Kalua Pork Bowl Recipe
Pineapple pulled salsa pork, coconut pineapple rice, BBQ
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Ingredients
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Kalua-Style Pulled Pork (Pineapple Pulled Salsa Pork)
Coconut Pineapple Rice
BBQ Sauce & Bowl Assembly
Method
Kalua-Style Pulled Pork (Pineapple Pulled Salsa Pork)
- 1
Prepare pork
Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels. Trim any excessive fat, leaving some fat for flavor. Rub the pork with kosher salt and black pepper on all sides.
- 2
Sear (optional)
Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the pork on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side, to develop color and flavor. Transfer to slow cooker or keep in Dutch oven for oven braising.
- 3
Combine braising liquid
In a bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, crushed pineapple with its juices, tomato salsa, liquid smoke, soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, and grated ginger until well combined.
- 4
Braise
Slow cooker method: Place the seared pork in a 5–6 qt slow cooker and pour the pineapple-salsa mixture over the pork. Cover and cook on LOW for 8–9 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until pork is fall-apart tender. Oven method: Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Place pork and liquid in a covered Dutch oven, bring to a simmer on the stovetop, then cover and transfer to the oven for 3.5–4 hours until very tender.
- 5
Shred and reduce sauce
Remove pork to a large cutting board and use two forks to shred into bite-sized pieces. Skim excess fat from remaining braising liquid. Pour the braising liquid into a saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat for 8–12 minutes until slightly thickened (it will concentrate the flavors). Return shredded pork to the saucepan or slow cooker and toss with the reduced sauce, adjusting salt if necessary. Stir in sliced green onions and chopped cilantro, reserving a little for garnish.
Coconut Pineapple Rice
- 6
Rinse rice
Place the rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. Drain well.
- 7
Cook rice
In a medium saucepan, combine rinsed rice, coconut milk, water, salt, and sugar. Stir once to combine. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15–18 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
- 8
BBQ Sauce & Bowl Assembly
- 9
Warm BBQ sauce
If your BBQ sauce is chilled, warm it gently in a small saucepan or microwave for 20–30 seconds. If using a soy-ginger drizzle, mix the soy-ginger BBQ alternative with 1 tsp water to thin slightly.
- 10
Assemble bowls
Divide coconut pineapple rice among 4 bowls (about 1/2 cup cooked rice per serving base, adjust to preference). Top each bowl with a generous portion of the pineapple pulled salsa pork (about 6–7 oz cooked pork per serving). Drizzle about 1–2 tbsp of BBQ sauce over the pork. Add pickled red onion, a sprinkle of chopped macadamia or peanuts, and additional green onions and cilantro for garnish. Serve with lime wedges on the side to squeeze over the bowl.
- 11
Serve
Serve hot. Leftover pork can be refrigerated in its sauce for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a saucepan with a splash of water or pineapple juice to loosen the sauce.