Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pork Chops

These Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pork Chops are sweet, savory, tender, and full of pineapple flavor. You get juicy pork chops, soft pineapple, and a glossy sauce with very little hands-on work. Everything cooks in one crockpot, so this is a great recipe for a relaxed family dinner.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 4–5 hours on LOW or 2–3 hours on HIGH
Total time: About 4 hours 15 minutes to 5 hours 15 minutes

Why I Love This Recipe

I love meals that smell good long before dinner is ready. This is one of those recipes. A few hours after the crockpot starts cooking, the kitchen smells like pineapple, garlic, and a sweet-savory sauce.

The pork chops slowly soak up all that flavor. The pineapple adds sweetness, while soy sauce keeps the dish from becoming too sweet. Then a simple cornstarch mixture turns the cooking liquid into a silky sauce.

There is also very little work once everything is in the crockpot. That makes it especially handy on a busy day.

• Most of the cooking is hands-off.
• You only need simple, easy-to-find ingredients.
• Pineapple gives the sauce natural sweetness and a bright flavor.
• The pork becomes tender without needing to stand over a pan.
• The thick sauce is great spooned over rice.

What You’ll Need

• 4 boneless pork chops, about 1 inch thick, about 6 ounces each
• 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks in pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice, reserved from the can
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Recipe and Instructions

Step 1: Add the Pork Chops

Place 4 boneless pork chops, about 1 inch thick and about 6 ounces each, in the bottom of a black oval crockpot. Keep them in one even layer as much as possible. A little overlap is fine.

Step 2: Make the Hawaiian Sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice, 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce, 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Keep whisking until most of the brown sugar dissolves.

Step 3: Add Everything to the Crockpot

Scatter 1/2 cup diced onion and 2 cloves minced garlic over the 4 raw pork chops. Add all the pineapple chunks from the drained 20-ounce can. Pour the sauce from Step 2 evenly over everything.

Cover the crockpot with its lid.

Step 4: Slow Cook Until Tender

Cover and cook the pork chops on LOW for 4–5 hours or HIGH for 2–3 hours.

Start checking near the early end of the cooking time, especially if your pork chops are thinner. The pork should reach at least 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part. For a slow-cooker texture, the chops may cook beyond that temperature and become more tender.

Step 5: Thicken the Sauce

Carefully move the 4 cooked pork chops to a plate.

In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water until completely smooth. Stir this slurry into the hot pineapple cooking liquid in the crockpot.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 10–15 minutes, or until the sauce looks glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.

Step 6: Finish and Serve

Return the 4 cooked pork chops to the crockpot and spoon the thick pineapple sauce and pineapple chunks over them. Let them warm for about 2 minutes.

Move the pork chops to a round white serving plate. Spoon the pineapple sauce over the top and finish with 2 thinly sliced green onions. Serve while warm.

Why This Recipe Works (Quick Science)

Pork chops can dry out when they cook too long. Using thick chops gives you a little more room for error. Slow cooking also surrounds the pork with moist heat and flavorful liquid.

Pineapple juice brings sweetness and acidity. Soy sauce adds salt and savory flavor. Brown sugar rounds out the sauce and helps give it a deeper, richer taste.

Cornstarch is added near the end because it thickens liquid when heated. Mixing it with cold water first keeps it from forming little lumps in the sauce.

Pro Tips

• Use pork chops that are about 1 inch thick. Thin chops can become dry much faster.
• Start checking the pork at the low end of the cooking range. Slow cookers can run at different temperatures.
• Use pineapple packed in juice, not heavy syrup. Syrup can make the finished sauce overly sweet.
• Don’t add the cornstarch straight to the crockpot. Mix it with cold water first.
• If your family likes a less sweet sauce, reduce the brown sugar to 1/4 cup.

