This slow cooker pulled pork is everything you love about classic pulled pork without the commitment of cooking a giant pork shoulder all day. Made with pork tenderloin, it turns out tender, juicy, and easy to shred with minimal effort.

I love using pork tenderloin for recipes like this because it defrosts quickly, cooks beautifully in the slow cooker, and doesn’t leave me wondering what to do with enough leftovers to feed a small army. The result is flavorful pulled pork that’s perfect for sandwiches, sliders, tacos, nachos, rice bowls, or whatever sounds good that day.

Whether you’re feeding the family, hosting game day, or just trying to get dinner on the table without making your kitchen look like a crime scene, this easy pulled pork recipe gets the job done.

a pulled pork sandwich next to potato chips on a plate

Serves: 4 (easily doubled to serve 8)
Prep Time: 6 minutes
Slow Cook Time: 6-7 hours on low, 3-4 on high

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb)
½ diced onion (yellow or sweet)
8 oz. barbecue sauce (plus more for serving)
Optional:
- sandwich rolls
- sliced cheese
- coleslaw

pork tenderloin, barbecue sauce, onion, olive oil and sandwich rolls on a counter with a slow cooker

Get the full printable instructions with measurements at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

Tips for making pulled pork tenderloin:

Need to feed a bigger crowd? Use 2 pork tenderloins (about 2 pounds), 1 whole onion and 12 ounces of barbecue sauce. Keep the cook time the same.
Use whichever barbecue store bought sauce you prefer or try our homemade BBQ sauce. I like to use thinner sauces since the thicker sauces can burn more easily.
No time to prep? No worries! The browning stage helps seal in flavor, but skipping this step will not change the overall flavor. Slice the pork, dice the onions, and throw it all in your slow cooker with your bbq sauce.

Step by Step Directions:

Step 1: Begin by removing the silver tendon on the back of the pork tenderloin. Slide a small, sharp knife just under the silver (sharp edge facing the skinny side of the tenderloin) and cut until you reach the end of the silver. Then, hold the silver sliver that is no longer attached with one hand and cut the opposite way lifting the knife as you go to avoid cutting into the pork. Repeat this until all of the silver is cut away.

a knife sliding under and cutting the silver tendon from a pork tenderloin

a piece of a silver tendon being removed from pork tenderloin with a knife

Step 2: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Brown each side of the pork tenderloin for about a minute just enough to sear the outside. Place on a cutting board and slice tenderloin into 1-2 inch slices. It will still be raw in the middle.

a pork tenderloin in a pan being browned on each side

browned pork tenderloin sliced into one inch pieces.

Step 3: Place pork pieces in a slow cooker and stir in diced onions and barbecue sauce. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. When pork is cooked through and tender, carefully shred into small pieces with 2 forks.

pork tenderloin pieces in a slow cooker with onions and barbecue sauce

cooked pork tenderloin being shredded in a slow cooker with two forks

Step 4: Serve it up and take all the credit! Try one of our ideas below!

Ways to Use Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Pulled Pork Sandwiches – topped with cheese or coleslaw
Sliders – because who doesn’t love a mini version?
Nachos – salty chips with sweet bbq? Yes, please!
Tacos – all about the toppings
Rice Bowls – my Asian husband’s favorite
Loaded Baked Potatoes – try our foolproof baked potato
Mac and Cheese Topping – the perfect bbq side got an upgrade

Before you go . . .

Shredded meats are great for meal prep because they are so versatile. Our basic shredded chicken can be thrown over noodles, used as a salad topper, or baked into a casserole. Or give shredded beef a try for something different!

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tenderloin

a pulled pork sandwich on a plate next to potato chips

This slow cooker pulled pork uses pork tenderloin for an easy, flavorful twist on classic pulled pork. Tender, juicy, and easy to shred, it's perfect for sandwiches, tacos, nachos, rice bowls, and more.

Beth

Prep Time 6

Slow Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 6

Servings

Equipment

Slow cooker

Ingredients

1 lb pork tenderloin (1 tenderloin)
1 tsp olive oil
½ onion (diced)
8 oz barbecue sauce

Optional:

sandwich rolls
sliced cheese
coleslaw

Instructions

Begin by removing the silver tendon on the back of the pork tenderloin. Slide a small, sharp knife just under the silver (sharp edge facing the skinny side of the tenderloin) and cut until you reach the end of the silver. Then, hold the silver sliver that is no longer attached with one hand and cut the opposite way lifting the knife as you go to avoid cutting into the pork. Repeat this until all of the silver is cut away.
Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Brown each side of the pork tenderloin for about a minute just enough to sear the outside. Place on a cutting board and slice tenderloin into 1-2 inch slices. It will still be raw in the middle.
Place pork pieces in a slow cooker and stir in diced onions and barbecue sauce. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. When pork is cooked through and tender, carefully shred into small pieces with 2 forks.
Serve on toasted sandwich rolls, nachos, or over rice!