This Honey Garlic Pulled Pork is made in the slow cooker for a tender, juicy and delicious dish with an amazing depth of flavor. It’s AIP and paleo, and the marinade takes just 10 minutes to put together!
When I asked you all on Instagram what Fall recipes you wanted to see, so many of you asked for slow cooker recipes! I’m so glad because the slow cooker meals are some of my favourite back to school recipes. It’s so satisfying to throw things into a slow cooker in the morning and come home to/ log off Zoom to a house smelling divine, and a meal ready to go. There’s a reason slow cookers got the name, “set it and forget it” appliances!
In this Honey Garlic Pulled Pork, pork tenderloin is cooked in a delicious blend of honey, garlic, herbs and sauces. I’ve tried to keep the sugar content on the lower side, so this dish isn’t super sweet but definitely offers both sweet and tangy notes.
Here’s what you’ll need for this Pulled Pork:
- 1 pork tenderloin – approximately 1 – 1.5 pounds in weight
- honey – raw, sustainably-sourced if possible
- garlic – together with honey, this is the predominant flavour. You’ll want at least 5 cloves.
- coconut aminos, balsamic vinegar + apple cider vinegar
- dried thyme and sea salt
- extra virgin olive oil
To make this dish, begin by making your marinade. In a small saucepan, add olive oil and heat on medium heat. Sauté crushed/minced garlic in olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Next, add honey, coconut aminos, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, salt and thyme. Bring to low boil and then remove from heat. Generously salt your pork tenderloin and place into the slow cooker. Top the tenderloin with sliced onions and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Shred using two forks and garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley, if desired.
Honey Garlic Pulled Pork FAQs
Can I make this dish in an Instant Pot?
Yes! You can use the slow cooker function on the Instant Pot, though the results may be slightly drier than using a Crock-pot.
Can I replace the honey in this recipe?
I haven’t tried myself, but you maple syrup might work as a substitute for honey in this dish.
What can I eat this with?
I love pulled pork with a salad made with bitter greens. The bitter and spicy notes of greens like arugula complement the flavor of the pork so well. Try my Mango, Arugula and Avocado salad. Cucumber is also a great pairing with pulled pork. Try this Herbed Cauliflower Salad with cucumbers or my Cucumber Salad.
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If you try this Honey Garlic Pulled Pork I would love if you gave it a rating and review. Be sure to snap a picture of the finished product and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @healmedelicious and using the hashtag #healmedelicious.
Honey Garlic Slow Cooker Pulled Pork (AIP, paleo)
- Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Honey Garlic Pulled Pork is made in the slow cooker for a tender, juicy and delicious dish with an amazing depth of flavor. It’s AIP and paleo, and the marinade takes just 10 minutes to put together!
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
- 5 –6 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
- 3 TBSP honey
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (plus more for seasoning pork loin)
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 large yellow onion, sliced
- 1 pork tenderloin (approximately 1 pound)
- fresh cilantro or parsley for garnishing (optional)
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a small saucepan and heat on low-medium heat. Once hot, add in garlic and sauté 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously. Next, add honey, coconut aminos, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, salt and thyme. Bring to low boil and then remove from heat.
- Salt tenderloin on all sides and place into slow cooker. Top tenderloin with sliced onions and then pour marinade on top. Cook on low setting for 6-8 hours.
- Once cooked, using two forks to pull pork apart.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley (optional)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Mains
- Method: Slow cooker
Keywords: pulled pork, slow cooker pulled pork, crock-pot, aip, paleo, pork, honey, garlic, honey garlic pulled pork
Can I omitted the coconut amino? I’m sensitive to coconut..
You’d have to replace it with something like tamari.
Made this recipe exactly as written. It is now our family’s go to pulled pork recipe. So delicious! I was having a very hard time accepting I needed to be eating AIP after my MS diagnosis but with this recipe, I was able to enjoy something I thought I would never be able to eat again. I have always preferred tomato based bbq sauces for pulled pork but with this recipe, I don’t miss it! Thank you!!
★★★★★
DELICIOUS! I made this while visiting family. It was so easy and approved by all my non-paleo/AIP family. Definitely going to add this into my rotation. Thanks for a great recipe!
★★★★★
This is amazing!!! We make it with beef roast instead and it turns out fabulous!! Use it in sandwich, solo, or today’s new variation,ramen soup!!
★★★★★
Can you make this with a Boston butt? If so would I trim off most fat and double liquid if roast weighs more than a pound?
I haven’t tried another cut of meat but this sounds like a promising plan!
Trust me. You need this is your life. Best pulled pork I’ve ever tasted.
★★★★★
Thannks so much for taking the time to review all these recipes, Melissa. So glad you enjoyed!
My daughter made this and shared it with me. It was so flavorful! It reminded me of the flavors in General Tso’s chicken.
★★★★★
This was unreal! I didn’t have honey to subbed maple syrup and it was divine! I also made it into tacos! Such an incredible recipe! Thanks so much for this, Nicole! Keep it up <3
★★★★★
Can I make this in a Dutch oven? If so, what temp do you recommend?
Hey Matt. I haven’t tried but would reckon yes. Sear your tenderloin first on the stovetop in a bit of oil, then add the marinade and cook in oven at about 300F. I can’t recommend time as I haven’t tried myself but would cook with the lid on for the majority of time and remove for the last hour or so.
Sounds yummy! I’m curious though as to why you heat up the items in the first step instead of just adding them to the slow cooker. How does this change the final product? Thanks!
Hi Donna! It’s mostly so that the honey softens and mixes with the other ingredients!
Thanks!!
Holy smokes This.is.TASTY! You were so right. I used my insta pot for the first time and the meat isn’t as tender. Not a huge fan of the insta pot to begin with so I time to go back to the slow cooker. Thank you for this recipe! So much flavor and I feel like you can eat this meal with anything. Can’t wait for more fall deliciousness!
★★★★★
Awesome!!! So glad you enjoyed ☺️