Slow Cooker Honey Pulled Pork with Cornmeal Pancakes
Slow Cooker Honey Pulled Pork is a foolproof method to lure a man to your kitchen.
I’m sure this method is effective for attracting women and dogs too, I just haven’t tested it yet.
We’ve entered the time of year when Ben leaves me for the other woman in his life—the University of Wisconsin Law Library. His finals begin Thursday with gusto, and by “gusto” I mean an eight-hour in-class exam. The professor hands the students a single, multi-page problem, the clock starts, and the students write furiously for eight hours. Bathroom and snack breaks are optional. The last time Ben had an eight-hour exam (this will be his third), he didn’t even touch his lunch.
Seeing as I can barely focus for eight consecutive minutes (I’ve checked Instagram three times since starting this post), the component of my husband’s brain that allows him to zero in and type for eight consecutive hours astounds me. Part of his laser-beam ability stems from the sheer pressure and importance of law school GPA (I talk a little bit about that here.) The remainder I believe to be fueled by Slow Cooker Honey Pulled Pork.
While Ben and I make a point to share dinner together most evenings, during the final few weeks before exams, Ben often eats his dinner in the library. I try to be supportive. After all, I enjoy a good excuse to meet girlfriends for margaritas and evenings to myself with wine and some version of this outrageous chipotle grilled cheese. After a certain point, however, I need to one-up the library. The force of Ben’s study willpower is strong, but the temptation of Slow Cooker Honey Pulled Pork is stronger.
While driving Ben to school last weekend, I casually asked if he was planning to stay late. As he opened his mouth to say yes, I blurted out, “because if not, I thought I’d make pulled pork for dinner.” Immediately, he replied that I could pick him up at seven.
Exploiting my husband’s weakness for pulled pork is not among my more selfless wifely actions, but we loved this Slow Cooker Honey Pulled Pork so much, I’ve decided the benefit to Ben’s spirit more than offset his time away from the books. Judging by the sheer quantity of Slow Cooker Honey Pulled Pork Ben consumed, I’m confident that he agrees.
Slow Cooker Honey Pulled Pork is sweet, smoky, and couldn’t be simpler to prepare. The cooking liquid is a quick mix of honey, smoked paprika and cayenne for heat, and apple cider vinegar for bite and balance. Pour the liquid over the pork, set the slow cooker, and go about your day while the smoky honey pork magic happens.
Traditionally, high-fat pork shoulder is used in slow cooker pulled pork recipes, but I opted for the leaner pork loin and was completely pleased with how moist and fall-apart tender the final dish came out to be. Pork loin does have a higher fat content than pork tenderloin (the leanest cut), but the trade off for juiciness is worth it, and it costs a few bucks less a pound. Win!
After the pork finishes cooking, I reduced the honey cooking liquid into a sticky, smoky, sweet glaze that is totally appropriate to lick off of your fingers. It adds about eight minutes to the total prep time, but is absolutely worth it for the extra moisture and flavor it provides.
The smoky honey glaze in this recipe cries out for one of my other all-time favorite foods: cornbread. For a fun twist, I served the Slow Cooker Pulled Pork over cornmeal pancakes. Perfection. The cornmeal pancakes drink up the extra honey glaze, complement the pork’s smokiness, and are a total free pass at breakfast for dinner. Chicken and waffles, watch out—Slow Cooker Honey Pulled Pork with Cornmeal Pancakes is here to do some tasty business.
While you can certainly use your favorite cornmeal pancake recipe, I absolutely love Bob’s Red Mill’s Cornmeal Pancake Mix (no, this is not a sponsored post—I just think it is a great product.) The pancakes are 100% whole grain, take all of five minutes to prepare, and any leftovers are fabulous reheated in the toaster the next morning. While I love from-scratch pancakes, I can’t lie—these cornmeal cakes are (and taste exactly like) the real deal.
Whether you are looking for an easy dinner recipe, a finger-lickin’ crowd-pleaser, or a no-fail love potion, Slow Cooker Honey Pulled Pork with Cornmeal Pancakes has you covered.
