Low-Carb Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Low-Carb Slow Cooker Pulled Pork has homemade low-sugar barbecue sauce that makes the pork savory and delicious! There’s also a link for Instant Pot Pulled Pork if you prefer that method.
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Low-Carb Slow Cooker Pulled Pork is my lower-carb take on a classic American dish! And pulled pork is perfect in December, when life gets busy and you want easy meals. And that’s why I’m reminding you about it for Friday Favorites this week! And of course pulled pork is also a great option for watching football during the holidays!
I decided to try making lower-carb pulled pork because I think most barbecue sauce recipes are too sweet. I wanted a low-sugar variation of Slow Cooker Pulled Pork that has lots of savory flavors. Try this recipe if you’d like a sauce with mustard, smokiness, and spice, and just a touch of sweetness.
I also didn’t want pulled pork that was super fatty. So I asked my butcher for a lean cut of pork that would pull apart when cooked at a low temperature. I made this recipe with pork loin roast that I cut into pieces against the grain, so I had shreds of pork that were 3-4 inches long. And this was so delicious for a great low-carb version of slow cooker pulled pork! Family members who don’t care about carbs can eat the pulled pork on a bun and never know it’s low in carbs. I hope you try the recipe!
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What ingredients do you need?
(This is ONLY a list of ingredients for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)<
- boneless pork loin roast
- Olive Oil (affiliate link), for spraying crockpot (or use non-stick spray)
- sugar-free ketchup (affiliate link)
- tomato paste (affiliate link)
- Golden Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link), or other sweetener of your choice
- apple cider vinegar (affiliate link)
- yellow mustard (not Dijon)
- Green Tabasco Sauce (affiliate link)
- Worcestershire Sauce or Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauce (affiliate link)
- Liquid Smoke (affiliate link), optional but recommended
How did I make slow cooker pulled pork low in carbs?
I used G. Hughes Sugar-Free Ketchup (affiliate link) as the base of my sauce. And I sweetened it with Golden Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link).
How low in carbs is the Slow Cooker Pulled Pork?
The tasty low-carb pulled pork has only 4 net carbs per serving with 46 grams of protein.
How to make Low-Carb Pulled Pork in the Instant Pot:
Pulled pork is a great recipe for the slow cooker. But if you prefer using the Instant Pot, check out my low-carb Instant Pot version of pulled pork!
How to make Low-Carb Slow Cooker Pulled Pork :
(This is ONLY a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- I trimmed the outside fat off my pork loin roast, and then cut in half against the grain. This roast was about 2.5 pounds after trimming, but next time I’d get one just a little bigger.
- I use G. Hughes Sugar-Free Ketchup (affiliate link) for my low-sugar barbecue sauce. You can also look for a natural ketchup without added sugar.
- Mix sugar-free ketchup, tomato sauce, Golden Monkfruit Sweetener (or sweetener of your choice), apple cider vinegar, mustard, Green Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, and Liquid Smoke in a measuring cup or bowl. I tasted a few times and added a little more of this or that until it tasted good to me. (The flavors will get more intense as it cooks.)
- Spray the crockpot with olive oil, then put in the trimmed pork roast that you’ve cut in half, pour sauce over and cook the pork all day on low.
- I used a 2.5-Quart Slow Cooker (affiliate link); use any size that’s close to that. If you have a bigger crockpot I’d double the amount of everything and make this a Weekend Food Prep recipe!
- When the meat is done enough to pull apart easily, remove from crockpot with slotted spoon, and shred with two forks. (I ate some before I took this photo, so a two pound roast will be a little more than this!) Pork should cook about 7-8 hours, on low, depending on how hot your crockpot cooks.
- I thought the sauce was a little thin, so I took it out of the crockpot and simmered on the stove until it was reduced by about 1/3. This also concentrated the flavor a bit more. (This step is optional.)
- You can put the shredded meat back into the crockpot with the sauce to keep it warm.
- Serve the Slow Cooker Pulled Pork hot, and enjoy!
Make it a low-carb Meal:
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork would be great on sandwiches of course, but for a low-carb meal try it with one of these dishes on the side:
- Spicy Lime Coleslaw
- Easy Cauliflower Rice (with Garlic and Green Onion)
- Kale and Red Cabbage Slaw
- Cucumbers Caesar
- Twice Baked Cauliflower
More Low-Carb Ideas for the Slow Cooker:
Check out Keto Crock Pot Recipes for a wide variety of dinner ideas to make in the slow cooker!
