Tender Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pulled Pork Sliders
These slow cooker Hawaiian pulled pork sliders are tender, juicy, and bursting with tropical flavor, perfect for effortless, crowd-pleasing party bites.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 hours (low) or 4-5 hours (high)
- Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes to 10 hours 15 minutes (low) or 4 hours 15 minutes to 5 hours 15 minutes (high)
- Yield: 12 sliders 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
Ingredients
- 3–4 lbs pork shoulder (well-marbled)
- 1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned)
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 12 small slider buns (Hawaiian rolls preferred)
- Coleslaw (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Trim the pork shoulder, removing excess fat but leaving some for flavor and moisture (about 5 minutes).
- In a bowl, combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, apple cider vinegar, and optional red pepper flakes. Stir until sugar dissolves (about 2 minutes).
- Place the trimmed pork shoulder into the slow cooker insert.
- Scatter pineapple chunks evenly over the pork.
- Pour the mixed sauce evenly over the pork and pineapple.
- Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until pork is fork-tender and easily shredded. Check at 7 hours if your slow cooker runs hot to avoid drying out.
- Carefully remove pork from the slow cooker onto a cutting board and shred using two forks, discarding large pieces of fat (5-7 minutes).
- Return shredded pork to the slow cooker and spoon some cooking liquid over it to keep it juicy.
- Slice slider buns, add a generous scoop of pulled pork, and top with coleslaw if desired.
- Serve warm immediately or keep warm in the slow cooker on ‘keep warm’ setting for up to 1 hour.
Notes
If sauce is too thin after cooking, remove pork and simmer liquid on stove to thicken before mixing back in. Do not skip apple cider vinegar as it balances sweetness and tenderizes meat. Use fresh pineapple for brighter flavor but canned works well too. For gluten-free, substitute soy sauce with tamari and use gluten-free buns. For dairy-free, omit coleslaw or use dairy-free dressing. To avoid soggy sliders, serve pork hot and buns toasted or warmed separately. Let shredded pork sit in cooking juices for 10 minutes before assembling sliders to soak up flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slider
- Calories: 265
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 9
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 20
Keywords: slow cooker, pulled pork, Hawaiian, sliders, party food, easy recipe, tropical flavor, pineapple, pork shoulder