Hawaiian Pulled Pork with a sticky pineapple glaze is quick and easy when you use the Instant Pot! Served in a bowl or on toasted buns, this shredded pork is an explosion of taste.
If you love today’s pulled pork, be sure to try our Grilled Huli Huli Chicken recipe next. Serve it up with a side of chinese coleslaw!
Why this Hawaiian Pulled Pork is Best
When it comes to favorite meals, a hot sandwich piled high with shredded pork and toppings is up there on the list. I’ve written about making Instant Pot Pulled Pork before and delicious variations like Root Beer Pulled Pork.
Today’s Hawaiian Pulled Pork recipe is like no other. Pressure cooked with a garlic ginger pineapple sauce, this pork is imbibed with equal parts sweet, sour and savory flavors.
You need to add this Instant Pot recipe to your dinner menu this week!
This recipe is loosely based on the traditional Hawaiian pork called Kalua Pork. It’s made by slow roasting a pig covered in banana leaves in a pit for hours.
Delicious, but not something most of us can manage on a typical weeknight.
This pressure cooking method makes flavorful pork that falls apart at the touch of the fork. I’m so happy to have discovered how easy it is to make in the Instant Pot.
Between prepping, cooking and pressure releasing, this dinner was ready in under 90 minutes and most of that time is hands off.
I started with Kalua Pork as my inspiration and I added pineapple and lots of garlic and ginger to the sauce to complement the fork tender meat. We enjoyed our Hawaiian Pulled Pork on buns topped with homemade coleslaw and everyone wanted seconds.
What kind of pork do you need for pulled pork?
With so many different kinds of pork available in the meat department these days, it’s difficult to keep track of which ones should be used in which dishes.
For this recipe, you’ll need boneless pork shoulder. Shoulder is available in both bone-in and boneless cuts, so unless you want to de-bone it yourself, check before you buy.
Pork Butt vs. Pork Shoulder: Pork Butt is also commonly used in pulled pork. However, it is a tougher cut of meat and needs a longer cooking time. That’s why, for instant pot pork, you need to make sure to use the shoulder.
How to Make Hawaiian Pulled Pork
To make this pork, start by sauteeing chunks of pork shoulder in the Instant Pot with olive oil. By cutting your shoulder into chunks, you can cut down the cook time!
Deglaze the pot with water and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape off any pieces of meat stuck to the bottom and sides.
For the sauce, mix pineapple juice with chicken broth, vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce and ketchup. Mix in garlic, ginger and chili powder. Add the sauce to the pot with the pork along with pineapple chunks.
To cook in the Instant Pot:
Seal the valve and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 60 minutes. When the cooking time ends, allow the pot to naturally release for 10 minutes, then do a quick release of remaining pressure.
Remove the pork pieces from the instant pot and shred on a cutting board or serving plate. Transfer the shredded pork to a serving bowl and drizzle some of the remaining juices from the pot over it to keep it juicy!
Serving Suggestions
For sandwiches:
This pork was so good in a sandwich! I love to use a sturdy bun like a Kaiser Roll. A toasted hamburger bun works, too! I highly recommend KFC coleslaw on top.
For Pulled Pork Bowls:
You can also enjoy Hawaiian Pulled Pork bun-less. Spoon it into bowls with extra fresh pineapple chunks and coleslaw for a satisfying meal, no bread needed.
What to serve with Hawaiian Pork:
We love serving this pulled pork year round with all our favorite salads.
From Broccoli salad to potato salad, they all pair perfectly.
Add a side or baked potatoes or roasted broccoli and zucchini if you prefer a warm vegetable.
Whip up a batch of garlic bread or serve with homemade applesauce.
Tips and Tricks
- Sauce – Feel free to adjust the ratios of pineapple juice to broth and water to your liking. If you want more sweetness, replace some of the broth with pineapple juice or visa versa.
- To make it spicier – Add more chili powder or red pepper flakes to increase the heat. You can also squeeze a little hot sauce into the sauce before or after cooking.
- For more smoky flavor – 1 tablespoon of liquid smoke added to the sauce ingredients mimics the smoky flavor of roasting pork in a pit
- How to store – Hawaiian Pulled Pork will keep well in the fridge for 3 days. For longer storage, transfer to an airtight container and store it in the freezer for 2 to 3 months. It makes a great freezer meal!
Easy Weeknight Dinners
Instant Pot Hawaiian Pulled Pork Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder cut in half
- ⅓ cup water
- ⅓ cup pineapple juice
- ⅓ cup low sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ cup pineapple chunks
Instructions
- Turn on Instant Pot and select SAUTE. Add olive oil and when it’s warm, add in the chunks of pork. Cook for 3 minutes on each side. Remove from pot.
- Add in the water and deglaze the pot by using a wooden spoon to scrape up the bits stuck to the bottom. Turn off.
- Mix the pineapple juice, chicken broth, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger and chili powder in a bowl to make the Hawaiian mixture. Add to bottom of pot with the water, and give it a stir.
- Add the pork back into the pot, followed by the pineapple chunks.
- Close the Instant Pot, and turn the valve on top to "SEALING." Select HIGH PRESSURE for 60 minutes and let the pork cook.
- After the cook time is complete let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before quick releasing the rest of the pressure.
- Remove the pork pieces from the Instant Pot, transfer to a cutting board or wide plate and shred.
- Place shredded pork in a serving bowl and add some of the cooking liquid so it remains juicy.
- Serve on buns with coleslaw, or make a pulled pork bowl with more pineapple chunks and slaw.
Notes
- You can swap around the proportion of pineapple juice, water and broth to your liking
- For a more smoky flavor, add in 1 Tbsp liquid smoke with the other liquids.
- Increase chili powder or add hot sauce or red pepper flakes for more heat. Or omit chili powder if you prefer less spicy.
- Store in fridge for 3 days or freeze in an airtight container for 2-3 months
- Recipe tested in a 6qt Instant Pot. Results may vary in other pressure cookers.
Nutrition
With juicy pineapple and a hint of spice, Hawaiian Pulled Pork brings a touch of the tropical to your dinner table. When you make it in the Instant Pot, you can have fork tender pork ready in no time.
Would this recipe also do okay slow cooking all day?
Sure would!
How would I transfer this recipe to cooking in a crock pot
IDK what happened. I followed the directions exactly. My glaze was watery and my pork although cooked perfectly was extremely bland.
Looks good! I’m going to try it soon!
“Pork shoulder” and “pork butt” are the same, which is really the shoulder. The ham’s are the part that comes from the hind end of a pig, which should be called the butt, BUT it’s not lol.
They are both from the shoulder, and both do well with slow cookers, but with the instant pot the shoulder does a better job of not being as tough.
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe today. I’d prefer to double the recipe and freeze the leftovers for an easy, quick meal. Thoughts on how much, if any, to increase cooking time with double the pork shoulder? Thanks!
Did you get your answer for doubling the recipe ?
I did 1 hour and 30 minutes and it turned out amazing. Everything was falling appart and no effort on shredding.