Weekend Food Prep:
The recipe for Slow Cooker Pulled Pork has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!
Low-Carb Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
This Low-Carb Slow Cooker Pulled Pork uses sugar-free ketchup and your favorite sweetener to cut down on the carbs! If you have a large slow cooker, definitely double this recipe! Check out the link to make it in the Instant Pot if you prefer that method.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. boneless pork loin roast (see notes)
- olive oil, for spraying crockpot (or use non-stick spray)
- 1/2 cup sugar-free ketchup
- 2 T tomato paste
- 6 T Golden Monkfruit Sweetener, or to taste
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup mustard (regular yellow mustard, not Dijon)
- 2 tsp. Green Tabasco Sauce (or 1 tsp. red Tabasco)
- 1 1/2 T Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/2 tsp. Liquid Smoke (or more, optional but recommended)
Instructions
- Spray slow cooker with olive oil or non-stick spray.
- Trim most of the visible fat from pork loin roast, then cut in half against the grain and place in slow cooker.
- Combine sugar-free ketchup, tomato sauce, Golden Monkfruit Sweetener (or sweetener of your choice), apple cider vinegar, mustard, Green Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, and Liquid Smoke in measuring cup or bowl and whisk together, then pour over roast.
- Turn slow cooker to low and cook 7-8 hours, or until meat shreds apart easily.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove meat from slow cooker, and place on cutting board.
- Check the sauce in slow cooker and if you’d like it a bit thicker, pour sauce into small saucepan and simmer at medium-low heat until reduced by 1/3, probably not longer than 10-15 minutes.
- While sauce thickens, use two forks to shred apart the meat, placing back in slow cooker to keep warm if desired.
- When sauce is as thick as you want it, pour over meat.
- This can be kept warm in the slow cooker for an hour or two, or served immediately.
- Low-Carb Slow Cooker Pulled Pork will keep in the fridge for quite a few days and quickly reheated in the microwave or in a pan on the stove. This also freezes well.
Notes
If you trim most visible fat, the pork roast should be about 2 1/2 lbs. after trimming.
For this recipe I used G. Hughes Sugar-Free Ketchup, Green Tabasco Sauce, and Liquid Smoke (affiliate links).
Check out my recipe for pulled pork in the Instant Pot if you prefer that method.
This recipe adapted from Slow Cooker Pulled Pork from Prudence Pennywise; low-sugar barbecue sauce recipe created by Kalyn.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 363Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 136mgSodium 369mgCarbohydrates 4gFiber 1gSugar 2gProtein 46g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
The Slow Cooker Pulled Pork recipe with my low-sugar sauce would be great for low-carb and Keto diet plans. If you’re making it for the South Beach Diet, follow the suggestions about using pork with only 10% fat and using sugar-free ketchup and an approved sweetener to sweeten the sauce. I’d probably limit this to Phase 2 or 3 for South Beach and use portion control if you’re actively trying to lose weight.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Slow Cooker Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe for low-carb pulled pork made in the slow cooker was first posted in 2009! The recipe was adapted to use Monkfruit Sweetener, and featured for Friday Favorites in 2022. It was last updated with more information in 2026.
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54 Comments on “Low-Carb Slow Cooker Pulled Pork”
Pingback: Pulled Pork with Low-Sugar Barbecue Sauce from Kalyn's Kitchen (Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker - Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker
Thanks for posting this wonderful pulled pork recipe! My family absolutely loves pulled pork but I am always looking for ways to reduce the "hidden" sugar we eat and your homemade BBQ sauce looks like a tasting substitution for store bought.
I'm looking forward to trying this recipe.
Valerie, hope you enjoy. I've made this for quite a few people and it's always been a hit!
Lynn, congratulations on the 20 pounds! So glad to hear you're enjoying the blog and that it's been helpful.
Hi,
I love your website and get nearly all my healthy food recipes from it. We changed our diet and I've lost 20 pounds so far!
Thank you so much and I am trying the pulled pork tonight. Also I really loved the Sriracha beef cabbage bowl!
Lynn
Scott, so glad you like it. I really need to try it on barbecued chicken!
Kalyn,
We've been using this sauce on lots of other things and wanted to thank you for coming up with something so close to the BBQ sauce I grew up with. It's fantastic!
