Kalua Luau Pork with Pineapple BBQ Sauce
Kalua Luau Pork & Pineapple BBQ Sauce
May is National Luau Month so why not make this tasty sweet and spicy pork recipe for dinner? This super easy recipe infused with pineapple and spices will make the perfect dish for your summer BBQ or family dinner. Drizzled with homemade Pineapple BBQ Sauce... Amazing!
Kalua Luau Pork & Pineapple BBQ Sauce
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients:
4 – 5 pound Boneless Pork Shoulder /Butt or Picnic Roast
1 cup pineapple juice
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce or liquid smoke
2 tablespoons Hawaiian Sea Salt
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
Pineapple BBQ Sauce
1 cup pineapple sauce
2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
2/3 cup ketchup
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons ground ginger or 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
Garnish: Pineapple BBQ Sauce and cilantro
Equipment needed:
5 – 6 quart Slow cooker
Small mixing bowl or 2 cup liquid measuring cup
Small wire whisk
Flavor Meat Injector
Cutting board
Chef knife
Liquid and dry measuring cup
Measuring spoons
Tongs or serving fork for turning meat
1-quart sauce pan for BBQ sauce
Rubber spatula
I love recipe development and when my friend who owns a local café, Hazel's, wanted to plan a five-course luau... I was all in. I found out that May was National Luau Month so we started to plan and cook for a May gathering. Last weekend was the event and everything was fantastic... from the Pineapple Salsa to the Upside-down Cake our guests were impressed! I decided to share our recipes so you too can create them and host your own extravaganza... Maybe Memorial Day? So, grab your slow cooker and let’s begin the luau process!
A Luau isn’t a Luau without the pig or Kalua Pork dish! We attended a Luau in Hawaii a couple years ago and the food was so good. Watched them unearth the smoking pig too! I was not about to dig a hole in the yard and authentically cook my pig... so went looking for a good substitute. The slow cooker was my answer! Injected with pineapple and garlic, this meat is as good as the pork I was served in Hawaii... maybe better and moister! Here you too can bring a bit of Hawaii to your summer too! Begin with placing your pork shoulder or butt in the slow cooker. Combine the pineapple juice, brown sugar, kosher salt, Worcestershire sauce, reduced sodium soy sauce, dry mustard, and garlic powder in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or small mixing bowl. Stir well with a small whisk until all dry ingredients dissolve. Using a meat injector, inject the pork deeply every inch or so around the entire surface of the roast. The liquids will begin to seep out, so I inject the meat in the cooker as to not lose any of the luscious flavor. (Another option is to place the meat and the marinade to be injected into a ziplock baggie over night, then placed in the slow cooker with liquid to cook. Be sure to place filled baggie in a bowl, just in case there's leakage.)
After the meat is injected, sprinkle the surface with the liquid smoke/ Worcertershire sauce and Hawaiian sea salt. Himalayan pink salt can be substituted if you are unable to obtain the Hawaiian salt, but I highly recommended searching it out! Flavor is more robust with that hint of volcanic essence. Thinly slice the onion and spread over the surface of the meat, followed by the brown sugar. Turn the slow cooker to low or 350 degrees for a low and slow braise for 6 – 8 hours. I recommend rotating the meat every couple hours to ensure all is enriched with the sweet, savory flavors.
Pic of finished meat and plated with rice... mine and Hazel’s. Pineapple salsa pic
Your house probably smells fabulous by now! Meat should pull easily and a serving fork inserted should do so easily. Dinner is about ready! Shred the pork in the crock with the juices, allowing the meat to maintain flavor and moisture. I usually add about 1⁄2 cup of the following BBQ sauce and keep meat warm until serving. Serve meat with Hawaiian rice or white rice on a fresh banana leaf or blanket of greens, garnished with Pineapple BBQ sauce and a bit of cilantro. Your meal can begin with my Pineapple Salsa and chips too! Serve it in a hollowed-out pineapple shell to set the Luau mood... Enjoy!!