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This easy slow cooker (or instant pot) Brown Sugar Balsamic Pulled Pork is healthier than most, takes minutes to put together and is a delicious crowd pleaser!
I love a meal that requires no last minute prep, especially when we're entertaining guests. This Brown Sugar Balsamic Pulled Pork can be made early in the day (or a day in advance) and simply warmed before eating. Tote it in your slow cooker to a party, potluck or picnic for a super easy, crazy delicious meal that young, old, and all ages in between, will enjoy.
I dropped off a container of this pulled pork and a package of my Easy Buttermilk Brioche Buns to a friend this past week. Later that evening, I got this text: "For sure, drool worthy!!! Oh my word, that was so good!!! Dad and I both loved it!!" Everyone else who's tried it has had the same response.
Pulled pork - done a little healthier
I'm always a little hesitant to make recipes that call for pork butt or pork shoulder. It's not that I don't love the succulent, moist, super tender meat this cut of pork produces. The problem for me is that it tends to have a really high-fat content, and that fat goes right into whatever sauce the meat is cooking in. Not so with this Brown Sugar Balsamic Pulled Pork recipe. As dumb as that may sound, it really thrills this health-conscious crazy cookin' girl!
How does that work, you ask? Fabulously moist and tender meat without all the extra fat? Easy! But it's just something I never thought of before. The pork is cooked in a simple mixture of chicken broth and garlic salt. You can either use a slow cooker or instant pot. I've done both with wonderful results. Once the meat is tender, it's drained and the fat-ridden cooking liquid is discarded. Voila!
A super easy, super tasty sauce
And the sauce? Towards the end of the cooking time, you simply throw all the sauce ingredients into a saucepan on the stovetop and simmer it for 10-15 minutes till it's nice and thick. Pull apart the meat and combine it with the sauce. I like to pull the pork with my fingers, as it's easy to see and feel any areas of fat between the juicy, tender meat. I separate the meat from the fat as I go and discard the fat once the task is completed. This is much harder to do in most pulled pork recipes, where the pork is cooked in the sauce.
Have a picnic, cookout, party or potluck coming up? Buy some good rolls or whip up a batch of these Easy Buttermilk Brioche Buns, then put together a pot full of this Brown Sugar Balsamic Pulled Pork. A perfect side for this delicious meal would be a big bowl of Black Bean Mexican Corn Salad.
Café Tips for making this Brown Sugar Balsamic Pulled Pork
- This recipe calls for pork butt or pork shoulder. Instead of buying a whole or half pork butt or shoulder, I like to purchase boneless pork shoulder ribs. I find these ribs much easier to work with than a huge piece of pork butt or shoulder. They're a bit more expensive but are often trimmed of some of the excess fat, so you're not buying as much fat. Not every grocery store carries this cut, but several in my area do. You might have to check around a bit or ask your butcher. Just make sure that the ribs are "shoulder" ribs and not "loin" (which is a much leaner cut of meat and will get tough when cooked for a long time).
- One of the easy secrets to the delicious flavor in this Brown Sugar Balsamic Pulled Pork recipe is a generous amount of Worcestershire sauce. Although the final result, doesn't have a strong Worcestershire sauce flavor, the ingredients for this classic sauce include vinegar, molasses, anchovies, tamarind extract, salt, sugar, onions, garlic, and spices - a super-easy way to add lots of wonderful flavor. Look for a good quality Worcestershire sauce. I really like the Lea and Perrin brand.
- Chili garlic sauce adds a touch of heat to this pulled pork. You can adjust the heat level by adding more or less. Chili garlic sauce is readily available in the Asian section of most larger groceries or online.
- Other than serving this Brown Sugar Balsamic Pulled Pork in buns or rolls, there are lots of other ways to use it:
- Serve in a bowl with rice and a side of broccoli or corn on the cob.
- Make quesadillas by layering it with your favorite cheese between flour or corn tortillas. Sauté till golden brown on both sides. Serve with a side of Mexican Chopped Salad.
- Serve over mashed potatoes.
- Serve on its own with a simple green salad.
- Make tacos with flour or corn tortillas - top tortillas with pork, shredded red or green cabbage, avocado slices, pickled red onions and a scatter of Cotija cheese.
- If you're serving this pulled pork as sandwiches at home, toast the buns before serving. This easy step takes this already delicious pork to another level. To toast the buns, simply drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil onto a sheet pan. Rub the oil to coat the pan with your fingers. Place the buns, cut side down on the prepared pan and bake at 350˚F. for 10-15 minutes, until the undersides and edges are a beautiful golden brown. Serve immediately.
