Slow Cooker Kalua Pork (Authentic Hawaiian-Style)
10 h 15 min
|
easy
|
gluten-free,
lactose-free
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
Authentic Hawaiian kalua pork without the pit: slow-cooked shoulder that shreds like silk, seasoned right with red Hawaiian sea salt, garlic, a touch of liquid smoke, and pineapple juice for clean, smoky-salty balance.
Think Hawaiian pulled pork, hands-off and crowd-ready for weeknights, game day, or a backyard luau, perfect for piling into sliders, tacos, or rice bowls, and the optional banana leaves bring that island aroma home.
Ingredients (10 servings)
Get Ingredients →Order the ingredients from your local store for pickup or delivery. You’ll check out through Instacart.
Ingredients
- 4-5 lb boneless pork shoulder butt roast boneless pork shoulder butt roast 72 oz
- 1-1½ Tbsp Alaea salt Alaea salt 0.83 oz
- 1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice pure pineapple juice 8 fl oz
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed garlic 0.36 head (for garlic cloves)
- 1 Tbsp hickory liquid smoke (or mesquite) hickory liquid smoke 0.5 fl oz
- 1-2 banana leaves (optional, for aroma) banana leaves 0.38 lb
Ingredient Notes *
- Alaea salt: Alaea salt is the most iconic Hawaiian salt used in traditional recipes such as kalua pig, poke, and other native Hawaiian dishes. It's blended with volcanic red clay (ʻalaea), giving it a reddish hue and a slightly earthy flavor.
How to Make Slow Cooker Kalua Pork (Authentic Hawaiian-Style)
-
Trim and salt the pork
Pat the pork shoulder dry and trim only thick, waxy exterior fat so you still have a protective cap.
Use a fork or tip of a knife to poke the roast all over, then sprinkle evenly with the red Hawaiian sea salt, making sure to get the sides too.
-
Prep banana leaves (optional but wonderful)
Rinse the leaves, then pass them quickly over a gas flame or hot, dry skillet to soften and make them pliable.
Line the slow cooker with the leaves, letting plenty overhang so you can wrap the pork once it is inside.
Banana leaves are often in the frozen section of Asian or Latin markets, so do not go hunting in produce first.
-
Load the slow cooker
Place the pork in the cooker fat cap up.
Tuck the smashed garlic around the meat.
Stir the liquid smoke into the pineapple juice and pour it around the pork, not over the top, so the salt rub stays put.
If using banana leaves, fold them snugly over the pork to enclose.
-
Cook low and slow
Cover and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours until a probe slides in with no resistance and internal temp reaches about 195 to 205 F.
Do not lift the lid until at least the 8 hour mark or you will lose heat and time.
-
Shred and moisten
Transfer pork to a board and rest 15 minutes, then shred into big juicy strands, discarding gristle and big fat pieces.
Strain cooking liquid, skim some fat, and reduce it on the stove a few minutes until slightly syrupy.
Toss the pork with enough of the reduced juices to make it glossy and succulent, then taste and adjust salt if needed.
-
Optional finishing touch
For a little textural contrast, spread some pork on a sheet pan and broil briefly to crisp the edges, then fold back in.
Not strictly traditional, but it hits nice if you like a bit of bark.
