Kalua Pork

Kalua Pork is one of my go to recipes for so many reasons.  It's easy to make, just 3 ingredients, the pork is juicy and tender every time, can serve it so many ways and if there is any left it makes amazing leftovers.  The pork doesn't have added spices and is delicious as is but after it’s cooked I might add green chili sauce for pork tacos or add BBQ sauce for BBQ pork sandwiches.  Hawaiians like kalua pork and cabbage served over rice.  So many ways to enjoy kalua Pork, here are a few of our favorites..

Pork Tacos

Pork Nachos

Pork quesadillas

BBQ Pork Sandwiches

BBQ Pork Pizza

Cuban Sandwiches

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RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 (6-7 lb) pork butt or pork shoulder (with or without bone)

1 1/2 Tablespoons Hawaiian sea salt (find it on Amazon)

1 Tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring

Directions:

Place pork (fat side down) in the slow cooker and pierce pork all over with a carving fork.  Rub in salt all over then pour over liquid smoke.

Cover and cook on LOW for 12 hours.  Turn once during the cooking time.

Remove pork from the slow cooker onto a cutting board.  Shred or chop pork (*see note) in bite size pieces while trimming away any fat.  

With the drippings, skim off any fat and reserve.  

At this point the pork is ready to serve.  Use the drippings as needed to moisten pork.

*I chop instead of shredding.  I like the texture better, it's more tender.  Also I like to remove the fat as I chop.  A lot of people shred the meat fat and all but for me, it's just too much fat but you do you.

I love this tool from OXO.  It works so much better than skimming the fat off the top.

Pour in the drippings, the cover catches any solids and the fat starts to separate to the top.  Again, I'd rather not add all that fat back to the meat, only the flavorful drippings.

At this point you squeeze the handle and the drippings drain out of the bottom, stopping before you reach the fat.  Just Brilliant!

These are the brands I use for the liquid smoke and for the Hawaiian Salt.  You can Hawaiian salt find the salt on Amazon.