Tex-Mex Pulled Pork: An Easy Slow Cooker Recipe
Lynne strikes again.
If you have been following along on this blog for a while, you already know Lynne — she is the friend from Louisiana who has been responsible for more than one recipe in our kitchen. She inspired our Cajun Sausage and Rice and she has been a source of wonderful recipes since forever. This Tex-Mex Pulled Pork is another one of hers, passed along while we were stationed in Texas.
I am always on the lookout for a great crockpot recipe that gives my family a warm, satisfying, flavorful meal without requiring me to be in the kitchen all day. This one delivers on every count. The BBQ sauce, tomato sauce, green chilies, and spice blend come together into something deeply savory and a little smoky — with a cinnamon note in the background that you cannot quite identify but would definitely miss if it were gone. The pork loin does its thing over low, gentle heat all day, and by dinnertime it is fork-tender and ready to be pulled and folded into the rich, saucy base it has been cooking in.
Spoon it over buns with a pile of our Homemade Coleslaw on top — truly, do not skip the coleslaw — and it is one of the most satisfying weeknight dinners we make.
What Makes This Different from Traditional Pulled Pork
If you have made our Simple Smoked Pulled Pork, you know what low-and-slow magic a smoker can do for a pork butt over the course of eight or ten hours. That recipe is the weekend showstopper — the one that requires planning, patience, and wood smoke to produce something genuinely extraordinary.
This Tex-Mex Pulled Pork is the weeknight answer to that same craving. Where the smoked version is all about the pure, unadulterated flavor of the pork and the smoke, this version brings an entirely different flavor profile: the bright heat of green chilies, the depth of chili powder and cumin, the warmth of cinnamon, and the richness of BBQ sauce all working together into a saucy, boldly seasoned pulled pork that is unmistakably Tex-Mex in character.
Both are wonderful — they are just different animals. This one is what you make on a Tuesday when the slow cooker does the work while you live your life.
Ingredients
Serves 6–8
- 2½ lb. boneless pork loin
- 8 oz. can tomato sauce
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cans (4.5 oz each) diced green chilies
- ¼ cup chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (dried works in a pinch, but fresh is worth it here)
How to Make Tex-Mex Pulled Pork
Step 1: In the bottom of your slow cooker, combine the tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, sliced onion, diced green chilies, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cinnamon. Stir together until everything is well mixed into a cohesive sauce.
Step 2: Lay the boneless pork loin on top of the sauce. Spoon the sauce up and over the top of the pork to coat it.
Step 3: Cook on high for 3½ hours or low for 8 hours. The low-and-slow method gives you slightly more tender, pull-apart results — if your schedule allows, go low.
Step 4: Remove the pork loin and shred with two forks. It should pull apart very easily by the time it is done.
Step 5: Stir the chopped cilantro into the sauce left in the slow cooker. Return the shredded pork to the pot and mix until fully coated in the sauce.
Step 6: Serve over toasted buns, alongside your chosen sides, and top with a generous spoonful of Homemade Coleslaw. That coleslaw on top is not optional — the creamy, cool crunch against the saucy, spiced pork is the combination that makes this sandwich.
Tips and Variations
Pork loin vs. pork butt. Boneless pork loin is leaner and cooks faster, which makes it ideal for this recipe’s timing. If you substitute a pork butt or shoulder, add an additional 1–2 hours on low and expect an even richer, more tender result. The extra fat in the shoulder makes for an incredibly juicy pulled pork, though the loin version is perfectly satisfying and a little lighter.
Do not skip the cinnamon. At first glance it seems like an unusual addition to a savory BBQ recipe, but cinnamon is a classic component of many Tex-Mex and Mexican spice blends — it adds warmth and a subtle sweetness that rounds out the heat of the chili powder and green chilies beautifully. You will not taste it as “cinnamon,” but you will taste its absence.