Substitutions
- Red Hawaiian sea salt -> kosher salt (plus a pinch of smoked salt, optional)
- <p>Coarse kosher salt seasons cleanly and still lets the pork taste like pork; adding a tiny pinch of smoked salt brings a whisper of earthiness that alaea clay usually lends to red salt.</p>
- Banana leaves -> parchment plus foil or green cabbage leaves
- <p>Parchment under foil creates a tidy wrap that traps aroma and moisture, while overlapping cabbage leaves perfume the pork lightly and keep the steam gentle without changing the flavor profile.</p>
- Liquid smoke -> smoked sea salt or lapsang souchong tea
- <p>Replace 1 teaspoon of the salt with smoked sea salt for clean, even smokiness, or briefly steep the pineapple juice with a bag of lapsang souchong for 5 to 7 minutes, strain, and use for a softer, campfire note.</p>
Tips
- Season by weight like a pro
- <p>Aim for roughly 0.8 to 1 percent salt by meat weight; for a 4.5 lb shoulder that is about 16 to 20 grams of coarse salt, which lands right in that 1 to 1.5 tablespoon window depending on grain size.</p>
- Keep the fat cap up
- <p>Fat cap on top self-bastes for hours, giving you luxurious moisture without drowning the meat, so you can keep the liquid level low and the flavor concentrated.</p>
- Leaf technique that actually works
- <p>Lightly scorching the banana leaves not only makes them flexible, it wakes up their aroma so the pork picks up that subtle green, toasty note you want.</p>
- Reduce and rehydrate
- <p>Do not waste the cooking liquid; strain, skim, and simmer it to a light glaze, then fold into the shredded pork so every bite is seasoned and plush, not watery.</p>
- Doneness is feel, not just temp
- <p>Once you are near 200 F internal, trust the probe test; if a skewer slides in like warm butter, you are there, and if it fights you, keep cooking.</p>
- Storage and reheat like a boss
- <p>Chill in shallow glass containers with some reserved juices; it keeps 4 days in the fridge or 2 to 3 months frozen, and reheats best covered with a splash of juices so it stays luscious.</p>
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 378 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 37 | g |
| Total Fat | 20 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 5 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My pork is done by temperature but still tough. What did I do wrong?
- <p>It needs more time for collagen to melt; keep it covered on Low and give it another 45 to 90 minutes, then test again with a probe for that warm-butter slide.</p>
- It tastes too salty. How can I fix it?
- <p>Mix in more unsalted reduced juices or a splash of hot water, and fold in a handful of chopped steamed cabbage to dilute saltiness without killing flavor.</p>
- Can I cook this on High instead of Low?
- <p>Yes, about 6 to 7 hours on High works, but Low gives a silkier shred and better moisture; if you go High, keep the lid shut tight and check for tenderness at 6 hours.</p>
- Do I have to use pineapple juice for authentic flavor?
- <p>Traditional kalua pig is just pork and salt with leaf wrap and smoke; you can replace the juice with water if you prefer classic, and the texture will still be tender from long cooking.</p>
- How smoky should it be and how do I adjust?
- <p>Kalua pork should whisper smoke, not shout; start with the listed amount, then add a few drops of liquid smoke to the reduced juices at the end if you want a touch more.</p>
- Where do I get banana leaves?
- <p>Look in the frozen section of Asian or Latin markets; they are usually sold in large flat packs that keep for months in your freezer.</p>
Serving Suggestions
Plate it with steamed rice and quick-braised cabbage, then finish with thin-sliced green onion and a sprinkle of toasted sesame for clean contrast.
For a backyard vibe, serve with lomi tomatoes, a scoop of mac salad, and a bowl of the reduced juices on the side so everyone can sauce their own.
More pairings:
Reviews
-
Monica: Honestly too smoky for me, I’ll cut back liquid smoke when I make again
: Thanks for sharing, Monica; using half the liquid smoke next time should mellow it out nicely.
-
Sophie L: Super simple, feeds a crowd. 10/10
: Delighted that the kalua pork was a hit for your group, Sophie!
-
Hannah, NYC: Leftovers were even better the next day in tacos. smoky + sweet
: Happy to hear the leftovers worked out so well for tacos, Hannah! That smoky-sweet combo is always a winner.
-
Kelly: Couldn't find Alaea salt, so used kosher + pink salt sub. Worked fine, but still curious to try w Alaea
: Glad the salt substitute worked out, Kelly! If you get your hands on Alaea salt next time, you might notice a slightly earthier flavor and deeper color in the pork.
Made this recipe? How did it go?
Please leave your feedback below. We’d love to hear from you!
