Pulled Pork Tenderloin is the quickest way to satisfy a craving for southern pulled pork. This east-meets-west Sweet Chili Pulled Pork Recipe is a great take-along for all your spring and summer picnics.
When Lt. Dan and I first started dating, we were in college and both waited tables at popular restaurants. He happened to work at a barbecue joint down the street from our school that made the most amazing ribs and pulled pork.
I always looked forward to meeting up after work, for a few reasons.
One, he was (is) pretty cute.
Two, he would be saturated by the intoxicating aroma of “man” and “smoky meat” (They should bottle that scent.)
Three, he would sometimes bring me a pulled pork sandwich.
Now we could ponder the complexities of romance and compatibility for hours, but I’m fairly certain his meaty perfume and pulled pork gifts were the reasons I fell in love with him.
Thankfully we were compatible as well.
Pulled pork is one of my favorite dishes. It’s so versatile on sandwiches, in tacos, on salad, or simply piled high next to an ear of fresh buttered corn.
Today I’m sharing Lori Lange’s recipe for Sweet Chili Pulled Pork Recipe from her fabulous new book The Recipe Girl Cookbook, named after her popular recipe blog RecipeGirl.com.
Lori’s Sweet Chili Pulled Pork Recipe is genius!
Instead of slow cooking pork butt for hours, she suggests poaching pork tenderloin in beer and vinegar for 1 hour, then shredding it and adding Thai Sweet Chili Sauce.
The results were astounding. This pulled pork tenderloin is tender and juicy with a spicy-sweet punch of Asian flavors.
I will definitely being making Lori’s Sweet Chili Pulled Pork Recipe again. Very soon!
Sweet Chili Pulled Pork Recipe
YIELD: 4 servings
PREP TIME: 25 minutes
COOK TIME: 1 hour
From Lori Lange's The Recipe Girl Cookbook.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
- 12 ounce bottle beer
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 5 medium cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
- 3/4 cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
Directions:
- Cut the pork in half lengthwise and then cut it crosswise into 2 1/2 inch chunks.
- In a medium saucepan, bring the ber vinegar, water, garlic, ginger, salt, black pepper, and red pepper to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pork, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour, or until the pork is very tender.
- Remove the pork from the liquid and transfer to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the pork.
- Using a slotted spoon, scoop out and discard the garlic and ginger. Add the shredded pork and chili sauce to the pan. Stir to combine.
Gluten-Free Adaptable: Use 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock in place of the beer. Substitute gluten-free sweet chili sauce.
