Quick & Easy Grilled BBQ Pork Sandwiches with Zesty Homemade Slaw
Prepare to delight your taste buds with these incredibly easy, quick, and undeniably delicious BBQ Pork Sandwiches – a recipe your entire family will absolutely adore! This succulent BBQ pork starts with tender pork tenderloin, grilled to perfection in mere minutes. Each slice is then generously smothered with a vibrant homemade barbecue sauce, creating a burst of tangy-sweet flavor, and crowned with a crisp, refreshing slaw for that essential crunch. Get ready for an effortless dinner that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen!
The weather can be quite unpredictable, can’t it? Just a few days ago, we were experiencing sweltering heat that seemed to intensify the moment school started. My mind, however, was already deep into the glorious fall season. I had visions of cozy autumn decorations and plans for simmering hearty soups and stews. But alas, the temperatures stubbornly soared into the 90s, making anything hot and comforting utterly unappealing. Soup and sweltering summer-like weather are simply not a harmonious pairing!
So, I pivoted my meal planning, deciding instead on a delightful grilled pork dish, complete with a fresh slaw and corn on the cob. And wouldn’t you know it? As soon as I set my culinary course for summer, the weather decided to take a turn, becoming cloudy and surprisingly chilly! I found myself bundled in a sweater while firing up the barbecue. It made me wonder if I should just continue planning summer dinners in hopes of coaxing more fall-like temperatures. Regardless of the meteorological whims, these BBQ Pork Sandwiches proved to be an absolute hit – not to mention incredibly delicious and wonderfully simple to prepare.
The beauty of this recipe lies in its efficiency and the incredible flavor achieved with minimal effort. We utilize pork tenderloin, a lean and tender cut that cooks remarkably fast, making it ideal for a quick weeknight meal. The preparation couldn’t be simpler: you start by slicing the pork tenderloin lengthwise to create two thinner, more even pieces, ensuring rapid and consistent cooking on the grill. Next, you whip up a quick and flavorful homemade barbecue sauce that brings all the classic BBQ notes you crave. A generous portion of this sauce is used to coat the pork, infusing it with flavor even before it hits the heat, while a small amount is reserved for serving. The pork is then grilled for just five minutes per side, or until perfectly cooked through, and allowed to rest, ensuring maximum juiciness.
While the pork rests, you can quickly assemble the crunchy slaw, which adds a refreshing counterpoint to the rich pork and tangy sauce. Then it’s just a matter of thinly slicing the tender pork, piling it high on toasted buns, spooning on that reserved homemade BBQ sauce, and topping it with the crisp slaw. Voila! Dinner is served. It’s truly SO easy, yet the result is so impressive, your guests will think you’ve toiled away for hours creating this masterpiece.
My husband and boys devoured these sandwiches with gusto, a clear sign of success in our household! Whether your local weather has finally embraced autumn’s chill or is still clinging to summer’s warmth, this versatile dinner is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. The combination of perfectly grilled pork, savory homemade sauce, and crisp slaw is simply irresistible, making it a go-to recipe for any occasion.
Quick BBQ Pork Sandwiches with Homemade Sauce & Slaw
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Main
4
Jenn
Ingredients
-
1/2
cup
ketchup -
3
Tbsp.
apple cider vinegar -
1
Tbsp.
lower sodium soy sauce -
3/4
tsp.
black pepper -
1/2
tsp.
onion powder -
2
tsp.
Dijon mustard -
1/4
tsp.
garlic powder -
1/8
tsp.
ground ginger -
1
1-pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and halved lengthwise -
1/2
head cabbage
shredded (about 1-1/2 cups) -
1/2
cup
shredded carrots -
3
thinly sliced green onions -
2
tsp.
sugar -
1/2
tsp.
salt -
4
hamburger buns
Instructions
-
Preheat your grill to high heat. In a medium bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients (ketchup, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, black pepper, onion powder, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, and ground ginger), stirring thoroughly with a whisk until smooth. This is your homemade BBQ sauce! Reserve 1/4 cup of this delicious ketchup mixture and set it aside to use later for drizzling over the finished sandwiches. Add the halved pork tenderloin pieces to the remaining ketchup mixture in the bowl, ensuring they are completely coated in the flavorful sauce.
-
Carefully oil the grill rack to prevent sticking. Place the sauced pork tenderloin halves directly on the hot grill. Close the lid and grill for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, turn the pork over and continue to grill for another 6 minutes, or until the thickest part of the pork registers an internal temperature of 150ºF (65°C) on a meat thermometer. Once cooked, remove the pork from the grill and let it rest on a cutting board for at least 5 minutes. Resting allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring incredibly tender and moist pork. After resting, cut the pork across the grain into thin, bite-sized slices.
-
While the pork is resting, prepare your buns. Spray the grill rack lightly with cooking spray and place the hamburger buns, cut sides down, in a single layer. Grill the buns for approximately two minutes, or until they are perfectly toasted and golden brown. This adds a lovely texture and prevents the buns from getting soggy.
-
As the pork cooks, prepare your crunchy slaw. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, thinly sliced green onions, sugar, and salt. Toss all the ingredients together thoroughly to combine, then let the slaw sit for 10 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and the cabbage to soften slightly, creating a perfect texture.
-
Now, it’s time to assemble your mouthwatering BBQ pork sandwiches! Place one toasted bottom bun half on each of 4 plates. Evenly divide the thinly sliced pork onto the bottom buns. Drizzle each portion of pork with about 1 tablespoon of the reserved homemade BBQ sauce. Generously top with approximately 1/2 cup of the prepared crunchy slaw. Finally, place the top halves of the buns on your sandwiches. Serve immediately and prepare to devour these incredibly flavorful creations. Enjoy every bite!
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