Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Submitted by CHEF GRPA

"Using root beer to season slow cooked pork tenderloin makes a novel, yet tasty preparation method guaranteed to win applause."

 

• Ready In: 7hrs 10mins
• Ingredients: 4
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 1 (2 lb) pork tenderloin
• root beer
• 1 (18 ounce) bottle your favorite barbecue sauce
• 8 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted

directions

1. Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker; pour the root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, 6 to 7 hours. Note: the actual length of time may vary according to individual slow cooker. Drain well. Stir in barbecue sauce. Serve over hamburger buns.
2. My Note: Here's the deal folks! Most would agree that using a pork tenderloin for pulled pork is not a good idea. Cheaper cuts of pork work just the same and have tons of flavor! I used a 4 pound shoulder cut (also called Boston butt). It was only $5, whereas a 2 pound cut of tenderloin was $10! I cooked in the slow cooker for 7 hours, pulled it apart and mixed with Sweet Baby Ray's Hot and Spicy sauce, and then cooked for another hour. I served them on Kaiser rolls with coleslaw and homemade fries.
3. I followed the recipe only adding a couple of things. Before placing the tenderloin in the slow cooker, I rubber salt, pepper, and garlic salt on it. I then used a fork to poke holes in the tenderloin so the juices could be soaked up. I added the root beer and let it cook on low for 5 1/2-6 hours. I then drained and pulled the pork apart easily with a fork. I returned the pork to the slow cooker and added the BBQ sauce and let it continue to cook on low for another 1-1 1/2 hours.
4. I tweaked this reciped just a bit and the result was really good! I knew a 2 lb tenderloin would never be enough for my family of 6, so on the advice of the butcher at my grocery store, I used a 4 lb shoulder (it had a small bone in it, but it slid out easily after cooking on low for 10 hours. I mixed 1/2 cup of Bull's Eye Original Barbeque sauce with 2 cups of root beer then poured it over the roast, sprinkled it with a generous amount of dried minced onion, then drizzled some additional barbeque sauce over the roast. Halfway through cooking, I turned the roast over, added more minced onions and another drizzle of sauce. After 10 hours in the crock, I removed the roast, let cool slightly and then shredded it. I mixed in the rest of the barbeque sauce, some salt and a little water to moisten it and served it on a bun. The result was a restuarant quality pulled pork sandwich that my whole family enjoyed!
5. Sometime I used a 6 pound pork shoulder and filled up my slow cooker with root beer to cover the meat. Left it in for about 10 hours. It was so tender and juicy, I could barely take it out of the slow cooker! The best thing is--7 pounds of pork shoulder was only about $10! The means you can make enough pulled pork sandwiches to feed about 30 people for about $15-20! And they will be raving about it and ask for the recipe too!