Slow Cooker Spicy Pineapple Pork with Cilantro-Lime Rice
Home » COOK » Recipes » Slow Cooker Recipes »If you’re looking for an exciting new slow cooker recipe, this Spicy Pineapple Pork does not disappoint! This exotic combination of pork shoulder, honey, garlic, five-spice, jalapeno, peanut butter, and pineapple is simply delicious and is sure to delight the whole family. Best served with cilantro-lime rice!
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Spicy Pineapple Pork
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading all the way through for any tips or substitute suggestions, to ensure that you have any specialized ingredients and equipment required and that you understand the steps and timings involved. Some images are for illustrative purposes.
In this spicy pineapple pork recipe, fresh pineapple and spicy jalapeño are paired with toasted sesame oil, five-spice powder, creamy peanut butter, and fresh cilantro for a rich and flavorful combination.
I love slow cooker recipes, mainly because, for the most part, you can dump everything into the crock, set it, and forget it!
In this pork recipe, the meat is seared on all sides first before being transferred to the slow cooker. This helps to seal in the juices and flavors.
However, you don’t have to do that, and if you are pressed for time, just season the pork and toss it in the pot with the other ingredients.
This pork dish pairs well with rice (especially our cilantro-lime rice), or you could have it over egg or rice noodles – the choice is yours!
I’m positive that this deliciously sweet and savory dish is sure to become a new family favorite!
And it would be a great dish to serve as Hawaiian Luau Party Food.
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients (and equipment) needed for this recipe have been listed below and linked to Amazon or other stores if available online.
It does not include staple ingredients such as oil, salt, and pepper, as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen already. The complete list of ingredients with measurements is found in the recipe card.
Note to publisher: Bonus cilantro-lime rice recipe is included in this package.
- Protein – Pork Shoulder/Pork Butt – this is the cut of pork that I like to use for slow cooking (it’s perfect for pulled pork too!)
- Fresh Produce – Onion, Pineapple, Garlic, Red Bell Pepper, Jalapeño Pepper, Cilantro (Fresh Coriander)
- Dairy –
- Rice Wine Vinegar
- Honey – try to buy locally produced honey when possible.
- Sesame Oil
- Five-Spice Powder
- Smooth/Creamy Peanut Butter
- Arrowroot – optional, used to thicken sauces
- Soy sauce or Tamari or Coconut Aminos – see below.
Depending on your dietary requirements you may want to use one of the following in this recipe:
- Soy Sauce – the regular stuff made from fermented soybeans and roasted grains.
- Tamari – a gluten-free soy sauce (but always check the label) if this is a concern for you.
- Coconut Aminos – a soy-free, soy sauce made with coconut tree sap and salt, and popular in Paleo, Keto, and Whole 30 communities.
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Pork
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is pork, so here are some more recipes using the same:
- Tuscan Pork Chops with White Beans and Crispy Sage
- Cuban Mojo Pork – Perfect For Making Cubano Sandwiches!
- Apple and Feta Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
More Slow Cooker Recipes
Looking for more dishes to make in the slow cooker? Check these recipes out next:
- Mexican Shredded Beef in the Slow Cooker
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Vegetable Stew
- Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pulled Pork
Recipe Tips
- Trim as much excess fat as possible from the pork butt roast prior to cooking. This will greatly reduce the amount of fat that ends up in the very flavorful juices/sauce.
- As written, this spicy pineapple pork recipe contains a couple of extra steps you can skip if you are short on time.
- To make this a truly one-pot meal, simply place the well-trimmed and seasoned pork butt roast directly into your slow cooker without searing.
- In addition, the juices can be thickened right in the slow cooker crock by stirring in the arrowroot slurry with the other ingredients 30 minutes before it is done cooking.
How Do I Make Spicy Pineapple Pork?
Check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
Slow Cooker Spicy Pineapple Pork
Ingredients
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 16- oz/450g fresh pineapple cut into 1”/2.5cm chunks
- ¼ cup soy sauce*
- 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2-3 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 2 tsp five-spice powder
- 1 medium red bell pepper cut into 1”/2.5cm chunks
- 1 medium jalapeño pepper finely diced
- 2 Tbsp natural creamy peanut butter
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4-5 lb/1.8-2.2kg pork shoulder/butt roast trimmed
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup fresh pineapple juice
- 3 Tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 Tbsp arrowroot optional
Instructions
- Add onion, fresh pineapple chunks, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, sesame oil, garlic, five-spice powder, bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, and peanut butter to a 5 or 6-quart (4.5-5.5L) slow cooker pot. Stir to combine thoroughly.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season trimmed pork roast on all sides with salt and pepper, to taste. Add to hot skillet and sear on all sides, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer seared pork to slow cooker pot.
- Reduce heat to medium and deglaze skillet with fresh pineapple juice. Use a spatula to scrape up flavorful brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and pour pan juices into the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook over high heat for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8. When finished, stir in fresh cilantro and transfer pork and pineapple mixture to a serving platter with a slotted spoon. Cover and keep warm.
- Optional: If desired, create a slurry by combining 2 tablespoons arrowroot and ¼ cup of juices from the slow cooker. Transfer remaining juices from the slow cooker to a large skillet over medium-high heat and whisk in the arrowroot slurry until well combined. Cook for several minutes or until sauce is reduced and thickened.
- To serve, spoon warm pork and pineapple mixture over a bed of cooked brown, white or cilantro-lime rice. Top with the juices or thickened sauce, if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
- *Can be substituted for Coconut Aminos or Tamari
- Trim as much excess fat as possible from the pork shoulder/butt roast prior to cooking. This will greatly reduce the amount of fat that ends up in the very flavorful juices/sauce.
SUGGESTED PRODUCTS
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Full Meal
You’ve made the main dish, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to make a full meal for a dinner party or special occasion:
- Appetizer: Spicy Mango Salsa Recipe
- Soup: Roasted Fennel & Tomato Soup with Coconut Milk
- Side Dish: Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
- Beverage: Hawaiian Margarita Cocktail
- Dessert: Decadent Chocolate Walnut Brownies with Chocolate Frosting
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.