Pineapple Pulled Pork

*This Pineapple Pulled Pork is hearty and so delicious! Lots of barbecue sauce and diced pineapple provide layers of delicious sweet and spicy flavor.*

Who’s watching the Super Bowl this Sunday?! Although I’m no football expert, I feel like I can pretty much hold my own when it comes to understanding what’s going on on the field. It definitely helps that my boyfriend Adam is basically an expert on all things sports related. And I’m always a fan of those big-deal, buzzworthy athletic events, like the World Series or the Olympics. Something about the camaraderie, and the competition – I just love it. While for many of you, I’m sure, the commercials and the food are the two best parts of the weekend – which is something I can definitely get behind!

When I was little, my mom would always make a big pot of Mexican-style slow cooked pork for the Super Bowl. My brother and dad would crowd around the TV to watch the game, but I was typically more interested in hanging out with my mom in the kitchen. And when the meat was ready, we’d all eagerly pile it on top of corn chips with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream for the best game-day food you can imagine.

So, here’s the thing. I don’t typically make recipes like that. And by ‘like that,’ I mean all meaty and meat filled and loaded with lots and lots of meat. Beef bourguignon, pot roast, barbecued ribs – I’d like to be able to whip up these dishes with ease, to get that perfect tender, rich, savory balance every time. And I’m sure Adam (a real meat-lover) wouldn’t mind, either. I’m just not there yet. But, if anything, the Super Bowl calls for meat! So today, I’m taking a deep breath and diving in with this pineapple pulled pork. This stovetop recipe takes a couple hours, but is so simple and almost entirely hands-off. And a combination of pre-made barbecue sauce and pineapple chunks makes it easy to add many layers of flavor! With this first success under my belt, I see many more meat-filled endeavors in my future. Let me know in the comments – what are your favorite dishes for the Super Bowl?

Pineapple Pulled Pork

Servings: 8
Difficulty: Easy
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This Pineapple Pulled Pork is hearty and so delicious! Lots of barbecue sauce and diced pineapple provide layers of delicious sweet and spicy flavor.

I used Dos Equis lager, but feel free to use water instead.
This pulled pork is great served as sliders, in tacos, or simply paired with rice and veggies.

Ingredients

2 pounds pork shoulder, in large chunks
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced pineapple
1 cup barbecue sauce
2 cups beer or water

Directions

Rub pork chunks with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Add pork and cook, turning to get every side, until nice and browned, about ten minutes.
Add pineapple, barbecue sauce, and beer and stir to combine.
Let liquid come to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and let cook, covered, stirring every now and then, until meat is super tender, about three hours.
Remove meat to a cutting board. Let sauce continue to simmer, covered, over medium-low heat.
Use two forks to shred meat.
Return shredded meat to the pot and stir to combine, then serve.

The Millennial Cook