Barbecue pulled pork with a spicy tangy barbecue sauce. Who’s in?

Try this macro friendly bowl of BBQ heaven, complete with a crunchy, creamy southern style coleslaw.

Did someone say Barbecue?

Our latest beast bowl features rich meaty barbecue pulled pork that’s super easy to prepare in the slow cooker. It’s smothered with a delicious, spicy, tangy barbecue sauce – that you should always have on hand. And, it is then topped with a healthy helping of crunchy, creamy, southern style coleslaw. Damn, that’s a delicious bowl of yumminess if I ever saw one!

This beast bowl is proof that you can have all the flavors you love and still eat a healthy diet. The problem when you stop in for a BBQ meal at a restaurant is that there are usually a ton of sides. Most aren’t quite as friendly as you want them to be if you are trying to stay lean. This beast bowl lets you eat the BBQ and still feel good about it.

It’s all about making smart choices each day.

The beast bowl concept allows you to get the flavors that you crave; while also getting the veggies that you need. I promise that you will not feel cheated with this bowl of pulled pork deliciousness.

I love barbecue. My brother happens to be an amateur pit master. His pulled pork is insane! He is truly dedicated. He will set his alarm every few hours to get up and feed his smoker so that a pork shoulder will smoke through the night. It comes out perfectly cooked, falling apart – and with that true bark that you only get with real smoked meats. I’m salivating just thinking about it!

I have actually never tackled smoking meats myself.

It’s definitely on my to-do-very-soon list. Just because I’ve never done it, doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate a delicious piece of pulled pork.

To make this beast bowl approachable I decided to make the pulled pork in a crock pot. It is so easy! You seriously can’t mess it up. Simply rub the pork shoulder with the BBQ spice mix and then put it in the crock pot. No water – nothing. Just set it on ‘cook’ and go. If you are leaving it all day then set it on low. If you will be around, then crank it up to high for a few hours. Cooking times will vary. You’ll know it is done when it’s falling apart.

Let’s talk about Barbecue Sauce.

Spicy, tangy barbecue sauce is an absolute must. This recipe is a keeper! It’s adapted from a recipe that my mom had from a family friend. The original recipe is called Weber’s Tangy Barbecue Sauce. I added some jalapeño to make sure it had a little kick. I like a little spice in my life. The sauce is a little bit chunky, if you prefer a smoother sauce hit it with an immersion blender.

Coleslaw is practically a religion in The South.

Not everyone subscribes to the same coleslaw religion. Some like it sweet. Others insist it should be creamy. Then some believers testify that it should be both. Our version checks both boxes. It is a little bit creamy and a little bit sweet. I include my secret ingredient (which I also use in my potato salad recipe), celery seed and celery salt.

BBQ Beast Bowl

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours 40 minutes

Total Time: 4 hours 55 minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 376kcal

Author: Laura

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Ingredients

Protein

• 4 lb pork shoulder
• 4 tbsp BBQ spice mix

Spicy Tangy Barbecue Sauce

• 2 tbsp butter
• ¼ cup sweet onion diced
• ¼ cup carrot finely diced
• ½ cup celery finely diced
• 1 jalapeño finely diced
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1 tbsp Worchestshire sauce
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 cup catsup
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• salt to taste

Southern Slaw

• 1 cup carrots shredded
• 4 cups cabbage finely shredded

Slaw Dressing

• 2 tbsp onion grated
• ½ cup avocado mayo
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp celery seed
• ½ tsp celery salt

Fixin's

• romaine
• spinach
• green onions
• roasted sweet potatoes roast with BBQ seasoning

Instructions

Pulled Pork

• Rub the pork shoulder with BBQ spice rub.  (Check out ours in the store - Get it for FREE by signing up with your email.)
• Put in the slow cooker. 

  Leave on High if you will be home. Cook until the meat is tender and falling apart. 

  Leave on Low if you will be out all day. 
• Remove from slow cooker, let rest for about 20 minutes and then shredded with 2 forks. 

Spicy Tangy Barbecue Sauce

• Add butter, onion, carrots, celery and jalapeño to a medium sauce pan. 
• Sauté on medium high until vegetables are tender and fragrant. 
• Add sugar and let it dissolve and get slightly bubbly. 
• Add the remainder of the ingredients and bring to a boil. 
• For a smoother barbecue sauce, use an immersion blender to blend it after it has cooled. 
  

Southern Style Coleslaw

• Shred carrots and cabbage and place in a large bowl. 
• In a medium bowl mix up ingredients for the dressing. 
• Use ½ cup of dressing. (You will have dressing left over.)
• Toss and let set in the refrigerator for an hour before serving. 

Beast Bowl Assembly

• Chose your fixin's. Add to a large bowl.
• Top with meat, barbecue sauce, and coleslaw. 
• Enjoy. 

Course Dinner, Easy, Lunch, Main

Cuisine American, Beast Bowl

Notes

Substitutions: You can just as easily use chicken instead of pork. If you have some BBQ expertise, try some brisket. 

If you like it spicy – add a few extra jalapeños to the BBQ sauce. 

Vegan Adaptable:

Use seitan instead of meat.

Use coconut oil in the barbecue sauce instead of butter.

Use vegan mayo in the coleslaw.

Nutrition

Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 950mg | Potassium: 719mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 71.5% | Vitamin C: 24.1% | Calcium: 5.4% | Iron: 12.2%

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