Crockpot BBQ Pineapple Pulled Pork
BBQ Pineapple Pulled Pork is sweet, smoky, and incredibly tender - it's the set-it-and-forget-it ultimate easy dinner recipe with incredible flavor! Slow cooked until it falls apart with a fork, this juicy shredded pulled pork combines tangy barbecue sauce with sweet pineapple for a tropical twist. Perfect for pork sandwiches, rice bowls, baked potatoes, tacos, or nachos.
Servings 8
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds boneless pork picnic roast
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 bottle (18 oz) barbecue sauce divided
- 1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple in juice do not drain
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
Instructions
- Pat the pork picnic roast dry with paper towels. Place the roast on a cutting board or plate.3-4 pounds boneless pork picnic roast
- In a small bowl, mix together all the dried seasonings. Rub the seasoning mixture all over the picnic pork roast, making sure to coat the top, bottom, and sides. Gently press the seasonings into the pork roast to ensure they stay.2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- In a separate mixing bowl, mix together 1 cup of the barbecue sauce, crushed pineapple with juice, light brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and yellow mustard until combined.1 bottle (18 oz) barbecue sauce, 1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple in juice, 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- Pour 1/2 cup of the pineapple barbecue sauce mixture into the bottom of a crockpot.
- Place the seasoned pork roast into the crockpot. Then pour the remaining pineapple barbecue sauce mixture over top the pork roast.
- Cover the crockpot with a lid and cook on LOW heat for 8-10 hours. The pork should pull apart very easily with just a touch of two forks when it's done. *I prefer low & slow for the most tender, fall apart pork, I always cook it for 10 hours
- Transfer the pork to a large cutting board or baking dish. Remove and discard any large pieces of fat or tough connective tissue pieces. Shred the pork with two forks.
- Add the shredded pork back into the crockpot, and the remaining barbecue sauce from the bottle. Stir everything together well until the pork is covered in the sauces.*If the pork looks saucier than you prefer, leave the lid slightly cracked and cook on high for about 20 minutes to thicken it back up. If the pork is not saucy enough, add some additional barbecues sauce and/or pineapple juice to loosen it back up.
- Serve the pulled pork on warm brioche buns, sweet Hawaiian buns, slider rolls, sandwich rolls, or in baked potatoes or as rice bowls with some coleslaw or pasta salad. Enjoy!
Notes
- It's best to use crushed pineapple because it's blends into the barbecue sauce and gives the pork a sweet pineapple flavor in every bite without large chunks taking over. Of course, you can substitute pineapple tidbits or pineapple hunks, but crushed pineapple is recommended.
- The poke is ready when it shreds easily with very little effort. If it feels tough, it simply needs more time in the crockpot.
- Traditionally, pork is safe to eat at 145°F but pulled pork is much different - the pork needs to cook for much longer to become tender enough to shred easily. For the best texture, the pork should be closer to 210°F in temperature for it to shred and pull apart easily with a fork. Low and slow is the name of the game when it comes to shredded pulled pork that is ultra tender. I always cook this recipe for the longer cook time of closer to 10 hours.
- Use your favorite barbecue sauce - any flavor works in this recipe. I love using a sweeter barbecue sauce such as a Hawaiian barbecue sauce or brown sugar. You can also use a spicy one or regular works as well. I prefer the flavor of the Kinders brand of barbecue sauce.
- A pork picnic roast is the best cut of pork roast to use for this pulled pork. It's a cut of meat from the lower part of the shoulder, which means that it is more tender and lean, without all the connective and fatty pieces of a regular pork roast. If you want a fattier cut of roast then use a boneless butt roast (also called a boston butter roast).
- Serve the pulled pork on sliders, brioche buns, buns, potato buns, or Hawaiian buns as a pulled pork sandwich. Can also serve with extra barbecue sauce and/or pineapple rings.