Taking a busy schedule and finding time to make dinner can be tough. What if you could make BBQ pulled pork from the pork loin that you had left over from last night?
When we first thought of this series on how to use up leftovers, we wanted to help our readers make meals faster. With that in mind, we hit the jackpot today. Both of the recipes weâre sharing in this article are simple, almost to the point of effortless. A slow cooker is used in both of our recipes, which makes them easy to follow and more fun to eat. And did we mention there are only six ingredients?.
Unlike previous leftover dish articles, these recipes will create enough leftovers for more than two people. If you want to cut down on how much you make, you can get a smaller pork loin. Just make sure you adjust the other ingredients to reflect that change!.
There is also a series of recipes for leftovers that you may already know about. The goal is to save you time and money. Usually, our Diet recipes will focus on healthy tweaks or recipes that can help you lose weight. You wonât find that here. The following recipes will be tasty and easy, but they wonât help you shed pounds.
There aren’t many ways to make a pulled pork sandwich healthy. We won’t make them very fattening, and we’ll cut calories where we can. (Though we might try Getting Creative with Comfort Food: Healthy Pulled Pork!).
There you have it! Two full meals prepped and cooked in eight simple steps. It’s not even all of them! If you practice and get creative, you’ll be a master at leftover wizardry in no time!
Just like you, your health is one of a kind. What works for one person might not work for another, so don’t use the information in these articles instead of what an expert says. Before making significant lifestyle or diet changes, please consult your primary care physician or nutritionist. Your doctor will know your own health best.
Got leftover pork tenderloin? Don’t let it go to waste! With a few simple steps, you can magically turn those leftovers into mouthwatering pulled pork.
Making pulled pork from tenderloin takes a little finesse, since tenderloin is leaner than typical pork shoulder. But with the right technique, spices and cooking time, you can end up with fork-tender shredded pork bursting with smoky, tangy flavor.
Follow this easy method to give leftover pork tenderloin a delicious second life as poor man’s pulled pork.
Why Start With Pork Tenderloin?
Tenderloin makes a great budget-friendly substitute for traditional fatty cuts like pork shoulder. Here’s why it works so well:
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Lean and tender – Breaks down easier than tougher cuts
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Mild flavor – Absorbs spices and sauces well
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Cooks quickly – Shreds easily after a short braise
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Leftover-friendly – Doesn’t dry out or get stringy
While it can’t mimic true slow-smoked pulled pork, tenderloin makes a darn good approximation. And transforming leftovers means zero waste.
Prepping the Pork
Start with cooked leftover pork tenderloin. If you’re using raw, simply roast or pan sear until just cooked through, about 10 minutes per pound.
Once cooled, chop the pork into 1-2 inch chunks. This increases the surface area for the braising liquid to work its flavorful magic.
For even more texture, you can shred the chunks into smaller strands with two forks. But be careful not to over-shred before braising.
Building Bold Braise Flavor
Pulled pork gets its signature flavor from the spice rub and braising liquid surrounding the low-and-slow cooked pork.
To infuse tenderloin with big flavor fast, make a bold braising liquid. Sauté aromatics like onion and garlic. Then add a combo of:
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Tomato sauce – For savory depth
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Vinegar – To tenderize and tang
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Broth – To prevent drying out
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BBQ sauce – For sticky sweetness
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Spices – Chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika
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Extras – Soy sauce, Worcestershire, hot sauce
Simmer the sauce before adding pork so flavors meld. Adjust to your taste.
Braising the Pork
Once your sauce is simmering, add pork chunks. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low.
Partially cover and cook at a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30-60 minutes until fork tender.
If sauce reduces too much, add more broth. You want the pork bathing in liquid.
Shredding and Serving
Once pork chunks are fall-apart tender, use two forks to shred into bite-size strands.
Taste and adjust seasoning of sauce. If too thin, simmer uncovered to reduce and thicken.
Pile pork into buns, tortillas or over rice. Or keep it saucy and serve as-is for a ragu.
Top with extras like pickled onions, cilantro, queso fresco. Serve any extra sauce on the side.