I made this on Friday night along with the Blue Cheese Coleslaw. I cooked the pork all day on low, and it was falling apart. I cut back on the Splenda quite a bit, but I still thought the sauce was a bit sweet for my liking. It's a great recipe, so I'll definitely make it again. I'll just half the Splenda and up the hot sauce next time to tailor it to our taste. I also didn't use the liquid smoke and maybe that addition would ratchet down the sweet, as well.
Pam, hope you enjoy it!
Kalyn, this sounds great and I want to try it. I like that it's a slow cooker recipe and I don't like barbecue sauces filled with sugar, so this is good! I use Splenda a lot and will look for the ketchup. I've never heard of it. Thanks for the recipe, dearie!
Carrie, glad to hear you like it!
oh yeah that looks really good! thanks! i truly enjoy your recipes. thank you!
Carrie, quite honestly I am not 100% sure that it wasn't some salad I just threw together, bit it looks like it may be Spicy Mexican Slaw. I love that recipe in any case!
I am looking for the recipe for the coleslaw pictured with the pork? Can you tell me which one it is..it looks so good!
Cristy, that's great! So glad to hear it was a hit.
Thanks so much Kalyn! Reducing the sauce worked perfectly. It was soooooo good! My husband said it is the "best thing I have ever cooked hands down!" YAY! Thanks again!
Cristy, no worries about the questions; I am happy to help. I would put the tomato sauce in a pan on the stove and cook it until it's thick and most of the water has evaporated. If you don't do that I'd worry that the pulled pork would be rather runny.
Good gracious! Are you tired of my questions yet? Don't get too tired of them because I need your help! Ha ha! So my precious sweet husband went to the store for me yesterday and could not find tomato paste so he bought tomato sauce. I think those tiny little cans hid from him. Anyway, I want to make it today but wasn't sure if the sauce would work?! HELP! Thanks so much!
Emily, so glad you liked it! And it sounds like the coleslaw would be great on the side for a Christmas dinner.
I found this on your Christmas Dinner list and decided to give it a go – the last time I made pork in the slow cooker it was a disaster, but I was brave.
This. Is. Delicious. I had to modify it a bit – we don't use artificial sweeteners, so I added some honey and started with homemade ketchup from Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian." Couldn't find a 3lb roast so we only get to sop up 1.8 lbs of this treat! We're adding some of Smitten Kitchen's "Not Your Mama's Cole Slaw" and hardly had to do any work on Christmas. Thank you!
Nicole, good idea; thanks for sharing!
I added some Cary's sugar free syrup as a sweetener – trick I learned in a south beach baked beans recipe…yum! Thanks for another great recipe! Side note it is also really tasty when you drizzle a little of the syrup on a microwaved sweet potato!
How fun to hear that this was a hit even in Germany, where this type of dish isn't traditional. So glad you liked it.
Hello, I'm just ending my second week on SouthBeach and tried this recipe in my slow cooker. It was wonderful! I doubled the sauce for a 3 pound roast and it was perfect. I live in Germany and I took it to our "potluck" today…it was gone in about 10 minutes! Germans typically don't like super-sweet cuisine, so this bbq was perfect!
Thanks! Especially love getting an endorsement from the one year old!
I am a sucker for pulled pork and this happens to be the best one I have made. The whole family loved it, even my very picky 1 year old. HIGHLY recommend this one!
I followed your original recipe (including the brown sugar *ekk* and it is so good. I did cut it up into 6 chunks and cook on high for 8 hours. My crock pot never gets anything right unless I cut it up and cook on high.
So good. I can't wait for DH to try it and I've already shared the recipe link with my family.
Thanks Kalyn….I did double the sauce recipe too and the meat was all covered with the sauce. Anyway, thanks for posting such wonderful recipes! Can't wait to try some more of them!
Karen, the roast I had was only about 2 pounds, so if you didn't increase the sauce by quite a bit, that's why it would have been more dry. Glad you liked it though!
Kayln, your site is unbelievable and I tried the pulled pork recipe yesterday and it's sooooooo good! I highly recommend it. I doubled the recipe and used the splenda/brown sugar product. I added a bit more spice to the sauce as well but overall it's a super delicious meal. I felt like the pork was a little dry though which is weird b/c I didn't think that was possible with a slow cooker…is it possible it cooked too long? I had about 5 lbs. cut into 4 pieces.
