3 Ingredient Hawaiian Pulled Pork (3 ingredients) • Zona Cooks

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This 3 Ingredient Hawaiian Pulled Pork is a traditional Hawaiian dish that is one of the easiest meals to make and is so good! This tender and juicy Kalua smoky pulled (or shredded) pork melts in your mouth, has a smoky flavor, and uses just three ingredients. It is also known as Kalua Pulled Pork.

Why I love this recipe

In Hawaii, they make luau pork by placing a whole pig wrapped in banana leaves in an underground oven. This version is the next best thing. It is super easy to prepare, then let it slow cook in your crockpot. I start mine around 4 p.m. one day, flip it over before bedtime, and then shred it into freezable batches the next morning.

This recipe is moderately low-carb, but not necessarily by Keto extreme low-carb guidelines.

Different ways to use this recipe are to use in this Smoky Pulled Pork Tacos for Two or Cheesy BBQ Pulled Pork Fries and Smothered Pulled Pork Burritos. Use it for cold pork sliders on Hawaiian rolls or hamburger buns, add barbecue sauce to make BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, or try some on top of a loaded baked potato.

3 Ingredient Hawaiian Pulled Pork piled high on a bun. — 3 Ingredient Hawaiian Pulled Pork

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Simple Ingredients

(amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post)

pork butt roast (or boneless pork shoulder roast)

Hawaiian sea salt

liquid smoke flavoring

Substitutions

You can use coarse sea salt, Hawaiian sea salt, or Himalayan pink salt. Do not use table salt.

Use pork butt roast or boneless pork shoulder roast.

Equipment used for this recipe

Slow cooker crock pot

Cutting board with juice groove

How to make classic Kalua pork

Step 1 – Pierce the pork roast all over with a fork or knife.

Step 2 – Rub the Hawaiian salt over the meat.

a pork roast pierced all over, rubbed with salt and liquid smoke on a cutting board with a large fork

Step 3 – Place roast in a slow cooker.

Step 4 – Pour the liquid smoke over the pork.

Step 5 – Cover, and cook on Low for 12 to 16 hours, turning once during cooking time.

Step 6 – Remove large chunks of the tender meat from the slow cooker, and shred it on a cutting board by using two forks and pulling small portions of meat in opposite directions.

two forks shred pork roast apart on a cutting board

Step 7 – Discard as much fat as you want. I usually leave a little bit in.

Pro Tips

Traditional sides for this Hawaiian Kalua Pork recipe are macaroni salad, white rice, potato salad, or cole slaw.

Store small portions in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 – 5 days.

To Freeze

Step 1 – Divide the shredded meat into equal portions (about 1/2 pound each).

pulled pork divided into 4 portions on a cutting board

Step 2 – Place the pork into quart-size freezer bags. Add about 1 tablespoon of liquid from the crockpot to each bag for moistness and store in the freezer until ready to use.

pulled pork inside four zipper freezer bags

Step 3 – Thaw in the refrigerator before using it in your favorite recipe.

Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pulled Pork piled high on a bun. — Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pulled Pork

Recipe FAQs

What is the secret to pulled pork?

To get the juiciest and most tender pulled pork, cooking the pork low and very slowly is the secret to the juiciest and most tender pulled pork. Using a slow cooker crock pot is one of the best cooking methods to achieve this.

You may also enjoy

Pecan Crusted Pork Chops

Pork Tonkatsu and Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce

Baked Pork Chops and Stuffing

Pulled Pork Fries

BBQ Pulled Pork Tacos

Smoked Gouda and Bacon Stuffed Pork Chops

Yield: 8 - 12 servings

Slow Cooker Smoky Pulled Pork

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 12 hours

Total Time 12 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

2 - 3 pound pork butt roast (or boneless shoulder roast)
1/2 Tablespoon Hawaiian sea salt (or coarse sea sale, or coarse kosher salt)
1/2 Tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring

Instructions

Pierce the pork roast all over with a fork or knife.
Rub the Hawaiian salt over the meat.
Place roast in a slow cooker.
Pour the liquid smoke over the pork.
Cover, and cook on Low for 12 to 16 hours, turning once during cooking time.
Remove large chunks of the tender meat from the slow cooker, and shred it on a cutting board by using two forks and pulling small portions of meat in opposite directions.
Discard as much fat as you want. I usually leave a little bit in.

Notes

I start mine around 4 p.m. one day, flip it over before bedtime, and then shredded it into freezable batches the next morning.
To Freeze: Divide the shredded juicy pork into equal portions (about 1/2 lb each), and place in quart-size freezer bags. Add 1 Tablespoon of liquid from the crockpot to each bag for moistness and store in the freezer until ready to use. Thaw in the refrigerator before using it in your favorite recipe.