Kalua Pork Slow Cooker High

Wow. Bite for bite, I honestly don't think I can come up with an easier recipe than Slow Cooker Kalua Pig. All you need is a big pork roast, a few slices of bacon, Hawaiian Sea Salt, and PATIENCE!

An overhead shot of a bowl of Slow Cooker Kalua Pig

Remember—quality matters when you're using just 3 ingredients. (If you don't have 16 hours to spare, check out my Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Kalua Pig recipe!)

A collage of the cooking steps for Slow Cooker Kalua Pig.

Here's what I gathered to feed 8 people:

3 slices of bacon
5 pound Boston butt roast bone-in or out—it doesn't matter)
1½ tablespoons of Alaea Red Hawaiian Coarse Sea Salt (or ~1 tablespoon of Alaea Red Hawaiian Fine Sea Salt)
5 peeled garlic cloves (optional)

Here's how I made it:

I lined the slow cooker with 3 slices of bacon…

Three slices of raw bacon on the bottom of a slow cooker

…and used a knife to remove the skin from the roast. (You don't have to do this, though. Feel free to leave the skin on if you're in a lazy state of mind. I won't tell.)

Next, I weighed the pork so I could estimate how much salt to use.

Weighing a pork shoulder roast and a closeup of Hawaiian Red alaea salt on the right.

Normally, I liberally salt my roasts like it's raining cats and dogs. But in this case, I wanted to be more judicious in my seasoning 'cause the long cooking time will concentrate the salt. In the end, I followed Judy Rodger's rule of thumb: use ¾ teaspoon of medium-coarse salt for every 1 pound of meat. (Using fine salt? Use about half that amount.)

Then, I cut some slits into the meat and tucked in the garlic cloves…

A closeup shot of inserting a whole garlic clove in a pork shoulder roast

…and salted the pork all over.

Sprinkling Hawaiian red alea salt on pork shoulder roast.

Then, I placed the roast on top of the bacon in my trusty slow cooker , skin-side up.

On the left, a slow cooker is shown and on the right is seasoned pork shoulder roast inside the slow cooker

I plopped on the lid and cooked the roast on low for about 16 hours. (Note: newer slow cookers are hotter and may only require 9-12 hours on the low setting.) Don't add any liquid!

When the pork was finished cooking, I removed the meat and shredded it with two forks.

Shredding Slow Cooker Kalua Pig with two forks

I checked the pork for seasoning and adjusted it with the cooking liquid that remained at the bottom of the pot. Don't just shred the meat in the cooking liquid—it'll be too salty!

A closeup of shredded Slow Cooker Kalua Pig in a blue bowl

Pow!

Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You'll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let's Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).

PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Slow Cooker Kalua Pig

Bite for bite, this may be my easiest and tastiest recipe ever. All you need is a big pork roast, a few slices of bacon, Hawaiian Sea Salt, and patience!

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 12 hrs

Total Time 12 hrs 15 mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Hawaiian

Keyword: Crock pot, gluten-free, keto, low carb, Make-ahead, paleo, pork, Primal, slow cooker, Whole30

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 293 kcal

3 bacon slices
5 pounds Pork shoulder roast bone-in or bone-out
1½ tablespoons Alaea Red Hawaiian Coarse Sea Salt or ~1 tablespoon Alaea Red Hawaiian Fine Sea Salt
5 peeled garlic cloves optional

Line a slow cooker with 3 slices of bacon. If desired, use a knife to remove the skin from the roast.
Weighed the pork so you can estimate how much salt to use. Follow Judy Rodger's rule of thumb: use ¾ teaspoon of medium-coarse salt for every 1 pound of meat. (Using fine salt? Use about half that amount.)
Then, cut some slits into the meat and tucked in the garlic cloves. Salt the pork all over, and then place the roast on top of the bacon in the slow cooker, skin-side up.
Cover with the lid and cook the roast on low for about 16 hours. (Note: newer slow cookers are hotter and may only require 9-12 hours on the low setting.) Don't add any liquid!
When the pork is finished cooking, remove the meat and shred it with two forks. Check the pork for seasoning and adjust with the cooking liquid that remains at the bottom of the pot. Don't just shred the meat in the cooking liquid—it'll be too salty.
Serve!

Calories: 293 kcal | Carbohydrates: 1 g | Protein: 35 g | Fat: 16 g | Fiber: 1 g

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