Just promise me that no matter how bad Ben’s finals become, you won’t let me wear pulled pork perfume. My dignity (and everyone who comes within a 12-foot radius of my person) thank you in advance.
Slow Cooker Honey Pulled Pork Over Cornmeal Pancakes
An easy recipe for healthier slow cooker pulled pork with a smoky honey glaze. Serve over cornmeal pancakes for a delicious and unique twist.
Yield: Serves 6
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours, 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add less for less heat)
- 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced with white and green parts divided
- 1 (2 1/2 to 3 pound) pork loin, trimmed of excess fat
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- Bob’s Red Mill Cornmeal Pancake Mix (or your favorite cornmeal pancake recipe)
Directions:
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon salt, garlic, cayenne, and white part of the scallions (reserve the green parts for serving).
- Spray insert of a 5-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray. Place pork loin in the insert, then pour the honey mixture over the top. Cover and slow cook for 6 hours on low or 4 hours on high, until the pork registers 165 degrees F on a thermometer and is no longer pink in the center. With tongs, gently remove the pork from the slow cooker and transfer it to a large plate, reserving the pork juices in the slow cooker. With two forks, shred the pork. Set aside.
- Transfer the pork juices remaining in the slow cooker to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water, then add to the cooking liquid. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce bubbles and thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Return shredded pork to the slow cooker and pour the thickened sauce over the top. Toss gently to combine, then turn the slow cooker to low to keep the pork warm.
- Place rack in the center of oven and preheat oven to 200 degrees F. When ready to serve, prepare the cornmeal pancakes. As you cook the pancake batches, transfer them to a baking tray placed in the oven to keep them warm if needed.
- To serve: Top cornmeal pancakes with pulled pork. Garnish with reserved green onion tops and serve warm.
Did you try this recipe? I want to see! Follow Well Plated on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag it #wellplated. I love to know what you are making!
Slow cooker to the rescue!
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- How to Slow Cook Black Beans from Cafe Johnsonia
I am an ambassador for Bob’s Red Mill but was not obligated to write or compensated for this post. As always, all opinions are my own.
A very important P.S. THANK YOU ALL so, so much for your wonderful birthday wishes. I want to give each of you a hug and mail you a giant slice of cake. Your warm words made my birthday so very happy. I am truly blessed!
About Erin Clarke
I’m fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food taste incredible. Wearer of plaid, travel enthusiast, and firmly convinced that sweets and veggies both deserve a place at the table. MORE ABOUT ERIN…
Cornmeal pancakes with pulled pork is seriously one of my fav combos..totally have a recipe for that too! I love your honey version girlfriend. This is one that will definitely lure the hubs in….well, even more! Pinned!
Adam is a pork lover too and would go crazy over this! I bet I could get him to come home early for this too…..Best of luck for Ben these last couple weeks! I barely survived my exams, but I cannot even imagine an 8 hour one!
Wow, those exams sound super intense!!! Good luck to Ben! And this sounds seriously amazing. I had no idea that pork loin would work for pulled pork in the slow cooker… going to definitely try that. And putting it on corn pancakes is pure genius. Love it. Pinning it. Making it!
Awwww thanks Chris! And yes, pork loin in the slow cooker is totally a thang. I just used the word “thang.” Can we still be friends?
Good luck to BEN! And this is going down sometime this week!
I will ditch the library for this pulled pork too. You are such a good wife!! I love the cornmeal pancake as a side.
Pulled pork library ditchers unite! After all, the books will be there. Pulled pork disappears from the slow cooker FAST. Best be there while it’s around!
Sounds so good! How hot is it? Three of us like really spicy, but one likes just a little spice (heat). Slow cooking is great for the summer, too. No oven to heat up the house and perfect when you have people over for a casual meal.
Hi Diane, spice is such a personal sensitivity, so it’s hard for me to be really specific, but I’d describe the way the recipe as it is written as a gentle medium. You could maybe reduce the cayenne to 1/4 teaspoon in the slow cooker, then add extra cayenne to taste in the sauce afterwards when you reduce it on the stove. You can taste as you go to make the sauce just how your family would like it.
