So I mentioned last week that my family recently came home from Hawaii. Yes…my family. Before we went, pretty much the first question everyone asked was, “Are you bringing your kids?!” And when I told them that we were, their reactions ranged from horror to befuddlement to speechlessness to asking us why or telling us they were sorry.
It’s okay. We probably were crazy, and true, it wasn’t a the Hawaiian fantasy of lying on the beach sipping tropical drinks. We went to Target a lot…
(turns out the groceries there were a lot cheaper than the tourist trap we got sucked into our first night there) and had an amazing time at the beach.
Will ate his fair share of sand (yes, the sand is black, one of the many magical things about the Big Island).
On the west side of the island, we took an obscene number of these:
And then there was the time in Volcano National Park when we thought we were going for a little stroll (literally…with a stroller) and realized we were hiking down into the crater of a dormant volcano. Stupid stupid stupid.
Good thing it was awesome. Good thing my husband and I were still speaking when he hauled the stroller a couple of miles back up the inside of the crater and I hauled our 23 pound baby back up.
It’s kind of impossible to convey how enormous that thing was–even if I told you those little dots in there were people (which they are), it’s hard to get an idea of how tiny we felt inside. My kids, who live in a bayou and have never hiked before, were total naturals and rocked it (I love my kids a lot, but for me to call them naturals at physical activity is a big deal…their talents are more, um, cerebral in nature) and never complained once, which is way more than I can say about myself and my childhood hiking experiences.
On the east side of the island, we chatted with a lot of hippies, saw a lot of these…
and these…
and ate some of the most delicious food I’ve ever eaten in my whole life.
Kalua pork, like shave ice, is just kind of something that happens in Hawaii wherever you go, but it can vary drastically in quality, which can range from cafeteria-style mystery meat to shreds of smoky, tender-crispy deliciousness. Kalua pork is traditionally the meat from a whole pig that’s been roasted in the ground, but since most of us don’t have access to whole pigs or pig-sized roasting pits, we resort to other methods of cooking.
I’ve been making this recipe since I was a newlywed, but I hadn’t made it in years when Sara called me in a state of wonder saying that she’d had Kalua pork cooked in a crockpot and it tasted like the real thing and I kind of kicked myself for going so long without this amazingly easy meat candy. So today’s the day. And in case you’re wondering what you can do with it, don’t worry, I’ve got about 733 things I ate in Hawaii that involve Kalua pork that I’m trying to replicate at home.
Ingredient Notes
- Pork Roast – You’re going to need a boneless pork shoulder (boneless pork butt roast). You could even scale it down for a small family and use a smaller picnic roast. Try to choose one with a decent amount of fat on it, as this will produce a nice, tender final product. You’ll want to plan on 6-8 ounces of pre-cooked meat per person–pork shoulder is quite fatty, so the weight will really cook down and this is one thing you definitely don’t want to run out of.
- Hawaiian Sea Salt – If you live in an area with a significant Polynesian population (like many places in Utah), you may be able to find Hawaiian sea salt in a regular grocery store. I also believe World Market carries it, so if you live close to one, head over there. You can always order it online from Amazon as well. If pink sea salt just isn’t in the cards, regular sea salt from a regular grocery store will do, pig. It’ll do.
- Liquid Smoke – Hickory-flavored liquid smoke provides a good kick of smoky flavor. You can find liquid smoke near the barbecue sauces on the condiment aisle, usually in a small bottle on the top shelf.
Instructions
- Rinse the pork roast and pat it dry. Pierce the entire roast with a fork.
- Sprinkle with the sea salt (start with about a little less than a tablespoon and see how far it gets you–you can add a little more to make sure your roast is salted enough, and you can always add more after it cooks).
- Sprinkle generously with the liquid smoke (about 1 tablespoon, more if you have a very large roast). Rub the salt and the liquid smoke into the roast.
- Place the roast in a slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the meat is brown shreds easily with a fork.
- Remove the roast from the pan and place it in a serving dish or on a serving platter. Reserve the cooking liquid.
