We love pulled pork (and I love how easy it is to make). This Hawaiian pulled pork recipe is a delicious twist on the classic. The kids beg for it and we actually prefer this version to one with regular barbecue sauce.
Hawaiian Pulled Pork (in the Instant Pot!)
What is Hawaiian pulled pork you ask? Think sweet and sour meets barbecue! Fresh pineapple and pineapple juice add a touch of natural sweetness, while apple cider vinegar, ground mustard, and a little ketchup give it that BBQ tang.
I love my Instant Pot for cooking up tender cuts of meat in no time, but a slow cooker works just as well! (Just takes a lot longer.)
Sweet and Sour Hawaiian Pulled Pork Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion
- 1½ lbs pork shoulder
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup fresh pineapple juice
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ tsp cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
Instructions
- Roughly chop the onions and place them in the bottom of a slow cooker or Instant Pot.
- Put the pork shoulder on top of the onions.
- Pour the water and fresh pineapple juice over the pork.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, mustard, ketchup, cumin, paprika, salt, and apple cider vinegar.
- Pour the spice mixture over the pork.
- Cook in a slow cooker on low for 7 hours or on high for 5 hours. Cook in an Instant Pot on high pressure for 45 minutes and allow pressure to release naturally.
- With one hour of slow cooking time left or after pressure releases in Instant Pot, remove pork to a cutting board and use two forks to shred.
- Return the pork and add the diced pineapple to the slow cooker to finish cooking or to the Instant Pot to heat through.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Mix in some barbecue sauce for barbecue pulled pork
- Serve in tortillas or lettuce wraps alongside mango avocado salsa and southwest coleslaw
- Serve over salad greens with the above sides to make a pulled pork salad
Nutrition
Here are some ideas for serving.
- Wrapped in gluten-free tortillas or lettuce wraps with southwest coleslaw (mix sour cream, a little vinegar, and taco seasoning together. A little shredded red cabbage and this mango avocado salsa would be amazing with it!
- Layered over greens with the above sides to make a Hawaiian pulled pork salad!
How do you like your pulled pork? Have any other twists on the classic to share?