Balsamic Pulled Pork

Let’s face it, there are moments when we just don’t have enough time to do the things we want to do. Planning weekday dinner parties is tough because I don’t usually get home from work until around 7pm, which is the ideal time to eat dinner. I’m accustomed to my schedule of cooking and eating around 8pm, but not everyone eats so late, especially if they have kids. This is when I call on my slow-cooker to be my time saver. My go-to slow cooker dish right now is this balsamic pulled pork tenderloin. Whether you are having folks over for a weekday dinner or you’re in a pinch for time this is the perfect dish for those moments. I’ve made it a couple times and tweaked things here and there, but it’s perfect over rice, on nachos, as a sandwich, or in a taco. This recipe has such great flavor and it doesn’t get any more tender than this. Here’s what you’ll need:

1 pork tenderloin (1-3 pounds)
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup water
¼ cup honey (sub w/ molasses or maple syrup)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic (sub w/ garlic powder)
1 teaspoon onion powder (sub w/ minced onion)
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce (more if you like spicy)
2 tablespoons cold water + 1 tablespoon corn starch (optional)

Whisk together vinegar, water, and next 7 ingredients.
Add pork to your slow cooker. Pour sauce over pork. Cover and cook on low 8 hours.
Remove pork and shred with two forks and serve OR follow the next (optional) step.
BEFORE SHREDDING MEAT: Use a small strainer or a spoon to discard excess fat from the liquid in the slow cooker. Transfer as much liquid from the slow cooker as possible to a medium sauce pan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Whisk together cold water and corn starch and stir into boiling sauce. Reduce to simmer and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened. Pour sauce over shredded pork and serve.