These Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Tacos served with a cilantro lime coleslaw are easy to make and perfect for healthy weeknight meals! The recipe is gluten free and freezer-friendly.
I’m busting out the big guns today and sharing this uber easy recipe for Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Tacos complete with a healthy cilantro lime coleslaw!
What’s not to love about shredded pork covered in my favorite sugar free bbq sauce, topped with a creamy coleslaw and served in warm corn tortillas?
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been a little intimidated with barbecue. The flavors, the techniques, the science, just the whole aura around the word. People take their bbq very seriously, and it’s made me a little afraid to call anything I make actual barbecue. Well today that changes, friends. Today I’m going all in and shouting from the rooftops:
These are bbq pulled pork tacos! It’s my version of bbq, made in the slow cooker and perfect for home cooks who just want really tasty food without all the fuss.
First up, let’s talk about the pulled pork. I wanted to keep these bbq tacos relatively healthy, so I opted to use a pork loin instead of the usual pork shoulder. Pork loin is a leaner cut than pork shoulder and isn’t as marbled, making it perfect for smothering in a sauce and enjoying throughout the week.
To season it, I used a simple blend of salt, cumin and paprika and placed it in the slow cooker with some olive oil and broth to keep it moist. After 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low, the pork should shred apart fairly easily and is ready for the next step – the bbq sauce!
You can’t have bbq pulled pork tacos without the bbq sauce! The sauce I used in this recipe is my favorite sugar free bbq sauce I’ve ever had. Like ever.
It’s made with caramelized onions, chipotle peppers, tomato paste and spices and herbs that you likely have in your kitchen. It’s contains no added sugar or artificial sweeteners and is so insanely addicting. If you’re not up for making your own, feel free to substitute your favorite store-bought bbq sauce.
Once you’ve got your sauce, simply toss 1 1/2 cups together with the pulled pork. You may want more or less depending on how saucy you like your bbq, so I would recommend starting with a little and then adding more until you get it just right.
Last but definitely not least, we’ve got the cilantro lime coleslaw.
Keeping with the healthy-ish weeknight meal theme I’ve got happening here, I used plain Greek yogurt instead of the usual mayo. The yogurt adds a fresh punchy flavor that really compliments the savory bbq pork and lightens up the whole meal. To make, all you need is a 16-ounce bag of coleslaw (hello, easy side dish!), some plain Greek yogurt, white wine vinegar, lime juice, honey, salt, garlic and cilantro. Mix it all together and it’s ready to go!
Can bbq pulled pork be frozen?
Yes. To freeze, cool the pulled pork to room temperature. Place it in an air tight freezer bag, leaving about 2 inches of room at the top to allow for expansion, and freeze. It can be kept frozen for 4-6 months. To reheat, heat it up in medium pot on the stove or a large bowl in the microwave. Cover with more barbecue sauce if desired.
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Ingredients
For the bbq pulled pork
- 2 1/2 pounds pork loin, cut into large 4-inch chunks
- 1/4 cup broth (chicken, beef or vegetable will work)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups Sugar Free BBQ Sauce with Chipotles (or your favorite store-bought bbq sauce), plus more to taste
For the cilantro lime coleslaw
- 1 16-ounce bag coleslaw mix
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
For serving
- 30 corn tortillas
Instructions
For the bbq pulled pork
- Place the pork, broth, olive oil, paprika, cumin and sea salt into a slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 7-8 hours, until the meat is very tender.
- When tender, pull the meat apart with a fork until completely shredded.
- Add the sugar free bbq sauce, toss to coat and taste. Add more sauce if desired.
For the cilantro lime coleslaw
- Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and toss together until combined. Taste and season with more salt if necessary.
For serving
- Warm the corn tortillas on a hot griddle, skillet or in the microwave. Fill each tortilla with shredded bbq pork and top with coleslaw.
Isabel’s Tips:
Nutrition Information
Very good!! This is one of my favorite ways to cook shredded pork now!
Is there a reason you don’t cook the pork with the bbq sauce? I’m just curious as that’s how I’ve always made pulled pork in the crock pot. Eager to try it this new way! Thank you 🙂
Hi Amy! No particular reason, mainly because of the texture it gives but coating the pork with the barbecue sauce will also work great!
Absolutely delicious! Made the exact recipe and it was superb! I will definitely be making this again.
Hi,
I chose this recipe for the cole slaw and I agree that it only needs a cup or cup and a half of yogurt. Other than that this was super good. I only wished I read the pulled pork recipe before I made it because the cumin sounds good.
Thank you.
I love your slow clap over recipes! They really are some of my all time favorite meals. Could you make this particular recipe with pork shoulder instead of pork loin?
Thanks Isabel!
Thank you so much, Brooke! You can absolutely use pork shoulder instead of pork loin.
Thank you for the reply! Does it need the broth + olive oil with a pork shoulder?
Hi Isabel,
These tacos were bloooody delish! We didn’t have any cilantro, so we made a hoisin and greek yoghurt sauce! We just do 1 cup of yoghurt and two tablespoons of hoisin, it gives a really good zingy and sweet flavour to the pulled pork!
Nice! That sounds delicious, Charlie 🙂 So glad you liked it.
Loved this recipe, except I found you only need about 1 cup of yogurt for the cole slaw…I had to toss the batch with 2 cups and remake it, because it was way too much sauce. Thanks for sharing! 😊🌮
Thanks, Stephanie! I totally understand what you’re saying – I’ m happy you could make it work though!