Slow Cooker Pineapple Pork Loin Recipe

Make this Crock pot Pineapple Pork Loin with simple pantry staples and turn a basic pork loin into a tender, saucy plate of pineapple pulled pork. Let your slow cooker do the work—this is an easy weeknight favorite that yields delicious leftovers.

Pork loin is a reliable roast to keep on hand: large enough to feed a group, lean, and easy to repurpose the next day. This slow cooker pineapple pork loin delivers big flavor with minimal effort. A quick spice rub and sear, a few hours in the crock pot with pineapple and soy sauce, and you’ll have pull-apart pork with a silky sauce to spoon over rice, sliders, or tacos.

Prepare the pork, set the slow cooker, and use the reserved cooking juices to make a simple sauce in five minutes. Serve over rice, on Hawaiian rolls, or however your family likes it. This recipe is forgiving, adaptable, and perfect for meal prep.

Pork Loin vs. Pork Tenderloin

It’s important to choose the correct cut. Pork loin and pork tenderloin are not interchangeable for this recipe.

• Pork Loin – A lean, wide roast that’s ideal for low-and-slow cooking. For this recipe use a boneless pork loin roast (top loin or center loin) with a fat cap if possible—fat helps keep the roast moist during the long cook.
• Pork Tenderloin – A small, very tender cut (about 1 pound) that cooks quickly at high heat. It should be used in recipes designed for tenderloin rather than a slow cooker pulled-pork preparation.

Pro tip: Choose a pork loin with a noticeable white fat cap for better flavor and moisture.

Pineapple Pork Loin Ingredients

This recipe relies on only a few common ingredients to build sweet-savory flavor. Keep canned pineapple on hand and you can make this anytime.

• 3–4 pound boneless pork loin (look for a fat cap)
• Soy sauce – about 1/2 cup
• One can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks in 100% juice
• Sweet onion – about 2/3 cup diced (roughly 1/2 an onion)
• Ground ginger, paprika, onion powder, salt, pepper
• Oil – for searing
• Cornstarch – 1 tablespoon for a slurry plus 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water

Pro tip: If you don’t have a sweet onion, red onion plus 1/2 tablespoon honey will work in a pinch.

How to Make Pineapple Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker

This isn’t quite “dump and go,” but the extra five minutes to finish a sauce is worth it. Follow these streamlined steps for tender, shreddable pork and a glossy, spoonable sauce.

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, mix 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1 teaspoon ground ginger.
2. Pat the pork loin dry and rub the spice mix all over. When the pan is hot, sear the loin on all sides, starting with the fat side down, until browned—about 3–4 minutes per side.
3. Dice the onion while the pork sears. Open the pineapple and pour the juice into a bowl; combine the pineapple juice with 1/2 cup soy sauce (you should have about 3/4 cup juice total).
4. Place half the pineapple chunks in the bottom of the slow cooker. Set the seared pork loin on top, fat side up. Add the remaining pineapple and the diced onion, then pour the pineapple juice/soy sauce mixture over everything.
5. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, until the pork shreds easily with a fork.
6. Remove the pork and set aside. Strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Reserve some pineapple chunks for serving.
7. Whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry. Slowly whisk the slurry into the simmering sauce and stir until it thickens into a glossy gravy.
8. Shred the pork, toss with some of the sauce, and serve with the reserved pineapple chunks and extra sauce on the side.

It shreds beautifully and the sauce adds a sweet-savory finish. Save extra sauce for sandwiches, rice bowls, or to freeze in small portions for later use.

Pro tip: A food processor makes quick work of dicing the onion evenly.

FAQ

Eat & Enjoy!

This is a versatile family-friendly recipe—kids tend to love the sweet notes from the pineapple. Leftovers make excellent tacos, sliders on Hawaiian rolls, or quick rice bowls. It’s an easy, crowd-pleasing meal to add to your dinner rotation. Happy cooking!

Recipe snapshot

• Prep time: 15 mins
• Cook time: 5 hrs
• Total time: 5 hrs 20 mins
• Servings: 8
• Calories: 339 kcal per serving

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 lb pork loin
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 20 ounces pineapple chunks in 100% juice
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2/3 cup diced sweet onion (about 1/2 an onion)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 1/2 tbsp cold water (for slurry)

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Mix salt, paprika, onion powder, and ginger.
2. Pat pork dry and rub with the spice mixture.
3. Sear the pork until browned on all sides, starting with the fat side down (3–4 minutes per side).
4. Dice the onion. Combine soy sauce with the pineapple juice from the can (about 3/4 cup total juice).
5. Place half the pineapple chunks in the slow cooker, set the seared pork on top fat-side up, add remaining pineapple and diced onion, and pour the soy/pineapple juice over everything.
6. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, until the pork shreds easily.
7. Strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan, bring to a simmer, reserve some pineapple chunks for serving.
8. Whisk cornstarch with cold water and slowly whisk into simmering sauce until thickened.
9. Shred the pork, serve with reserved pineapple chunks and sauce.

Notes

*Do NOT discard the pineapple juice — it’s essential to the flavor and sauce.