Tips for Perfection
Follow these tips for the best DIY pulled pork:
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Sear pork first for caramelized flavor
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Cut into smaller chunks to speed tenderizing
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Add liquid smoke to sauce for smoky taste
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Simmer low and slow to prevent drying out
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Shred in sauce to moisten and flavor pork
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Garnish with crunchy coleslaw, pickles or BBQ drizzle
Troubleshooting Issues
Q: My pork turned out dry and stringy. What went wrong?
A: This happens if pork overcooks. Next time, watch temperatures closely and aim for fork tender. Add more braising liquid if needed.
Q: How can I get a smoky flavor without actual smoking?
A: Add a few dashes of liquid smoke to the braising sauce. Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce also provide smoky spice.
Q: My sauce turned out too thin and watery. How can I fix it?
A: Simmer the sauce uncovered after shredding to reduce and thicken it up. You can also mix a cornstarch slurry and stir it in to bind the sauce.
Q: My pork shreds look pretty small and stringy. What should I do?
A: Resist over-shredding pork or it can get stringy. Keep some chunks for varied texture. You can also chop larger and mix in some sauce.
Satisfying Shreds from Leftovers
With a flavor-packed braise sauce and low, slow cooking time, you can easily morph leftover pork tenderloin into satisfying pulled pork. Get creative with spices, mixes and garnishes to make it your own.
Salvage sad pork scraps with this simple yet delicious recipe hack. Turn trash into treasure and savor the tasty results!
For the Pork Loin
- 4lb of boneless pork loin
- 1 tbsp of salt
- 1 tbsp of pepper
- 1½ cups of brown sugar
- 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
- Put the pork loin in a slow cooker or crockpot and sprinkle it with salt and pepper all over.
- Put the Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar in a bowl and mix them together.
- Cover the pork loin with the brown sugar mixture.
- Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
- Cut off two 1-inch thick slices of pork per person.
- Shred the rest of the pork with two forks and put it in a container for storage.
We picked brown sugar pork loin for a specific reason. Pork is a very flavorful meat that can blend with a lot of different tastes. If you use a certain first recipe, the second recipe wonât work. In this case, our brown sugar pork loin is about to be turned into barbecue pulled pork sausages.
This pulled pork sandwich recipe is probably the easiest recipe weâll ever give you. You’re almost done! All that’s left to do is heat up the pork, add your favorite barbecue sauce (or make your own), and serve.
- Leftover pork loin
- Your favorite barbecue sauce
- Sandwich Rolls
- Put cooking spray on the inside of a saucepan and heat the pulled pork over low heat.
- Mix in your favorite barbecue sauce until it covers all of the pork.
- Heat the pork and barbecue sauce.
- Serve onto rolls.
There you have it! Two full meals prepped and cooked in eight simple steps. It’s not even all of them! If you practice and get creative, you’ll be a master at leftover wizardry in no time!
Just like you, your health is one of a kind. What works for one person might not work for another, so don’t use the information in these articles instead of what an expert says. Before making significant lifestyle or diet changes, please consult your primary care physician or nutritionist. Your doctor will know your own health best.
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PORK TENDERLOIN LEFTOVERS LIFE HACK!! | cooking | leftovers | pork recipe | grilling | bbq | how to
FAQ
Can I turn cooked pork into pulled pork?
Can pork tenderloin be used for pulled pork?
Can you shred pork tenderloin after cooking?
How do you make pulled pork out of leftover pork roast?
There are several ways to make pulled pork out of leftover pork roast, depending on your preferences and available ingredients. Here are some of our favorite methods: 1. Slow Cooker Method: Cut the leftover pork roast into 2-inch thick slices and place them in a slow cooker.
How do you cook leftover pork tenderloin?
Add oil to a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add leftover pork tenderloin to the skillet, cover with lid and cook until cooked through. Make sure not to overcook, otherwise, the meat can dry out and become rubbery. Want to save this recipe? Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
Can you eat leftover pork tenderloin?
There’s no need to toss that leftover pork tenderloin, as long as it’s less than 3-4 days old. You can make a new meal out of it while also saving some money! Just remember that pork tenderloin is not the same as pork loin, which is leaner meat, or pork shoulder, which shreds to make pulled pork.
What to do with leftover pork?
Fried rice is an excellent way to use up some pork loin. Mix in some veggies, cooked rice, beaten egg, salt and pepper to make a delicious meal with leftover pork. The best part? It’ll be on your dinner table in minutes! Here is the answer for picky eaters.