Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Mouth-Watering Crock-Pot Pork BBQ Sandwiches with Homemade BBQ Sauce


Maybe it's a regional thing, but I adore BBQ!  Kentucky has some BBQ joints that could stand up to Memphis any day, in my opinion!  The tomato based sauce is usually most popular here, although I've had a really good mustard-based one, too. 
 
Western Kentucky brings the crowds with their BBQ festivals.  The one I'm the most familiar with is in Paducah, and it's usually during the first weekend of fall, at the end of September.  Tents and smokers galore are set up and the aroma of savory smoked BBQ wafts throughout downtown-riverfront area.  It's fun to eat from different places from year to year, although we usually don't stray too far from our favorites.  There are a couple places that have all the right things going on like... perfectly smoked, tender, lean meat that's pulled with a kickin' flavorful sauce that will make you wish you ordered a large lemon shake-up!!
 
Awe ..... the days of warmer weather...
 
What you may not know is that you can easily make juicy and flavorful pork BBQ at home in your crock pot.  This melt in your mouth BBQ is based on a recipe that Mom loves to make, and we love to eat!  Usually a pork "butt" or shoulder is the traditional cut of meat to use and that's incredibly delicious, but since I found it's leaner counter-part pork tenderloin on sale last week, that's what I used.  Also, I didn't have a bottle of BBQ sauce, but I tweaked this easy recipe I found online and came up with incredible spicy BBQ sauce that's delicious in this recipe!  Of course, you can use whatever your favorite sauce is.  This recipe, like most of mine, are easy and flexible fitting to your taste!
 
 
 
The aroma of this cooking all day in the kitchen makes you anticipate supper-time even more!  I serve this incredible homemade BBQ like Mom always does on warm, soft Hawaiian buns and with bread & butter pickles...those are a must!  Coleslaw would be amazing with this, but this time I just served my homemade oven french fries.  It was so good to have BBQ pork sandwich on a cold dreary night as a reminder there are warmer, brighter days ahead!
 
 
Crock-Pot Pork BBQ Tenderloin Sandwiches
Serves about 6
 
2 Pork Tenderloins (about 2.5 lb. total)
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil
Homemade BBQ Sauce (see below for recipe) or large bottle of your favorite sauce
6 Hawaiian- Style Buns
 
 
Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe
I recommend doubling this recipe if you like lots of sauce.  Add half to the crock pot with the pork and cook the other half over medium-low heat in a saucepan for extra in the sandwiches.  So good!
 
1 c. Ketchup
1/4 c. Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tbsp. Mustard
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp. Reduced-Sodium Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp. Chili Powder
1/2 tsp. Chipotle Chile Pepper (In the spice isle. This adds amazing smokey flavor!)
1 clove of garlic, minced (or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
1 tsp. Onion Powder
 
Mix all of this up really well in a bowl and it's ready.
 
 
Cut the pork tenderloins in half, width-wise.  Now you'll have 4 pieces.  Salt and pepper the pork well.
 
In a large cast iron skillet over med-high heat and drizzled with olive oil, pan sear the tenderloin to get some brown color on all sides. Remove from the pan directly to the crock-pot already set on low heat.
 
Pour the sauce over the top.  If you doubled the homemade sauce recipe, then pour about half over the meat.
 
Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours.
 
 
Remove the 4 tenderloins that are now tender and cooked and set on a cutting board. Cut and shred the pork.  Don't shred way too much, because the more you stir and work with the pork the more it will naturally shred. 
 
Place back into the crock pot and stir around in the sauce that it's been cooking in all day.
 
 
Serve on warm buns with extra sauce poured over the pork BBQ.  Top your sandwich with pickles or eat on the side, but whatever you do...
 
Don't look away or your sandwich will be eaten up!  ;)
 
Leftovers store well in the fridge and would be delicious in tortillas for pork carnitas!

 
 
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10 comments:

  1. We love BBQ in our family. This looks delicious! I've never made homemade BBQ sauce so I look forward to making your recipe. Don't you just love crock pot cooking? I use mine all the time.

    Smiles,
    Carol

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  2. This looks like what I do - I am from Virginia so we always put the coleslaw right on the barbecue - I think you have great recipes and really enjoy your blog!

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  3. YUMMMM! I love crock pot shredded bbq pork with some yummy coleslaw on top!!!

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  4. Your BBQ looks tasty. I can hardy wait to try it on pork tenderloins. I've used Kraft BBQ sauce and it was very tender and very tasty, which really was a surprise!
    Thanks for sharing,
    Helen

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  5. BBQ That stands up to Memphis is a tall order, but I can tell by this recipe and pics that you have done just that! I love to hear people talk about real BBQ! I am from Memphis but I live in Kansas City now. I just laugh at what they call BBQ around here. I have pinned you and I plan to try that sauce! I'm visiting you from Show and Share Wednesday's!

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  6. New follower from Show & Share! I love using my crockpot and this looks delicious! Thanks for sharing :)

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  7. This looks AMAZING!!!! I'm kind of ashamed to say that I always use store bought barbecue sauce when I make pulled port, but next time I will have to make my own too!!! This sounds delicious!!!! I can just smell that delicious barbecue smell!!!

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  8. I love BBQ Pork sandwiches I will be trying your recipe.

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  9. I've been having a BBQ craving. Love your sauce with the addition of soy sauce and chipotle chili pepper.

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  10. I love this BBQ sauce. My wife is allergic to bell peppers. I left out all peppers, and it still came out amazing.

    Highly recommended.

    Rob
    www.robseguin.com

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Thank you for sweetening my day with your cozy comments!