This pulled-pork sandwich with cilantro lime slaw (added apples this time!) is for sure one of my family’s all time favorite summer meals and one I thought would never fit once I started counting macros. But it does it does!!
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Lightened up BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich with Cilantro Lime Slaw
- Serves: 8
- Calories: 360 cal
- Protein: 26g
- Fat: 8g
- Carbs: 45g
- Why You'll Love It: Everyone in my family loves these and will choose them in a line-up. They're so surprisingly light and with the instant pot they're so fast! Can't go wrong.
I made some adjustments to the slaw, stopped buttering my bun, found a BBQ sauce I love that’s lower in sugar and voila 👌🏻. My macros are set for maintaining instead of losing now which means my carbs and fat are much higher than when I started so I can even make one with juicy pork butt fit my macros. (If you’re “cutting”, you won’t be cutting forever!) BUT when my numbers are lower and Ross wants to smoke a fattier pork butt, I’d do this lean pork loin in the instant pot or slow cooker for myself which came in handy all week for BBQ pork pizzas and salads etc.. and it was still so delicious! And maybe more importantly I was still eating with my family.
And it’s so light! I’m always floored how a BBQ pulled pork sandwich can turn out to be one of our lowest fat meals. Sometimes I skip a side salad and just have two. Ok all the times.
Lightened up BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich with Cilantro Lime Slaw
Ingredients
- 1 Brioche bun
- 3/4 cup Barbecue pork (100g) recipe below
- 1/2 cup Cilantro lime apple slaw (80g) recipe below
- 2.5 Tbsp. Stubbs barbecue sauce (30g) because it's lowest in carbs or your favorite homemade*
For the Cilantro Lime Apple Slaw
- 12 oz bag of coleslaw mix
- 1/2 Bell pepper, diced- (red, yellow, or orange are my fave!) (50g)
- 1/4-1/2 cup Chopped green onion (30g)
- 1/4 cup Chopped apple (40g)
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (20g)
- 1 Tbsp. White wine vinegar (15g)
- 2 Tbsp Light mayo (30g)
- 3 Tbsp Fresh squeezed lime juice (45g)
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/8 tsp Pepper
- 1 tsp Honey (7g)
For the Pork
- 2 lb Pork tenderloin, trimmed of silver skin I use the kind that’s only 2.5 fat for 4 oz. I get mine from Costco- looks like this
- 1 Tbsp. Liquid smoke (15g; sold at grocery stores near bbq sauce)
- 1/2 cup Water (120g)
- 1 onion, chopped (280 g)
- 8 cloves Garlic (I use the frozen Dorot cubes I get at TJ- LOVE these)
- 1 Tbsp Brown sugar (18g)
- 2 tsp Dry mustard
- 2 tsp Onion powder
- 1 tsp Chili powder
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne* (optional.. if you like a kick)
Instructions
- *Our favorite super simple (non-low carb!) homemade bbq sauce: I don’t always want to spend the carbs on all this sugar but sometimes I just– do!
- Whisk together 1 cup ketchup, 1 cup brown sugar, and 1-2 tbs liquid smoke and microwave for a minute or bring to a light boil on the stove.
For the Cilantro Lime Apple Slaw
- Mix first six ingredients together for dressing (Add up to ¼ cup canola oil if you aren’t watching your fat, I skip it.)
- Toss with remaining ingredients. It might seem dry at first but it gets better as it sits for a little bit. If it still seems too dry, just add another squeeze of lime or dash of vinegar.
For the Pork
- Cut pork into 4 inch chunks and season with salt. Sear on all sides.
- Put smoke, water, pork, onion, garlic, and all spices in the instant pot (I used it!!!!) or you can use a slow cooker. (Don’t stress about the spices, use what you have and skip what you don’t)
- Set your instant pot to manual and 45 minutes. Allow for 10-15 minute natural release, then open the vent. Open the lid when it releases easily.
- I like to pull out the chunks and shred them in a shallow dish for ease. Then pour as much of the juices over it as seems good. Toss in juices.
- If you like your pork a little less juicy and more crispy, you can fry some up in a pan with cooking spray like these carnitas. We like it both ways.
For the Slow Cooker
- Set to high for 6 hours or low for 8-10.
- When done, shred with two forks and toss in juices.
For the Sandwich
- Spray the inside of the buns with cooking spray and pan-toast on a skillet
- Immediately top with shredded pork, bbq sauce, and cilantro lime apple slaw. Enjoy!! And then probably do it again because these boys are pretty darn light.
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
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This was HUGE hit with my family!
yay! love hearing that!!
Hi, this doesn’t list carbohydrates in the macros.