Fresh cilantro makes a difference. The cilantro is stirred in at the end so it stays fresh and bright rather than wilting away in the slow cooker all day. That fresh, green, citrusy note against the deep, long-simmered sauce is part of what makes this taste finished and restaurant-quality rather than just “slow cooker dinner.” Dried cilantro will work, but fresh is genuinely worth it.
Make it a taco night. This pork is just as wonderful in warm corn or flour tortillas as it is on a bun. Set out a spread of toppings — shredded cheese, sour cream, fresh lime, sliced jalapeños, and our Homemade Coleslaw — and let everyone build their own tacos.
Freeze the leftovers. This pulled pork freezes beautifully with the sauce. Portion into zip-top freezer bags, freeze flat, and pull out for a quick weeknight dinner whenever you need it. Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water if needed.
What to Serve with Tex-Mex Pulled Pork
Homemade Coleslaw — On the sandwich, not just on the side. The creamy, tangy coleslaw is the finishing touch that takes this from a good pulled pork sandwich to a great one. Do not skip it.
Mexican Rice — Our authentic restaurant-style Mexican rice with Sazón, bouillon, and toasted jasmine rice. This is the side dish that makes the Tex-Mex character of this pork complete.
Mexican Street Corn — Tajin-dusted elote with cotija and mayo. Tex-Mex pulled pork, Mexican rice, and street corn on the same table is a full Cinco de Mayo dinner that requires almost no effort.
Spicy Fried Chicken Pasta Salad — Our Cajun and Creole-inspired cold pasta salad. A great option for a larger gathering where you want something cold and make-ahead alongside the hot pulled pork.
Southern BBQ Beans — Smoky, sweet, and deeply savory. The BBQ beans and the BBQ sauce in this pulled pork are natural companions on a cookout spread.
Sweet Wisconsin Pasta Salad — Another cold, make-ahead side that travels well and feeds a crowd. Wonderful alongside pulled pork sandwiches at a backyard gathering.
If You Enjoyed This Recipe, You Should Try…
Simple Smoked Pulled Pork — When the weekend arrives and the smoker is calling, this is the pulled pork recipe that requires all day and rewards every hour of it. The Tex-Mex version is the weekday answer; this one is the weekend showstopper.
Instant Pot Pork Carnitas — Another incredible slow-cooked pork recipe, this time with citrus and jalapeño for a Mexican carnitas profile. Crisp it in a hot pan before serving and watch it disappear.
Venison Carnitas — Our slow cooker venison carnitas that the kids call “steak tacos.” For the hunters in the family, this is the recipe that makes the most of those venison roasts in the deep freeze.
Baked Ziti — For the nights when you want a slow cooker dinner but in a different direction entirely. Our creamy, freezer-friendly baked ziti is another set-it-and-forget-it comfort meal that always delivers.
Tex-Mex Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 8 oz. Tomato Sauce
- 1 cup BBQ Sauce
- 1 medium Onion, sliced thinly
- 2 cans Diced Green Chilies, 4.5oz cans
- ¼ cup Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- ¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 2½ lb. Pork Loin, boneless
- ½ cup Cilantro, chopped (fresh is preferred but dried can be used)
Instructions
- In the bottom of your slow cooker, combine the tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, sliced onion, diced green chilies, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cinnamon. Stir together until everything is well mixed into a cohesive sauce.
- Lay the boneless pork loin on top of the sauce. Spoon the sauce up and over the to pof the pork to coat it.
- Cook on high for 3½ hours or low for 8 hours. The low-and-slow method gives you slightly more tender, pull-apart results — if your schedule allows, go low.
- Remove the pork loin and shred with two forks. It should pull apart very easily by the time it is done.
- Stir the chopped cilantro into the sauce left in the slow cooker. Return the shredded pork to the pot and mix until fully coated in the sauce.
- Serve over toasted buns, alongside your chosen sides, and top with a generous spoonful of Homemade Coleslaw. That coleslaw on top is not optional — the creamy, cool crunch against the saucy, spiced pork is the combination that makes this sandwich.
Thank you, Lynne — for Texas, for pulled pork, and for always having the right recipe at the right time. — Jenna
