Root Beer Pulled Pork

Pork tenderloin simmered in root beer and finished with BBQ sauce makes one simple, unique take on pulled pork sandwiches!

Last week when Ted was doing the dishes after dinner he asked me, “do you want me to take the slow cooker to the basement storage?” I about stop him mid-sentence and felt like some profane words were about to come out of my mouth. Slow cooker, basement, storage?! WHAT!!!? While everyone is grilling and chilling I find that I’m almost getting more use out of my slow cooker the past few weeks than I was all winter. Warmer weather means more time outside and less time preparing a meal when the dinner time hunger hits. Plus, when I make a “main dish” like this root beer pulled pork, it goes alongside so well with summertime produce favorites [like fresh Michigan berries] that no one even notices it was cooked in a slow cooker all day long! Not that anyone would care but me… or my husband who wants to declutter my kitchen!

Root beer pulled pork isn’t much different from my usual slow cooker pulled pork— which I simply add the pork + BBQ sauce to the slow cooker. The game-changer? A can of root beer! Which adds a sweetness to the meat you can’t get from much else. Mixed with your favorite BBQ sauce and you’ve got one unique twist on juicy BBQ! I also decided to use pork tenderloin vs. a pork butt or roast in this recipe because I wanted a leaner cut of meat for us to enjoy. But feel free to use what your family likes best! Any cut that’s easily shredded is best in mind for BBQ sandwiches or hoagies.

While there’s nothing fancy about this BBQ meal, there’s something to be said about not-so-complicated slow cooker meals. That’s why we all like using the slow cooker, right?! There’s also something to be said about saving a little root beer and sipping on it while you prep the meal. And nope, I didn’t share a sip with anyone…

Root Beer Pulled Pork

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

8 hours

Total time

8 hours 10 mins

 

Author: Katie Serbinski

Recipe type: Main Dish

Serves: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 ½ -2 pounds of pork tenderloin
• 1 can [12 ounces] root beer
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 cups BBQ sauce [I used Sweet Baby Ray’s Original]
• For Serving: Hamburger buns, rolls, or hoagie sub buns, extra BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, pickle slices

Instructions

1. Place pork tenderloin in the bottom of slow cooker. Top with root beer, onions, and garlic.
2. Cover and cook on low for about 7-8 hours.
3. Once pork is done, remove from the slow cooker and shred with a fork [I cut mine into thirds and then shred]. Place into a bowl and add BBQ sauce as well as a ½ cup of the juice.
4. Serve on a bun with your favorite BBQ sandwich toppings.

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