large amount of healthy Skinny Ms Recipes, but if I had to pick one of my favs…this is it. No sugar yay. So easy, so moist, so tender, so full of flavours. I put large potatoes in with it sometimes.Other times,we just make the pork and put it on toast or on a fresh low fat bun.With a lite side salad. Comforting recipe for sure.thx
4 chops are not enough for my family. Do I double the recipe and cook it in a 6-quart crock? or do I just add more pork?
You may have moved far away, but I’m ever so glad you’re always just a few keystokes away! Miss ya!
Question: Does these loin have the bone in it?
Oh my gosh this sounds so yummy.
Emily, Our recipes normally do have sodium listed. It was inadvertently left out of this recipe. The sodium is 168 mg for 1 serving. Thanks!
You can make this with bone-in or boneless.
I don't know much about buying meat.. but I must have bought the wrong kind. I cooked it according to the directions and the sauce smelled great – but I couldn't pull the pork! It was solid and dry! We ended up cooking burgers on the grill in a pinch 🙁
Cori, Pork Shoulder is a good option for pulled pork.
Can you make this with chicken?
Joe D, Yes you can make this with chicken.
I'm cooking from a larger cut of meat, can you give me an approximate weight that goes with this amount of sauce?
MGdc, 1-1/2 pounds of pork.
Made this for dinner today (Easter) …….everyone loved it ……..I plan on putting this in my keep file so I can make it again……..would be an easy meal to make in a motorhome……..thanks
Tia, That's excellent! You're welcome.
The diet I am on considers honey a sugar and it is not allowed. Is this worth trying without any kind of sweetener?
Jill, Definitely still worth it! Here’s a sugar alternative that will sweeten up the sauce:
Applesauce (no sugar added) ratio 1:1
Here’s a really good recipe for applesauce. I would recommend a sweeter apple for the recipe, for example, Golden Delicious.
Hi. Can this be done on high heat? If yes, how long?
Lisa, 2-3 hours should be fine on high.
Is it possible to cook this recipe on high? The crockpot accidentally wasn’t set so now getting a late start on dinner. Please help!
Dee, Whoops, sorry just seeing your comment. High would work as well. How did turn out?
When you say tin of tomato sauce, do you mean pasata?
Mandy, Can of tomato sauce is not pasta, it’s just Tomato turned into sauce.
She meant passata. Did you mean passata or tinned tomatoes?
This recipe does not contain pasta, it has tomato sauce in the ingredients. Here’s a recipe if you’re interested https://skinnyms.com/simple-tomato-sauce-recipe/
We are referring to a canned tomate sauce. 🙂
Have this is in the slow cooker right now, can’t wait to try it!
Does the sauce thicken in the slow cooker?
Lisa, It does thicken somewhat but still has plenty of liquid so that it doesn’t dry out.
Can this be made with a couple of pork tenderloins in the crockpot? Like 2 or 3 of them?
Cheryl, I would start with 2 tenderloins and next time you’ll know if more is needed. 🙂
Do the calories include the bun and cheese?
No, the nutritional data is calculated for one serving of pulled pork.
My family and I LOVED this recipe… didn’t chane ga thing, will definitely be making again. Thank you!
Thank you, Lora! Glad your family enjoyed the recipe!
I noticed mandy asked if you meant passata or tin tomatoes i think you misunderstood her because passata isnt a type of pasta its sorta a liquid puree without any added ingrediants
Thanks so much for your help. I added a comment to my response. 🙂
Does anyone know what the serving size is? I know it says 1/8 of the recipe but just wondering if anyone has measured it out (in cups or grams) rather than having to divide it out
Liz, It’s approximately 1/2 cup per serving, give or take a little depending on the size of the chops. 🙂
Is the calorie count of 221 with or without the bun and cheese? What type of bun is it?
Tina, That’s without the bun.
Has anyone made with this a pork shoulder roast? That’s what I usually use when I make pulled pork. Just can’t imagine pork chops would get tender enough to pull apart. And, I am making this tomorrow for dinner company so I can’t afford to the meat to not come out correctly.
Cindy, Pork shoulder roast should work just fine! 🙂
Hi,
I was wondering what kind of bun you use? I want to make this for my husband
LaDonna, We used multi-grain seeded rolls and sliced them open. It’s been a few years since we came up with the recipe so I don’t remember the exact brand. 🙂
I am pretty sure, being in the 21st Century, there should be an option for me to send this to my email? Instead, all I can do, is share it to social media. Not everyone is on social media. Get with the programme.
Hi Amy, We’ve added an email funtion in the past which caused issues with the print function.
I forwarded your comment to our web developer who is once again looking into getting an email button
that doesn’t interfere with the recipe functionality.
We are grateful for our loyal audience and their feedback. Thank you, Amy, your request is at the top of my “get done” list. 🙂
If I double the meat to 3 pounds, would I have enough of the sauce or would I need to increase that as well?
Amy, I would suggest increasing the sauce as well.
I’m in Aussie and unsure what exactly a can of tomato sauce is. Is this a tomato puree? Thanks
Naomi, Tomato Sauce is a litte thinner than Tomato Puree. Try adding a little water to the puree and thin out slightly.
Tomato sauce can be poured.
If you just want to use the barbecued pulled pork as a main course without a bun or cheese, what would you suggest as sides to go with it??
Linda, This is my favorite side with any barbecue. https://skinnyms.com/classic-cucumber-tomato-salad/
This is in the crockpot right now! A little nervous that I didn’t get think enough pork loin chops so praying it turns out! It smells good so far! haha
I just made this tonight. We ended up eating later than I anticipated so it ended up cooking for the full 6 hours on low.
The pork was melt in your mouth tender. The sauce was super easy to make, which is a definite plus for my busy life.
The only thing is the cinnamon. I have heard of cinnamon being put into things like chili, but never actually tried it before, so I was hesitant.
I only used half of what the recipe called for so it was 1/2 tsp instead of 1 tsp.
It was still too much!
The taste was lovely but I kept having this strong after taste that tasted like hobby lobby during Christmas time…haha
My daughter didn’t like the after taste either. Some people may love that flavor, but next time I make this I’ll omit the cinnamon altogether. And I will definitely be making this recipe again and again!!! Sooooo good!! ❤️
Sarah, Thanks so much for the feedback. I’m sure our readers will appreaciate your tips. 🙂
I made this and found it quite sweet, a bit less honey next time i think
Does this recipe freeze well? I live alone, so would be keen to be able to freeze portions for later in the month. Also, I wonder if you could give a weight for the pork loin chops, please? I’m in the UK, not sure if there’d be much of a size difference in the chop portions.
Laura, Sure, this freezes well. I’m not sure about the size difference. I would eyeball the loins, a little more or less is fine. 🙂
The pork chops were tough and wouldn’t pull apart and the sauce tastes nothing like bbq. Yuck!
Hi Melissa, sounds like your pork needed a longer cook time. Please feel free to adjust the recipe flavors to fit your personal preference.