Ohhhh man, I loved this recipe the moment I saw “slow cooker” in the title! Looks delicious, Erin! Totally pinned! P.S. Good luck to Ben on his finals!
Ooh … this is most definitely one to pin. I’ve never tried making pulled pork (!!), but it’s on the food bucket list. I wouldn’t have access to the pancake mix over here in Europe, but I think stuffing the pork in a big freshly baked roll would be just as delicious. Thanks for this – love it!
Stuffing the pork in a fresh roll would be AMAZING Helen. If you have a slow cooker, pulled pork is one of the easiest, tastiest dishes you can try. Totally worth going for!
The siren song of pulled pork – that’s a tough one to beat. I’d be calling it quits at the library a bit earlier too if I knew this was waiting at home! Best of luck to him! And that cornmeal pancake is just genius as a side. It looks so fluffy! I’m going to have to check out that Bob’s mix.
Siren song <---- laughed out loud when I read this. SO TRUE! Thanks for the kind wishes. I'll pass your luck along!
Thank you, Erin, for the nice recipe. Have a Great Week and the best of luck to hubby.
I will pass along your good luck wishes Liz. Thanks!!! His working heard but won’t turn down any bit of luck he can find.
What a great recipe Erin, I can easily see this being one of my husband’s new favorite dishes. Thanks!
I need to use my slow cooker oftener! This looks amazing and the pancakes are super too.
Oh man, ANYTHING bbq and you will have my fiance running to the kitchen! I am so adding this to our dinner menu asap. And not to mention any reason to use my slow cooker and forget my oven! Pinned!!
Good luck to Ben in his exam! I am always looking for new slow cooker recipes to try. I’m a sucker for pulled pork sandwiches, but I have to try your cornmeal pancakes!
Thanks so much Sally! Pulled pork has a special place in my heart too. Gets me every time!
Pulled pork is definitely a man manipulating meal. My husband would cancel all plans if I say pulled pork is for dinner! I hope Ben does well on his finals and that you survive them as well. I love the idea of cornmeal pancakes with this awesome pulled pork instead of the usual sandwich. Can’t wait to entice my husband with this for dinner!
Hi Erin, this looks awesome! I will make it for my step-son, Richard when he returns to Minneapolis after graduating with Ben. Richard is a true BBQ connoisseur and I’m sure he’ll love it! Thank you so much! Best of luck to Ben… it is almost over!!!
COUNTING DOWN Laurie. I’m sure Richard is so ready to be done too!
This looks finger lickin’ good. So saucy.I can why your husband didn’t think twice about skipping the late night study session at the library. Smart man.
8 hr exams? Ewww! Pulled pork? Yum!! Love the twist with the pancakes :). I love breakfast for dinner!
Isn’t brinner the best Denise? And I know! 8 hours is just plain crazy/gross.
Holy Moly! An 8 hour test! I’m getting bored just thinking about what that would be like. I went to college in North Carolina and a few times a year they had huge pig roasts and pulled pork picnics. They were so amazing! I’ve only made pulled pork once, but after seeing this I think I’ll have to make it again soon :)
There’s no way I’m focusing on anything for 8 hours; except, maybe, the consumption of cupcakes. This recipe looks amazing. If I lived close buy, I would be knocking at your door.
lol. I share your type of focus. 8 hours of cupcakes sounds like a GREAT day to me!
This is officially pinned! I don’t know what it is about pulled pork, but it’s something I just love (as well as the hubby), so I love this new sweetened version of it. I’m glad it brought the studying boy home for ya…8 hour tests?! That’s insane! I’m with you, I’d be all about the snacks and food while taking that one.
Wow. I can barely sit still for a two hour long movie. But writing an exam for 8 hours? I couldn’t even imagine.
This looks so good though. I have yet to make a slow cooker recipe, but I definitely need to take it out sometime soon!
Argh, though I never sat an 8 hour exam I do distinctly remember a few four hour exams during my time in law school (before dropping out like a wimp… I admire Ben’s staying power!). Horrible stuff. Definitely understand the ability to sway men, kings and counties with a bowl of this delicious honey pulled pork. Though my recipe is a little different, it’s one of my husband’s favourites too. Wishing Ben heaps of good luck and you heaps of hugs until you get your man back from the grasp of the law library! xx
What a perfect slow cooker recipe! Love the idea of serving pulled pork over cornmeal pancakes! So creative!
