Perfect Pineapple Pulled Pork Tacos
Living in Austin, TX we are alllll about the tacos. Al pastor, migas, barbacoa and chicken… you name it, we love it!
But how to achieve perfectly tender, melt in your mouth meat in the peak of summer? After all, rule #1 to making the summer bearable (especially if you don’t have A/C!!): avoid the oven at all costs.
That’s where the slow cooker comes in.
These slow cooker pineapple pulled pork tacos are a little sweet and a little savory for the perfect flavor combo.
They might just be the perfect Texas summer solution!
Why We Love This Pulled Pork Recipe
- It’s VERY hands off, saving you time.
- It makes the most incredibly tender meat.
- The meat absorbs a ton of that delicious sauce (kind of like marinating and cooking all in one!)
Ingredients and Substitution
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Pork tenderloin. Tenderloin is the best cut of meat for these tacos. It gets super tender and absorbs so much flavor. It’s also easy to shred before serving. Other cuts may work, but steer clear of super fatty types. If you choose a bone-in cut, be sure to remove the bone before shredding. You might need to adjust the cooking time depending on the cut, as well.
- Pineapple. Canned pineapple is important for this recipe because you also want the juice. If you want to go with fresh pineapple, you’ll need to add extra liquid, like pineapple juice.
- Preserves. Apricot preserves are used while cooking the meat and in the barbecue sauce. You can sub in another type, like peach or mango, but the flavor will be a little different.
- Toppings. Of course, you’ll need all the fixings to build the tacos. I recommend corn tortillas, but you can choose flour. Goat cheese is delicious on top, along with cilantro and green onions. But you can also go with salsa or avocados.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Slow cook the meat.
Place pork tenderloins in a slow cooker. Whisk together the pineapple juice (save the chunks), soy sauce, preserves, garlic powder, and pepper. Pour over the pork—it’s fine if it’s not fully submerged.
Cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 4–6 hours. Shred with two forks during the last 30 minutes.
Make the sauce.
The best way to make the sauce is in a food processor. Add the ketchup, reserved pineapple chunks, apricot preserves, brown sugar, white wine vinegar, and lime juice to the bowl.
Purée the ingredients until the sauce is smooth. Make sure there are no chunks of pineapple left.
Serve the tacos.
When the meat is done and the sauce is ready, it’s time to dig in!
Drain off the excess liquid from the shredded pork in the slow cooker. Then, pile some meat along with the homemade sauce in a corn tortilla with your favorite toppings.
FAQs
If you have leftover tacos, you can easily save them for another day. Store the meat, sauce, and toppings separately for the best results. The pork should last in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze the pork for up to 5 to 6 months.
When you’re ready to warm the tacos back up, add the pork to a saucepan and heat it over medium until it’s warmed through. You can also use the microwave. The sauce can be enjoyed warm or cold, as well.
If you’d like to speed things up and use a pressure cooker, you simply need to make a few adjustments. Cut the pork into 2 to 3 inch chunks, and be sure the sauce gets under the meat to avoid a burn notice. Cook on high pressure for 30 to 35 minutes.
What to serve with it?
Don’t forget your favorite toppings for these easy tacos!
- Chopped Cilantro, Chopped Green Onions and Diced Avocado are easy additions.
- Pico de Gallo, Pineapple Pico de Gallo, Roasted Tomato Salsa, and Tomatillo Salsa Verde are fun spicy salsa additions.
- Cheese, like goat cheese, cheddar cheese, or queso fresca.
- Or even an easy fish taco slaw without mayo would taste delicious with the pineapple on these tacos!
Wash it down with a Watermelon Margarita, Mango Margarita, or a Cadillac Margarita!
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Pineapple Pulled Pork Tacos (Slow Cooker Recipe)
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Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds pork tenderloin
- 20 ounces canned pineapple chunks with juice
- ¼ cup Tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Pineapple BBQ Sauce:
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ¾ cup reserved pineapple chunks
- 3 tablespoons apricot preserves
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
For Serving:
- 16 corn tortillas
- Cilantro, crumbled goat cheese, thinly sliced green onions optional toppings
Instructions
- Place pork tenderloins in a large crockpot.2.5 pounds pork tenderloin
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together pineapple juice from can, ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 Tbsp. apricot preserves, ½ tsp. garlic powder, and ½ tsp. pepper. Pour over pork tenderloins and add all but ¾ cup pineapple chunks. Set aside remaining pineapple.¼ cup Tamari or soy sauce, 2 tablespoons apricot preserves, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Set the slow cooker to LOW and cook for 6-8 hours.
- During the last 30 minutes shred pork while it’s still in the crockpot using two forks. Let cook for the remaining time.
- Meanwhile, make the pineapple BBQ sauce. Combine all ingredients, including the reserved ¾ cup pineapple chunks, in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. If you like your BBQ sauce hot, heat it up in a small saucepan before serving.¾ cup ketchup, ¾ cup reserved pineapple chunks, 3 tablespoons apricot preserves, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Drain excess liquid from the shredded pork in the slow cooker.
- Serve pork in corn tortillas with cilantro, goat cheese, green onions and pineapple sauce. Enjoy!16 corn tortillas, Cilantro, crumbled goat cheese, thinly sliced green onions
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Notes
- Yield: Serving size is for 2 tacos with corn tortillas.
- Cooking: While you can cook this on high, the meat won’t be as tender.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I have a 2.5 lb pork shoulder. Can I use that instead of tenderloins?
Hi Brad! While I haven’t personally done this, you’ll likely just need to increase the cooking time to adjust for the tougher cut of meat. Aim for 8 to 10 hours on low. Let me know how it goes!
Husband said they were phenomenal! I’ve been hanging onto this recipe for a long time and I can’t believe how good they are! We will definitely be making these again.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Kaci! It’s always great when husbands love it. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
How long if I wanted to do this in my Instant Pot? Also, same amount of liquid?
Hi Stacey! I haven’t personally tried cooking this in my Instant Pot, but I would guess that you could keep the liquid the same and cook at high pressure for 30-40 minutes. You could cook it even faster if you cut the tenderloin into 2-inch chunks. Let me know how it goes!