Thought for the day:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:13
What we're listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoy this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and a review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.
- 4-5 pounds trimmed pork shoulder I use boneless shoulder ribs, (see tips above
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅔ cup dark brown sugar
- ⅔ cup Worcestershire sauce
- ⅔ cup aged balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2-3 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 3 3-inch rosemary sprigs
- 6 medium cloves garlic minced
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
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If using a whole pork butt or shoulder, cut meat into 4-6-inch long and approximately 3-inch wide strips. If using the boneless ribs, cut them in half. Set aside.
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Combine chicken broth, garlic salt and pepper in a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker. Add the pork and stir. Cover and cook until fork-tender, 6-7 hours on low (depends on the heat of your slow cooker). (See “Notes” below for instant pot method.) Drain the pork and discard the liquid.
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When pork is cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-size pieces, with your fingers, discarding any fat. Return meat to slow cooker or a storage container (if making ahead).
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Combine all sauce ingredients in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Continue to cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until liquid is thickened and starting to become syrupy. Remove rosemary stems.
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Combine half of the sauce with the shredded pork. Taste and season with kosher salt and pepper, if needed. Save the rest of the sauce to drizzle on the pork when serving. Pork can be made ahead and warmed in the slow cooker before serving. Meat also freezes well. Thaw and warm before serving.
See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips.
To make in the instant pot, add chicken broth and garlic salt to the IP pot, add the pork and stir. Set instant pot to high-pressure setting and cook for 35 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally, then drain the pork and discard the liquid. Proceed with step #3 in the recipe directions.
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polly tonsetic says
Chris, I had a package of pork ribs I didn't know what to do with. Made half this recipe exactly as written. After cooking the ribs and mixing with the sauce, I put the meat in the refrigerator for the next day. Served the cooled meat with bibb lettuce leaves. Just put a small amount of the meat on the leaf and wrapped like a taco. You should have heard the amazing comments! Delicious!
Julia says
Hi Chris- I cannot resist making this recipe. I sent my husband out to Whole Foods to buy pork shoulder, as you suggest. He came home with Pork Butt.... I looked up the differnce and it turns out both are from the shoulder but differnt parts... Have you tried this with the butt? Are they considered synonmyous? So looking forward to trying this tomorrow. Your recipes NEVER disappoint!!
Thank. you
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Julia, How nice that your husband shops for you! And he did well, you can definitely use pork butt for this recipe. It will be delicious! Enjoy!!
Karen Calanchini says
Chris, have you tried making this with pork tenderloins? They are so lean and I have had good luck with them in my Crock-Pot with other recipes. I, too, dislike all that fatty sauce when using other types of meats, especially chuck cuts.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Karen, I haven't tried this with pork tenderloin. I've tried other recipes for shredded pork with the tenderloin but I think it dries out easily. That's why I was delighted to use this technique where it stays moist but much of the fat is eliminated.
Terry says
Has anyone tried braising the pork in the oven? Ideas on time and temp???
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Terry, so sorry I missed your last comment. You could definitely do this in the oven. I would do it slow (275˚F) for probably 4-5 hours. Check it around 3 and a half and see if it's close to being tender. Let us know exactly how long it takes as others may want to make it in the oven too.
I'm actually working on another pork recipe and I'll try that one in the oven and see how long it takes.
Terry says
Chris, I would love to try this but have neither a slow cooker or an instant pot. Cold you tell me how to cook the meat on the stovetop or braise in the oven? This sounds too good to psas up!
Thanks!
Terry
Shannon says
Thank you for the Instant Pot version. It was very accurate. This pulled pork was very flavorable. If I were to have just one teeny weeny complaint was the amount of sauce was not enough. I made another full recipe for extra on the sandwiches. Paired with your Buttermilk Brioche Buns (yum) and some pickled red onions and yes, we have a winner!
Chris Scheuer says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Shannon. Thanks for your suggestion about the sauce too. There can never be too much sauce, right?
Nancy Galloway says
Hi Chris, I'm going to do this recipe for a weeknight get-together with friends. I'm planning to do the meat ahead of time, along with any other preparations that I can do in advance. I was hoping to make the Buttermilk Brioche Buns as well - is there any way these could be done ahead of time? Thank you!