I love that you topped the cornmeal pancakes with the pork!! What a great idea for dinner – it’s kinda like breakfast and dinner all in one!
Pulled pork is a staple in this house! I usually do cornmeal waffles, but these pancakes sound great. I am going to have to give your version a try!
I love the sound of this honey pulled pork but I am totally digging that you served them with the cornmeal pancakes! I need to try that next time! And did I really just use the word digging??? Ignore that please : )
I like to think I don’t have many weaknesses, but one of them … is pulled pork. I just love the stuff. But cornmeal pancakes? Now we’re really talking!
You are such an awesome wife – with eats like this, Ben will most definitely ace those exams!
Great sounding dish, Erin – I am so intrigued by these cornmeal pancakes – I need to look for this mix!
I literally just bought apple cider vinegar for the first time!! We made slow cooker collards and ham and I had to have it. Love that I have another idea for it!! <3
Teehee… I’m glad you said it would prob work to lure woman and animals too. The title alone had me plotting ways to get an invitation to yours for dinner. Really need to figure out that Beam me up Scotty thing!
Extra brownie points to you making sure hubby is fed and watered. What a treat. Great recipe, can’t wait to try.
This honey pulled pork sounds amazing! I love that you topped them on cornmeal pancakes – such a great idea! Haha, love that this lured Ben out of the library early too – sending him lots of luck on his finals :)
This was fantastic! I made it for dinner tonight and my 2 year old son (who eats NOTHING) had seconds!!! I made regular cornbread and piled the pork on top and it was delish! My husband said “Can this be a weekly staple!?”
Amanda, I can say enough how happy comments like these make me! I’m thrilled to pieces that your family loved this meal, and honored that you gave the recipe a try! Thanks for letting me know and have a wonderful evening. Enjoy the leftovers, if you have any :-)
Despite my best intentions, the first meal my fiancé and I shared in the house he just bought was from Panda Express. But this was the second meal, and it MORE than made up for it. Thanks so much for the idea!
Jessica!!! I’m so excited you guys liked this and totally honored that it was the first home cooked meal to come out of your new kitchen. Thanks so much for letting me know (and enjoy any leftovers
Really looks great but i’m a bit short on veggies, don’t you think? Can you suggest me a salad or other alternative which goes well with the meal? Thanks :)
Shirley, this definitely is a dish that can handle a side of green veggies. I think I originally served it with roasted brussels sprouts, but any of your favorites would be great. Maybe green beans for summer?
Green beans! That’s it! :) Thank you!
I found your blog by accident and I must say I can read it all day long, unfortunately not while I’m at work….
Also, try Bulgarian Traditional Cuisine – it’s one of the best!
Have you tried this recipe with other proteins? I’m not a huge fan of pork, but I’m wondering how the flavors would work with chicken? Any thoughts? My husband loves pork though, so I might just have to make this for him anyway ;)
Hi Courtney! I haven’t, but I think that chicken thighs would be a great substitution. You will likely have to adjust the cooking time, but the flavor should be tasty!
I made this for dinner last night. Everyone seemed to like it for the most part but we all agreed the amount of added salt is a bit much. Next time I’ll add less. It was my first time doing pork loin and I should have monitor it’s progress closer as it cooked a bit long and was tougher than I hoped. But I will definitely try again. Instead of pancakes, I made regular cornbread to top with the pulled pork.
Hi Amy! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and for the feedback. I’m glad you liked it enough to give it another shot, and serving it with corn bread sounds fabulous!
This looks incredible! I put it on my meal plan for this week and it’s the dinner I’m looking forward to most! :)
YAY! I hope you love it Gina.
We are North Carolina barbecue lovers, but this recipie had us from the word “go.” Funny that you originally served it with roasted veggie; we served it on a bed of roasted cauliflower and broccoli, and loved it. Thanks for making our cold winter Sunday so special.
I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was perfect for your Sunday meal, Jeff! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback. :)