Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pork

Tender pork tenderloin absorbs tropical pineapple sweetness and warm ginger spice while slow-cooking with colorful bell peppers into a juicy, restaurant-quality meal. The combination of paprika and aromatic garlic creates a savory backbone that keeps this from tasting too sweet, balancing the fruit perfectly. It's perfect for busy weeknights when you want something that tastes like you fussed all day.

Ingredients

1.25 lbs pork tenderloin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp ground ginger

20 oz canned pineapple chunks, drained

2 bell peppers, thinly sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup barbecue sauce

1 tbsp lime juice

1.5 tbsp cornstarch

1.5 tbsp water

Olive oil spray

Instructions

Trim the excess fat off the pork loin, if any.

Preheat a frying pan over medium-high heat.

Combine the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and ginger in a small bowl and rub it all over the pork loin.

Add olive oil spray to the frying pan and sear the seasoned pork for a few minutes on all sides (the pork will not be cooked through; this is just for flavor and color).

Add the seared pork loin to the bottom of the slow cooker.

Thinly slice the peppers and onion, and mince the garlic.

Drain the juice from the pineapple chunks.

Add the peppers, onion, garlic, and pineapple to the slow cooker on top of the pork.

In a separate bowl, combine the applesauce, ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, barbecue sauce, and lime juice. Pour the sauce over the pork and mix everything so that the sauce coats all the ingredients.

Slow cook on high for 3 hours, or low for 6 hours.

Remove the pork from the slow cooker and cut it into small pieces or shred it.

Mix the cornstarch with the water and add it to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.

Return the cut or shredded pork to the slow cooker and cook for another hour on high.