Nancy Galloway
Columbia, MO
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Nancy, you could definitely make the brioche buns ahead and freeze them. Then just thaw and toast them a bit in the oven as directed in the post. They get a little crisp on the outside but still really nice and tender inside. Enjoy! Sounds like fun 🙂
Nancy Galloway says
Thank you so much!
Ruth Myers says
Just made this for supper tonight, and it was WONDERFUL! My husband really doesn't care for "sweet" meats, and he's not fond of the traditional "tomatoey" type pulled pork. This was very different--just the right blend of sweet and tangy. I'm sure it will be added to our list of family favorites.
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thanks so much for sharing your results Ruth, it's always good when the husband is happy with a recipe.
My husband always says "happy wife, happy life" but I think the opposite is also most definitely true 🙂
Sue says
Chris, have you frozen it with or without the sauce already on it? I would think it would be fine with the sauce... just checking to see what you found works best.
Thanks! The pork is cooking now. 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
I haven't frozen it but I think I would probably freeze it with half of the sauce and then freeze the rest of the sauce separately. That way you would have sauce to drizzle over it. Enjoy!
Ava says
For the Brown Sugar Balsamic Pulled Pork.....What do you do with the sprigs of rosemary after cooking the sauce?
Chris Scheuer says
Good question, just pull out the stems. Most of the leaves will be left in the sauce.
Susan says
This would be great for one of our family get-togethers this summer! We want to spend time with the family without a lot of last-minute work. I've never tried the boneless shoulder ribs but just red Tricia's comment so am adding them to my grocery list!! Thanks for a mouth-watering recipe 🙂
Vivian says
Have you tried a Char Siu treatment? Chinese restaurants use a pork neck or collar cut but I think your boneless shoulder ribs would work just as well. I have been craving this dim sum favorite (in a steamed bun) for so long. It uses Chinese 5 Spice and red dye (but not for the purists). I will be experimenting with brined tenderloin in the IP. Let you know.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I'm sure if you take this dish to a potluck event it will be the first thing to go.
Trish says
Chris, I constantly search and try new recipes and this is the first time I am commenting on a recipe. I made your Brown sugar balsamic pulled pork today and it was fabulous! Thank you so much for adding the instant pot directions because that is how I cooked it. I will never cook pork any other way again. I also purchased the ribs you suggested and I will never buy the whole butt or shoulder again. I grew up in North Carolina, not far from where you live, always eating vinegar based southern barbecue. I now live in Ohio where no one ever heard of vinegar based barbecue sauce, just tomato based sauce. Your recipe was a great new twist with pulled pork and my family loved it! I always look forward to getting your recipes. Keep up the good work! One of these days I’m going to make your brioche rolls. The only problem is I will probably not want to share them because bread is my downfall.
Chris Scheuer says
From one Carolina girl to another :), thanks so much for sharing your results! I love that you loved this recipe! Do try the brioche rolls!
Judy says
Holy Moly! This is fantastic!!! I'll not eat BBQ shredded pork again - this far surpasses hands down.
Thank you for posting this Chris. I can always trust your recipes. The chili garlic sauce really sets it off.
Chris Scheuer says
Yay!! I always love it when the first person who actually tries a recipe, leaves a review. SO happy you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your results.
Sandra L Garth says
You have another winner with this one Chris!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
One of my favorite ways to make pulled pork! Although it tastes wonderful when smoked low and slow, this is a nearly foolproof method of making pulled pork. Like the tip to toast the buns! Good idea. And good recipe -- thanks.
Kathy says
Pinned it! And can't wait to make it. Sounds really delicious - hope I can find chili garlic sauce in store since never heard of it!
Enjoy getting your recipes - thanks
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
This looks so delicious and I love pulled pork. Such a nice change of flavours from the usual. Can't wait to try this one 🙂
Liz says
My pork loving family will be thrilled with this meal! And I love your trick to de-fat the dish without compromising the flavor!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I've got to try this Chris! I know it would be a hit at our house! Sometimes we're out all day boating during the summer, so a delicious crock pot meal always works!
monique says
That sauce Chris:)♥Looks delish..great for a famiy get together too!
Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert says
Ooohh I've never tried a BBQ with balsamic - that sounds delicious and looks great too 🙂 So many great ways to use this tender pork!
Ginny Hartzler says
This is a great idea to cut the fat down!! And I have never seen it in any other recipe. And I like your way of toasting the buns, too. I can almost smell it now...
sue | theviewfromgreatisland says
I want this so bad it hurts! The name alone sounds so enticing, this is a winner Chris!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
This looks amazing! I am saving this for some special occasions 🙂 Thanks, Chris.