Pulled Pulled Pork Tenderloin with Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

Pulled Pork Tenderloin is PERFECT for weeknights. The tenderloin is an ultra-tender cut of pork that becomes meltingly-soft with a brief cooking time.

A bowl of pulled pork tenderloin with cilantro.

Usually, making pulled pork involves slow roasting a huge pork shoulder in a low oven for 6 hours – for most of which I am hanging on to the oven door handle like it’s a roller coaster ride, face so close to the viewing window it gets sunburnt, with a puddle of drool slowly accumulating at my feet.

And although I do enjoy that process, the anticipation, (and torturing myself, my husband AND my dog with the incredible smell), I just unlocked the secret to succulent pulled pork on a Tuesday. It’s a life changer. Half an hour, boom – done. And the best part? It is every. Bit. As. Good.

So what’s the secret?

Pulled Pork made with pork tenderloins. They’re super tender, flavourful, and very quick cooking.

Why this Pulled Pork Tenderloin works

  • Pork tenderloin is super tender when simply cooked through, and that only takes 30 minutes. No need to simmer away the connective tissue like with tougher cuts of pork.
  • This spicy-tangy-sweet chipotle barbecue sauce is so tasty.
  • Pulled pork has to be one of the most pleasurable foods known to man (in the realm of foods that do not contain hot fudge and/or whipped cream). It definitely ranks high on my list of favourites.
Pulled Pork Tenderloin Tacos

The ingredients

  • Chipotle BBQ Sauce: with the usual barbecue suspects – onion, garlic, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, plus chipotle for heat (use the lesser amount if you don’t like things too spicy).
  • Pork tenderloins: not just quick-cooking, I also love that the tenderloins are very lean – you don’t feel weighed down in that pork-y way that can occur after a barbecue feast.

How to make BBQ Pulled Pork with Pork Tenderloins

  • Whip up an easy, richly flavoured chipotle BBQ sauce
  • Cook the tenderloins right in the yummy sauce
  • After a 30 minute simmer, they’re cooked through, perfectly tender and willing to shred with the slightest encouragement of a fork.

How to serve it

Serve this quick and easy pulled pork with:

So good.

Pulled Pork Tenderloin Tacos

Pulled Pulled Pork Tenderloin with Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings 6
Dinner
Mexican
Keyword Pulled Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp minced chipotle in adobo sauce (or 1 tsp chipotle powder)
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • â…“ cup white vinegar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 ¾ lbs pork tenderloin cut in thirds

Instructions
 

  • Heat oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
  • Add chipotle, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce and water and bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low.
  • Add pork tenderloin pieces to the sauce and bring to a rapid simmer. Cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through (71°C/160°F on a meat thermometer, or remove one piece and cut through centre to ensure it's no longer pink inside), about 30 minutes.
  • Transfer pork to a cutting board. Bring the sauce back up to a low boil and allow it to reduce and thicken slightly.
  • Using a fork in each hand, pull the pork apart into bite-sized shreds, working with the grain of the meat. Return shredded meat to the sauce, stir to coat.

Notes

  • 1 3/4 lbs pork tenderloins is 2 average tenderloins
  • Serve in soft buns or tortillas, topped with pickled onions, sour cream, avocado, cilantro (and/or other desired toppings!)
  • Because pork tenderloin is so tender, you don’t need to cook it for a long time to get the tender results you’d get from slow-simmering a tougher cut.

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 29gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 989mgPotassium: 717mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 284IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Pulled Pork Tenderloin

Last Updated on March 9, 2023 by Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD

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Amy Liu Dong
11 months ago

5 stars
This is a perfect dish to make for our family gathering and I am sure everyone will love this!

Mindy
Mindy
11 months ago

5 stars
Love the flavors from the chipotle in adobo sauce. I also added 2 tap of the sauce in there. It was fantastic!

jamie
jamie
11 months ago

5 stars
Wow! This dish looks absolutely so yummy and very delicious! It’s like a masterpiece. The presentation makes this so enticing and tempting! Loved it!

Tristin
11 months ago

5 stars
Such a great idea to use a pork tenderloin! Dinner was tasty and done in no time.

Megan
Megan
11 months ago

5 stars
The pork is so tender and delicious. We had ours in quesadillas and also did your grilled chicken with chipotle peach. Sensational recipes. Thanks so much for sharing.

Cathleen
Cathleen
11 months ago

5 stars
This pulled pork is so good, I love how simple it is to make. Perfect for a weeknight 🙂

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