Tools You’ll Need

• Black oval slow cooker or crockpot, about 5–6 quarts
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Small mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Cutting board
• Chef’s knife
• Tongs
• Spoon
• Instant-read meat thermometer
• Round serving plate

Common Mistakes

• Using very thin pork chops: They can finish cooking long before the sauce develops its flavor.
• Cooking only by the clock: Slow cookers vary, so check the pork rather than assuming it needs the full time.
• Using pineapple syrup: It can make the sauce much sweeter than intended.
• Adding dry cornstarch to the sauce: It can turn into stubborn white lumps.
• Adding the slurry too early: Cornstarch works best here at the end of cooking.
• Lifting the lid again and again: Each peek lets heat escape and can increase the cooking time.

Substitutions and Variations

• Bone-in pork chops: These work too. Cooking time may be a little longer.
• Pineapple rings: Cut them into bite-size pieces before adding them.
• Fresh pineapple: You can use it, but canned pineapple gives you both the fruit and the measured juice needed for the sauce.
• Tamari: Use it instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free version, but check every product label.
• Apple cider vinegar: It can replace the rice vinegar.
• Fresh ginger: Replace 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger with about 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger.
• Spicy version: Add crushed red pepper flakes or a little sriracha to taste.

What to Serve With

These pork chops have plenty of sauce, so rice is an easy choice.

• Steamed white or brown rice
• Coconut rice
• Mashed potatoes
• Roasted broccoli
• Steamed green beans
• Roasted carrots
• Simple cabbage slaw
• Cauliflower rice

Make-Ahead Tips

You can mix the pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger, and pepper up to 2 days ahead. Keep the sauce covered in the refrigerator.

You can also dice the onion and mince the garlic ahead of time. Store them in sealed containers in the refrigerator.

For food safety, keep raw pork refrigerated and separate from ready-to-eat ingredients until you are ready to cook.

Macros Information

Approximate nutrition for 1 serving, or 1/4 of the recipe, without rice or side dishes:

• Calories: about 440
• Protein: about 40 g
• Carbohydrates: about 48 g
• Fat: about 10 g
• Fiber: about 2 g
• Sugar: about 38 g
• Sodium: about 1,050 mg

These numbers are estimates. The exact macros will change with the size and cut of the pork chops, the brand of soy sauce, how much sauce you eat, and any substitutions.

Leftovers and Storage

Let leftovers cool, then put the pork chops, pineapple, and sauce in an airtight container. Refrigerate them for up to 3–4 days.

Reheat the pork gently with some sauce so it stays moist. You can use the microwave in short bursts or warm it in a covered pan over low heat.

For longer storage, freeze the cooked pork and sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 2–3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

FAQ

Q: Can I put frozen pork chops straight into the slow cooker?
A: It is better to thaw them completely in the refrigerator first. Starting with thawed pork helps it cook more evenly and safely.

Q: Can I use bone-in pork chops?
A: Yes. Thick bone-in chops work well, although they may need a little more cooking time.

Q: Why did my pork chops turn out dry?
A: They probably cooked too long, or the chops were too thin. Use chops around 1 inch thick and start checking them at the early end of the cooking range.

Q: Do I have to brown the pork first?
A: No. Browning can add extra flavor, but this recipe is designed to work without that extra step.

Q: Can I leave out the brown sugar?
A: You can reduce it, but removing all of it will change the balance of the sauce. Try 1/4 cup first if you prefer a less sweet dish.

Q: Why isn’t my sauce thick?
A: Make sure you use the full 2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold water. After adding it, cook the sauce on HIGH until it becomes hot enough to thicken.

Q: Can I double the recipe?
A: You can if your slow cooker is large enough to hold everything without being overcrowded. A very full crockpot can change the cooking time.

Final Thoughts

Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pork Chops give you a lot of flavor without a lot of work. The sweet pineapple, savory pork, soft onion, and thick sauce come together into a cozy meal that goes especially well with a big scoop of rice.

Give it a try the next time you want dinner cooking while you get on with your day. When you make it, leave a comment and share how it turned out, what you served with it, or any questions you have.