Slow Cooker Kalua Pork takes just three ingredients to make the most tender, delicious Hawaiian pork outside the islands! Try it today!
This is a homemade version of the famous Hawaiian Luau BBQ where the pig is wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in an underground oven. If you’ve experienced it, then you realize that it’s hard not to imagine the savory goodness of slow-cooked pork. The secret to a good kalua pig at home? A slow cooker and 24 hours of pure patience. For more Slow Cooker Recipes for pork, check out my Slow Cooker Jalapeno Pineapple Pork and Slow Cooker Cuban Mojo Pork.
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Hawaiian Slow Cooker Kalua Pork Recipe
This Kalua Pork is the granddaddy to them all. Three ingredients, 24 hands-off hours and you have a deliciously soft, tender Hawaiian Luau Pork that will make you wonder why you ever made pork shoulder any other way before! It can be used to make so many other pork recipes and you can feed your family for several meals, depending on the size of the cut. Keep it simple and serve it with white rice and macaroni salad or toss it with various sauces to make a variety of flavors for tacos, wraps, or burritos.
Ingredients
- 6 pounds Pork Shoulder: A pork shoulder is sometimes also referred to as a pork butt roast. I prefer the bone-in variety, cooking bone-in always adds significantly more flavor and ensures it stays juicy.
- 2 tablespoons Pink Salt: Any pink salt can be used, whether Hawaiian salt or Himalayan pink salt. You can also use Hawaiian sea salt or kosher salt. I used a tablespoon on the bottom side and a tablespoon on top. Don’t worry about the meat getting too salty, most of the salt will stay behind in the liquid.
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce: You can substitute with equal parts Aloha Shoyu or hickory smoke.
How to Make
Time needed: 1 day.
- Prepare the Pork
Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker with the fattier side facing up.
- Season the Meat
Sprinkle the salt over all sides of the pork. Next, pour the Worcestershire sauce over the top.
- Slow Cook
Cover the slow cooker and set it to low. No need to add water or use a rack—the pork will cook in its own juices. Let it cook undisturbed for 24 hours if your pork is 5-6 pounds. For smaller cuts, cut the cooking time to 8-10 hours. Don’t add time to larger cuts.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 6 pound pork shoulder , bone-in
- 2 tablespoons pink salt , Hawaiian or Himalayan (kosher salt is okay too)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Put pork in the slow cooker, fattier side up.
- Season with salt all over then add the Worcestershire sauce.
- Cover and cook on low for 24 hours (don't add any water).
Nutrition
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Can This Be Made Ahead?
Yes. If you aren’t going to be eating it right away, try and remove it in one piece after it cools and store it in a pot with the cooking liquid. Heat gently in a 300-degree oven. Discard fatty liquid before serving.
Nutritional Facts
Chef’s Note: Worcestershire Sauce vs. Liquid Smoke
If you’re curious why I am using Worcestershire here instead of liquid smoke it is because I’m not a fan of liquid smoke as an ingredient in food. Personally, I think it makes food taste like an ashy campfire rather than slow cooking in a smoker. Worcestershire sauce does a great job adding a deep smoky flavor without overdoing it. Plus it’s more common to keep on hand which means one less item you have to buy. If you want the liquid smoke, add up to tablespoon liquid smoke to the crockpot, but be careful, a little goes a long way!
Kahlúa vs. Kalua
While these words are both pronounced essentially the same way, they are very different things. Kahlúa is a coffee-flavored liqueur from Mexico whereas Kalua is the traditional Hawaiian cooking method of slow-cooking meat, typically pork, in an underground oven called an imu.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Fat Cap: Note, I do scrape off the entire fat cap, but there is still about 30-40% of the exterior that is delicious and edible.
- Pork Size: Make sure your pork is at least 5-6 pounds. If it is smaller, cook for half the time. If larger, like a 10-lb cut, 24 hours is still enough time.
- Cooking Rack: Just place it right into the crockpot. No rack is needed inside of the slow cooker.
- Pork Cuts: The pork butt sits on top of the pork shoulder. If your cut is rectangular, it is most likely a pork butt, and if it is triangular, it is most likely a pork shoulder.
Pairing Ideas
- Sides: Serve this delicious Kalua Pork with plain white rice, Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, Coconut Rice, or a garden salad for the perfect Hawaiian BBQ plate!
