Love of My Life Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

This isn't your average pulled pork recipe. For one thing it's super easy to make in the slow cooker but the meat has a smoky flavor indicative of the BBQ. It can be thrown together in less than ten minutes and forgotten about all day. For another thing is it uses a lean piece of pork that's perfect for keeping your heart healthy. It's easy to make and versatile. Let's eat and be merry with this lovely pork!

It tastes:

• Smokey 
• Rich,
• Unctuous; and 
• Is sweet and tangy or robust, depending on the BBQ sauce you use. 

If BBQ sauce isn't added, the seasoned pulled pork is perfect for tacos, loaded onto a baked potato or as an adornment to nachos.

Tips:

• This freezes well. I recommend freezing the meat in its juices without adding the BBQ sauce. Once defrosted, warm it up in the juices, drain and add the BBQ sauce before serving.
• I've doubled and tripled the recipe.
• The amount of liquid used depends on your crock pot. Mine is an oval 4 quart crock pot.

Serves 4.
Per Serving [excludes bun]: 265 calories / 12 g fat / 17.3 g carb / 24.8 g protein / 15.3 g sugar

Recipe:

16 ounces uncooked boneless pork loin, cut into 4 equal size pieces

1 tablespoon Meat Rub, approximate. Use more if necessary (see recipe below)

2 cups no sodium chicken broth 

salt and pepper

8 tablespoons low sugar BBQ sauce [50 calories per 2 tablespoons]

4 hamburger or chiatta buns [under 120 calories each]

Ranch Cole Slaw

1 cup of shredded cole slaw in the bag

8 T Bolt House Farm Ranch dressing

Salt then pepper the meat on both sides. Rub meat rub on both sides of the meat. Let sit on the counter for about 1/2 hour if you can but it's not absolutely necessary. Add the meat to the crock pot and cover with chicken stock. If 2 cups isn't enough, add water to cover. Cook on low for approximately 6 hours. Meanwhile, toss the cole slaw mix with the dressing and refrigerate until ready to serve. Once the meat is tender enough to shred, take the meat out of the crock pot and shred. Return pork to the crock pot and let it continue to cook on warm and absorb some juices for 30 minutes. If not freezing, drain the juices and add bbq sauce. Add 1/4 of the mixture to each bun and top with the ranch coleslaw. Then serve!

Meat Rub

This rub is a slightly modified version of Simply Taralyn's. 

1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 Tablespoon onion powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning 

Mix seasoning together and store in an air tight container.