Name: Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Pork
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 h
Total time: 5 h 15 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1 small yellow onion, diced; 16 oz. fresh pineapple, cut into 1” chunks; ¼ c. gluten-free soy sauce*; 2 t. rice wine vinegar; 1 T. honey; 1 T. sesame oil; 2-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced; 2 t. five-spice powder; 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1” chunks; 1 medium jalapeno pepper, finely diced; 2 T. natural, creamy peanut butter; 2 T. extra virgin olive oil; 4 pounds pork shoulder butt roast, uncooked, trimmed; Salt and black pepper, to taste; ¼ c. fresh pineapple juice; 3 T. fresh cilantro, chopped; Optional: 2 T. arrowroot

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Craving some Sweet and Sour Pork for dinner but you don’t want to order carry-out? How about making Sweet and Sour Pork in your slow cooker?

You will find that not only will you know what exactly is in your dinner, but you will enjoy having leftovers that are easy to warm back up the next day.

This deliciously sweet and savory dish is sure to become a new family favorite. Here, fresh pineapple and spicy jalapeno are paired with toasted sesame oil, five-spice powder, creamy peanut butter, and fresh cilantro for a rich and flavorful combination.

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Is this sweet and sour pork recipe easy?

Of course, it is easy! As written, this 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.

Is Slow Cooker Pineapple pork spicy?

Since this recipe includes five-spice powder and a jalapeno pepper you may find it is a bit spicier to some than others.

You might wonder what is Five-Spice Powder? With its distinct licorice type flavor, five-spice powder has star anise, with warm and sweet flavors from the fennel and cinnamon.

But unlike sugar, it has a spicy undertone. Some varieties of five-spice recipes call for Chinese cinnamon or cassia, which is a close cousin of true cinnamon. But you will find it has a more zesty flavor.

How to make Pineapple Pork

First of all, make sure you 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.

Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Pork

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes

Craving some Sweet and Sour Pork for dinner but you don't want to order carry-out? How about making Sweet and Sour Pork in your slow cooker?

Ingredients

1 small yellow onion, diced
16 oz. fresh pineapple, cut into 1” chunks
¼ c. gluten-free soy sauce*
2 t. rice wine vinegar
1 T. honey
1 T. sesame oil
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 t. five-spice powder
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1” chunks
1 medium jalapeno pepper, finely diced
2 T. natural, creamy peanut butter
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
4 pounds pork shoulder butt roast, uncooked, trimmed
Salt and black pepper, to taste
¼ c. fresh pineapple juice
3 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
Optional: 2 T. arrowroot

Instructions

Add onion, fresh pineapple chunks, soy sauce (*can substitute coconut aminos), rice wine vinegar, honey, sesame oil, garlic, five-spice powder, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, and peanut butter to a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker crock. 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 crock.
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 or white rice. Top with the juices or thickened sauce, if desired, and enjoy!

Notes

Depending on your schedule the day you make this, if you are home you can do 3 hours on high or if you will be away all-day then you can always set it on low for 8 hours.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 1283Total Fat 68gSaturated Fat 23gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 38gCholesterol 260mgSodium 945mgCarbohydrates 99gFiber 11gSugar 73gProtein 76g

These recipes are calculated as a courtesy. They are not intended as medical advice or guaranteed accurate. Please do your own calculations if necessary.

Try these other tasty Asian style recipes in the slow cooker:

Here are some other Asian style recipes that you might like. When I get a craving for takeout I head to my slow cooker recipes for options I can make at home.

Try out these beef ribs, delicious beef and broccoli, and some amazing meatball recipes!