- Sweet Desserts: End the meal with Caramelized Pineapple, Hali’imaile’s Pineapple Upside Down Cake, or Hawaiian Nut Banana Bread.
- Tropical Drinks: Enjoy your pork with a cool and refreshing Mango Smoothie or a Pina Colada.
Serving Ideas
- Pulled Pork Sandwiches: Use this pork on a variety of recipes including pulled pork sandwiches using homemade Sweet Hawaiian Bread for the perfect Hawaiian dish.
- Pork Tacos: Use it for Hawaiian-style tacos or wraps. Fill soft or crunchy tortillas with the shredded pork, topped with fresh mango salsa, avocado, and a squeeze of lime.
- Kalua Pork Nachos: Layer tortilla chips with shredded pork on top, melted cheese, pineapple or mango salsa, jalapeños, and a sprinkle of green onions. Top with a dollop of sour cream and a side of guacamole.
- Loco Moco: Swap out the patty for pork and enjoy a fun tropical dish with egg!
How to Store
- Storing: Place any leftover shredded pork in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat portions in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- Freezing: Transfer cooled pork to a freezer-safe bag or container, removing as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Frequent Questions
You’ll want to discard any of the fatty liquid before serving. You can reserve some liquid for storing.
This recipe is using a 6-quart slow cooker, the standard oval size.
Yes! I’ve used pink, grey, and kosher and they are all great. Sea salt is great too, the only one I would caution against is regular table salt as it might be too salty.
No additional liquid is needed. The pork will release its own juices during the long cooking process.
Variations
- Slow Cooker Chimichurri Pork: Turn this into a South American favorite by adding ¼ cup of chopped garlic to the pork. When cooked, toss it in some Chimichurri Sauce and serve it in a Potato bun.
- Easy BBQ Pulled Pork: Once the pork is done, shred it with forks and toss with your favorite BBQ sauce, either bottled or homemade. The smoky flavors from the Worcestershire sauce would taste great with my Memphis BBQ Sauce. Serve plated or use the BBQ pork for Pulled Pork sandwiches.
- Pineapple Pork: Add 1 cup of pineapple chunks poured over the pork in the last half hour or so. This creates a sweet and savory island flavor your family will love!
Related Recipes
More Classic Hawaiian Main Dishes
Photos used in previous versions of this post.
Outstanding pork roast recipe! I didn’t believe it but, I just took it out of cooker and it’s tender and tasty; amazing! I left fat cap on, took it off when roast was done and baked it followed by the broiler, crispy chicharrones! I have shredded the roast; tacos with avocado tonight, the remainder, sky’s the limit! Great recipe, a keeper, thank you!
You’re welcome Eleanor and thanks for the great feedback and five star review!
I would add pineapple juice to cook it in.
Thanks for the tip Carl and for the five star review!
Absolutely delicious. Everything the recipe claimed.
Absolutely amazing! Moist, tender, and delicious. I had purchased a 10 lb roast (I know the recipe is for 6 lbs). I followed the directions with the exception of the weight and adding another hour cooking time. Wonderful results, will definitely make again!!!
When making this as pulled pork, how much Sweet Baby Ray’s to you add? Still 24 hrs on low??
How to make easy BBQ Pulled Pork instead:
We also make pork for Pulled Pork sandwiches this way minus the Worcestershire sauce. Toss with Tony Roma’s Original BBQ Sauce.
Slow Cooker Chimichurri Pork:
Even more addicting, instead of bbq sauce try adding 1/4 cup of chopped garlic to the pork instead of the Worcestershire sauce. When cooked, toss it in some Chimichurri Sauce and serve it in a Potato bun.
Soo good! Flavor was spot on. Made it in instapot for lack of time. Next time the slow cooker! Will be even better – had it with mashed potatoes and pickled beets. Yummy!
Replace the Worcestershire sauce with Liquid smoke and you got it! ??
Interesting idea!
I was wondering if I could use an instant pot for this recipe . It is 6 quarts.
First….I have your cookbook and it is fabulous.
Second….I can’t stop making this…every year I visit my mom for a couple of weeks…the morning I’m leaving..I put a pork butt in her slow cooker. This has become a tradition. This is the absolute best pork roast…our whole family thanks you for this…and all your easy tasty recipes.
Oh that makes me so happy! Thank you so much for being a reader!