- Shred the roast, discarding any large pieces of fat. Drizzle enough of the cooking liquid over the pork to re-moisten it and keep it from drying out (I actually preferred the dark, non-fatty liquid on bottom to the liquid fat on top–it’s way more flavorful).
Serving Suggestions
Kalua pork is fantastic served in any of the following ways:
- With sides like Hawaiian Macaroni Salad or Lime-Cilantro Rice with Pineapple.
- Topped with Mint-Pineapple Pico de Gallo or Mango Pico de Gallo in a warm tortilla and sprinkled with cotija cheese.
- Treated like smoked pork, drizzled in Kansas City Barbecue Sauce with a side of Memphis-Style Coleslaw.
- Leftovers are great to use in this Kalua Pork Sliders with Pineapple-Mango Slaw, Kalua Pork Pizza, or Kalua Pork Wontons.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make this ahead of time? Feel free to cook this pork up one day and use it for meals throughout the week! It reheats really well. See the serving suggestions above for some delicious options!
Did You Make This?
I’d love to hear from you! Snap a picture and tag me on Instagram, then come back and give this recipe a rating!
PrintSlow-Cooker Kalua Pork
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 hours
- Total Time: 10 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 6
Description
This no-fuss smoky pulled pork is quick and easy. Serve with any combination of sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, rice, macaroni salad, and/or fresh fruits and vegetables (or a green salad).
Ingredients
- 1 2.5-3.5 boneless pork shoulder (butt) roast
- Sea salt
- Hickory-flavored liquid smoke
Instructions
Rinse the pork roast and pat it dry. Pierce the entire roast with a fork. Sprinkle generously with the liquid smoke (about 1 tablespoon, more if you have a very large roast) and sprinkle with the sea salt (start with about a little less than tablespoon and see how far it gets you; you can always add more after it cooks). If using traditional kosher salt, decrease salt to 1-2 teaspoons. Rub the salt into the roast. Place the roast in a slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the meat shreds easily with a fork.
Remove the roast from the pan and place it in a serving dish or on a serving platter. Shred it, discarding any large pieces of fat. Drizzle enough of the cooking liquid over the pork to re-moisten it and keep it from drying out. Serve with any combination of sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, rice, macaroni salad, and/or fresh fruits and vegetables (or a green salad). Plan on 6-8 ounces of pre-cooked meat per person–pork shoulder is quite fatty, so the weight will really cook down.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
This was absolutely fantastic! I too wrapped mine in foil before putting it in the crockpot, turned out great! Thanks for the recipe!
thank you for this wonderful recipe – cannot believe how easy and delicious it is – as good as any Kalua Port I ate in Maui! I served it over chopped steamed cabbage.
Hi Kate,
Sorry to bug ya again. Thanks for those ideas! One more question. If I were to opt out of making the mango pineapple slaw for the sandwiches, what could I substitute to put on them? I just think the slaw might get a little costly during that time of the year. Would sliced pineapple be good? Cabbage? Thanks for your time!
What if you did some kind of tropical coleslaw on top of the sandwiches and then you did fruit on the side?
Hi Kate
So first off, love your website and cookbooks! Big fan! Second, a few people in my ward are planning on throwing a Christmas Luau Party for the entire ward and we would like this to be the main dish. We are planning on doing sliders with your pineapple mango slaw. But I was wondering what other sides would be good for this main dish? I think we want to do fruit kabobs if our budget allows. Anyway just wanted to pick your brain. 🙂
I would do some big pans of sweet potato casserole and maybe some macaroni salad? Both of those are very Hawaiian and would go a long way on a budget. And then maybe some fruit? That’s what I would do if it were me. Good luck!! 🙂
Sounds delicious… May I suggest ditching the liquid smoke and searing the pork on charcoals instead. Then, place it in the slow cooker..
my parents live on the Big Island and I grew up in Memphis. Total BBQ addict! I can’t wait to try this recipe!
I made this today and it’s delicious.
We just had this for dinner with your mango salsa. Fantastic! My husband accidentally got pork loin, but it was still moist. I was astonished hat such simple ingredients create such a great flavor! I laughed at your comment about eating it in front of the fridge… But I totally understand now! Thanks!