Instant Pot Kalua Pork
You only need four ingredients to make this Instant Pot Kalua Pork! Unlike traditional Hawaiian Kalua Pork that is cooked for days in the ground, this Kalua Pork can be made in your Instant Pot in a fraction of the time.
Hawaii is a magical place, no doubt about that. It is especially magical for Matt and me because we were able to spend our honeymoon there. We have been lucky enough to go back a few times (thanks to conferences that Matt has gone to and I’ve been lucky enough to tag along)!
A couple of days ago, we booked a trip to Kauai. We are going in the doldrums of winter and are going to bring the boys with us; we are all SO excited!! They have been talking non-stop about the creatures we are going to see in the ocean, the sand castles they are going to build and the pool (even when you are in Hawaii, surrounded by the ocean, you can NOT forget about the pool)!!
We have been listening to a lot of Hawaiian music at home lately to get in the Aloha Spirit. Sometimes, when the kids are going crazy in the car, we just turn up the radio super loud and blast some Hawaiian music – it calms everyone down! I always think about this exact beach (pictured below) whenever I hear Hawaiian music. It is such a picturesque beach that is nicely sheltered. The last time we were there, we saw whales breaching and turtles swimming along the shoreline – pretty magical!
I am so excited about all the things the kids are excited about plus, I can’t wait for the FOOD (oh, and the drinks). Sipping a mai tai staring out at the ocean, um yes please. The endless amount of fresh fish there is absolutely amazing. The sweet, juicy pineapple is unlike any other pineapple I have ever tasted. And the kalua pork, oh the kalua pork.
Kalua pork is a traditional Hawaiian dish. Kalua is a Hawaiian cooking method that utilizes an imu, a type of underground oven, to cook. Traditionally, a large pit is dug and a fire is started in the bottom. Stones are then placed on top of the fire so that they can get really hot. The stones are then covered with a type of vegetation (often banana leaves).
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The meat is then heavily salted and wrapped in additional banana leaves and placed on top. It is then covered with more leaves and finally, soil, to ensure the steam does not escape. The pork is then cooked for at least 8 hours until it is tender and delicious. The smoky, salty pork is often served at luaus (and at a lot of restaurants in Hawaii).
The long and short of it is, kalua pork is simply delicious. If you ever get the chance to eat Kalua Pork cooked in the traditional Hawaiian way, I highly recommend it! If not, I highly recommend this Instant Pot Kalua Pork!
The flavor in the pork is not overwhelming, so it is easy to use it in a lot of different dishes (or just eat it on its own)!
I live in the arctic tundra (aka Minnesota), so I won’t be digging any pit to smoke meat for 8 hours (nor do I have the time to complete that kind of a task), so I am going to use my kitchen device that significantly cuts down on cooking time: my Instant Pot!!
How Many Ingredients Do I Need?
This recipe is so easy – you only need THREE ingredients (and one of them is the pork).
- pork shoulder or pork butt (I prefer boneless)
- liquid smoke
- coarse Hawaiian sea salt
In order to get the smoky flavor, without actually smoking it, you use liquid smoke. You also don’t want to use just any salt – you want coarse Hawaiian sea salt. It has a slightly different flavor than table sodium chloride (NaCl aka salt – sorry I had to – I AM a former Chemistry teacher after all)! You only add the water so that you have enough liquid in your Instant Pot so that it can reach the correct temperature.
How to Serve Kalua Pork:
- with a side of white rice, coleslaw and diced pineapple
- in tacos with pineapple salsa (I have a great recipe for this salsa here)
- on top of nachos with all the fixings
- on a sandwich (Sweet Hawaiian rolls are delicious) topped with your favorite barbecue sauce
Instant Pot Kalua Pork
Ingredients
- 3 lbs pork shoulder or pork butt
- 1 Tbsp liquid smoke
- 1 Tbsp coarse Hawaiian sea salt
- ½ cup water
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Cut the pork into two pieces.3 lbs pork shoulder or pork butt
- Add water and liquid smoke to the Instant Pot and stir.½ cup water, 1 Tbsp liquid smoke
- Put the 2 pieces of pork into the liquid.
- Pierce the meat all over with a fork and sprinkle the salt on top.1 Tbsp coarse Hawaiian sea salt
- Lock the lid in place and turn the steam release valve to “Sealing” position.
- Select “Pressure Cook” and set to “High” for 90 minutes.
- Once the pork has cooked for 90 minutes, let the pressure release naturally.
- After 20 minutes, manually release any remaining pressure.
- Remove pork from the Instant Pot and shred. Return the pork back to the Instant pot and let it soak up some of the juices before serving.
Crockpot Instructions
- Cut the pork into two pieces and place into the Crock Pot.3 lbs pork shoulder or pork butt
- Pierce the meat all over with a fork and drizzle the liquid smoke on top.1 Tbsp liquid smoke
- Sprinkle the salt on top of the meat (you do not need to use the water in the Crock Pot recipe).1 Tbsp coarse Hawaiian sea salt
- Place the cover on top and cook on “Low” until the meat is tender, about 12 to 16 hours.
- When the pork is cooked, remove it from the Crock Pot and shred. Return the pork back to the Crock Pot and let it soak up some of the juices before serving.
There’s a secret ingredient you forgot!
After the pork is cooked, shredded and the seasoning is adjusted try adding a bit of oyster sauce.
If you’re not familiar with oyster sauce, sample a bit of pork & sauce first.
Note: Salt & liquid smoke can always be adjusted after cooking without hurting your dish. Use this recipe as a guideline but don’t be afraid to add seasoning as needed. Don’t let your kalua be bland!
Oooo love the addition of the oyster sauce – thanks for sharing!
I’ve tried both, and if you have the time, the slower cooker method turns out a little better. Both have good flavor!
I totally agree – the crockpot really brings out the best flavor!
My son requested this for his tenth birthday after eating it at the cooking class hosted by you! I made it overnight in the crock pot with bone in pork shoulder. It fell apart after 13 hours on low and the flavor was so amazing considering how short the ingredient list is. Thank you for the delicious recipe!
Okay, this makes me SO happy! I’m so glad the birthday boy enjoyed it. Please wish him happy (belated) birthday!