Roberta, so glad you liked it. I've heard about those sandwich buns, but haven't seen them here. Want to try them!
Made this yesterday in the slow-cooker, and it was fabulous. I love a good pulled-pork BBQ, and this hit really well right in the middle–not too tomato-y, not too sweet, not too-vinegar-y. Next time, I will use just a bit less Splenda white and a bit more Splenda brown, for a darker taste.
I put it on one of those Arnold Sandwich Selects, a 100% whole wheat bun-sorta-thingy. I love those, and they made a good splurge when it comes to carbohydrates. With a dollop of coleslaw on top, I was a happy, happy girl!
Tracey, that sounds interesting. I haven't cooked much with stevia, so it's good to know it will work in a recipe like this.
This is a great idea! I did something similar lately but used stevia and blackstrap molasses to cut the carb content even more, without my having to risk getting a migraine (Splenda does that to me).
I'm glad people are liking this simple way to make pulled pork.
Love the pop of the colors on the plate. I'm a big fan of pulled pork – bookmarking the recipe.
I was actually craving this at 9am! It looks absolutely heavenly.
You are correct Kalyn, most BBQ sauce recipes aare way to sweet. Also, Tu for a great slow cooker recipe as I need to start using it more.
This sounds like an easy, flavorful dish. I really like the idea of the low-sugar sauce. Does that mean I can have seconds without the guilt?
looks so juicy!
That looks good. I do catering in San Francisco for a living and have tried many different types of ways to make pork. I myself do not like it, but alot of people as you know do. I am going to try this out.
I'm not really into sweet sauces that's why I think this recipe will work for me. I like the idea of more savory flavors. Really interesting.:) Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Not only does this look delicious, but it looks beautiful too!!
I'm with stash on the NC vinegar style bbq sauce for pulled pork, but that's because my first experience with real BBQ was as a barefoot kid on a farm in North Carolina. It was the best thing I had ever eaten.
Here's one I got from my grandmother: http://www.nibblemethis.com/2009/02/i-like-big-butts-and-i-cannot-lie.html
But this is more of a piedmont style. Further east in NC, they skip the ketchup altogether.
Ulrike, would be fun to think of you cooking this American classic in Germany! Go for it.
Katie, I'm not a big meat eater either, but I did like this very much.
Helene, thanks. Super easy to make!
Veron, hope you like it.
Junglefrog, I guess barbecue season has passed here too, sigh.
Cherry, I'm a pork fan too (especially for someone who's not much of a meat eater.)
Amy, the reduced-sugar ketchup is great! I am loving my new office and now that I changed the desk I love it even more.
Joanne, thanks, glad you like it.
Stash, I have heard about the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party. I think Chris Lilly sometimes goes there (I met him once at a Kingsford "Barbecue University." But the BlogHer conference is in August. Not sure I've had the Carolina Style barbecue, but it sounds interesting.
I have BBQ at most three or four times a year. One of those times is usually at the Big Apple BBQ Block Party in early June. (Incidentally Kalyn — it occurred to me that if you time your visit right, you can experience both the Block Party and the NYC BlogHer conference within the same time frame.) BBQ is just not something I have on a frequent basis so when I do eat it, I tend to go all out.
I prefer vinegar-based sauces that aren't sweet so much as piquant. North Carolina-style pulled pork works well in this regard.
I absolutely adore slow cooker pulled pork. I usually use pork tenderloin to do it, which is incredibly lean. I really like your homemade bbq sauce recipe!
I didn't know that Heinz made a low-sugar ketchup. I haven't been able to eat store-bought ketchup for years. I make it (not often) from roasted tomatoes and it's a real treat. I never thought I'd hear myself say that.
Your dish looks fabulous. Also saw on Twitter that you reorganized your office & have a great work space. I bet that feels great.
Looks delicious. Thanks for this recipe. I just love pork no matter how they cook it.
Now that title reminds me of BBQ season, which has really passed here.. 🙂 But I love how it looks!
I love pulled pork, this is definitely a must try.
I've never made Pulled Pork but love it. What a great recipe 🙂
I can't wait to try this! I'm not usually a big meat eater, but pulled pork is one of the exceptions. I'm with you on the savory bbq sauce, too. Mustard is one of my favorite condiments, and I want to be able to taste it!
mmh, I`ve never had pulled pork, but I own two Slow Cookers so I should do it in the near future
Ulrike @ Küchenlatein