These mouthwatering sandwiches come together in a slow cooker before being topped with creamy avocado ranch sauce.
My father always grumbled about slow-cooker meals, claiming that everything tasted the same when cooked this way. I can understand the sentiment, but there’s nothing quite like the convenience of tossing everything in a pot and walking away for the day. Slow cookers are a busy person’s best friend in the kitchen. When you’re strapped for time but want to avoid takeout, the slow cooker can save the day.
If you’re like my father and aren’t enthusiastic about the slow cooker, the trick is choosing a recipe with rich, deep flavors. Take, for example, this recipe. If you start the pulled pork in the morning, you’ll have a tender, juicy, and downright delicious meal ready to devour by the end of the day. The amount of spices used for the rub, the bed of onion and garlic, as well as the adobo sauce, will add plenty of taste and complexity.
To add even more flavor, this recipe calls for coleslaw, a spritz of lime juice, and green Tabasco sauce drizzled over the top at the end. The result is an incredibly tasty and oh-so-filling sandwich that’ll satisfy your comfort food cravings, all while keeping the prep time simple. Whether you’re a fan of the slow cooker or not, we call that a win.
Are These Chipotle Keto Pulled Pork Sandwiches Healthy?
These sandwiches are high in protein, but they also contain a fair amount of fat and sodium. There aren’t a lot of preservatives in this recipe (a bonus for home-cooked meals!), but this is still a pretty hefty sandwich. If you want to avoid high amounts of fat and sodium, we’d recommend enjoying in moderation. If you’re enjoying these sandwiches as part of a keto diet, you’ll need to nix the bun (unless you use your favorite keto bread) and stick to a lettuce wrap.
What Type Of Cut Should I Use?
This recipe calls for pork shoulder, but you can use other cuts of pork as well. Shoulder is ideal because of the higher fat content, which leads to better break down of the meat during slow cooking (and, therefore, a more tender, more flavorful meat at the end). Keeping in mind that you can also use picnic shoulder for a slightly leaner option, and in a pinch you can use a pork roast.
Whatever cut you use, it’s up to you if you want to keep the bone in or not. People often prefer to keep the bone in, as it can be helpful for keeping the meat as moist as possible. However, if you opt for a boneless cut, the process of slow cooking in this sauce will still lead to a wonderfully tender meat regardless.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Once cooled, you can store any leftover meat in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container. Additionally, if you want to freeze any leftovers, you can keep individual portions in small, freezer-safe baggies. Pulled pork will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe is filling all on its own, but if you want to round out your meal with some tasty sides, we have a few recommendations. Air-Fryer Sweet Potato Fries are delicious with the savory-sweet flavors of the pulled pork. Broccoli slaw tastes yummy either on the side or as a sandwich topper, and you can’t go wrong with a side salad, such as this Italian Salad, for some extra green on your plate.
Ingredients
- 1 medium, yellow onion sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh garlic minced
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 tablespoon adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 4 pounds pork shoulder excess fat removed
- Whole-wheat or gluten-free hamburger buns or lettuce wraps for serving
- Paleo ranch for garnish
- Coleslaw mix for garnish, optional
- Lime juice for garnish
- Green Tabasco for garnish
Instructions
- Place onion and garlic in the bottom of your slow cooker. Pour in the water.
- Combine spices for the spice rub (salt, paprika, chili, cumin) in a small bowl and set aside.
- Add the adobo sauce and coconut sugar to the pot. Cut any large, visible chunks of fat off your pork shoulder, and then rub it all over with the spice rub, until it is evenly coated. Place the shoulder in the pot, on top of the sauce and sugar.
- Cook until pork is tender and moist, 6-8 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.
- Once the pork is cooked, strain most of the liquid out of the slow cooker and place the solids (which is made up of the onions and garlic) back into the slow cooker.
- Transfer the pork onto a cutting board and shred with 2 forks.
- Transfer the shredded pork back into the slow cooker and mix with the onions and garlic. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.
- Serve the pulled pork on a bun or lettuce, topped with ranch coleslaw mix and a squeeze of lime juice and green Tabasco.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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