This sauce turns slow cooked pork tenderloin into a meal you'll want to eat once a week

I love classic pulled pork barbecue, but its flavor isn’t subtle. Ingredients like vinegar, hot sauce and mustard tend to overpower. The recipe below has less-intense seasoning, which allows the meat to shine. Balsamic vinegar is aged until it’s sweet and mild, so it has a delicious tang without the harsh bite usually associated with vinegar. In this dish, balsamic vinegar also lends a deep color and complex flavor to the pork.

Black pepper, garlic and soy sauce accentuate different notes in the meat, while a touch of honey further mellows and sweetens. I love making this pork into sandwiches with soft potato rolls and coleslaw. It’s also delicious accompanied with summery sides like potato salad and corn on the cob.

3 pounds (1.4 kg) pork tenderloin
½ cup (120 ml) balsamic vinegar
1 cup (240 ml) water
¼ cup (60 ml) honey
2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce
3 tablespoons (38 g) brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper
1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch
2 tablespoons (30 ml) water

1. Spray the inside of a 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Set pork in the bottom.

2. In a small mixing bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, water, honey, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and black pepper. Pour over meat.

3. Cook on high for 2 hours.

4. Remove meat to a cutting board and rest for 10 minutes.

5. Whisk cornstarch into water to make a slurry.

6. Pour liquid from the slow cooker into a medium saucepan. Skim off excess fat from the surface. Bring to a boil over medium heat and add cornstarch slurry.

7. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly thickened.

8. Shred pork with two forks. Pour sauce over the top, toss and a serve.

Pro tip: To give this pork crispy edges, broil it before adding the sauce. Spread the shredded meat in a thin even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and broil for 3 to 5 minutes until the edges crisp and sizzle. Remove promptly and top with sauce as directed above.