Are We In Hawaii?

Healthy Hump Day Recipe

Seth and I are not parents of a child yet, but we are proud parents of a puppy. Our baby girl turned 1 year old in late June, and we wanted to celebrate with all of her puppy friends and their owners! Well, let's be honest, it really was just an excuse to get some friends together, but we did have about 8 dogs in our tiny townhouse during the festivities. We knew to expect a crowd, so I instantly turned to the crock pot for a tasty dinner to serve all of the puppy-party-goers. Seth and I love pulled pork and know that it is always a crowd pleaser, but I wanted to do a spin-off of the classic barbeque pulled pork and sweeten it up in a bit of a healthier way. Pineapple is the key ingredient that makes this barbecue pulled pork recipe stand out from others, and I think this is going to become a staple in our family. As with any slow cooker pulled pork recipe, the pork was so tender and really took on all of the flavors of the spice rub as well as the sweetness of the pineapple. We served it as a sandwich, over the homemade coleslaw (recipe to come!), or alone, all of which were delicious. Each bite was full of flavor and melted in your mouth that made you feel like you should have been on the beaches of Hawaii. This recipe will definitely leave you craving seconds, and since it is a healthier version of barbeque pork, that's ok! Even the puppies were interested in what we were eating, but thankfully they had their own party treats to stay distracted with (recipe to come!). There barely any leftovers, so I think it's safe to say it was a hit. Give this recipe a shot!

Pineapple Pulled Pork

Ingredients
-5lb pork shoulder
-1 chopped sweet onion
-2 tbsp light brown sugar
-2 tsp paprika
-1 tsp salt
-1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
-1/3 cup worcestershire sauce
-2 tbsp dijon mustard
-1 tbsp minced garlic
-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
-1 20oz can pineapple chunks

Directions
1. Cut layers of fat off of pork shoulder. (You won't miss the flavor as there is a ton of flavor put into this recipe, and you'll instantly make it a healthier meal.)
2. Place onion on bottom of slow cooker.
3. Mix brown sugar, paprika, and salt together in a small bowl and massage it into all sides of the pork shoulder.
4. Drain the canned pineapple and pour chunks on top of the pork.
5. Mix vinegar, worcestershire, mustard, garlic, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl and pour it over the pork.
6. Cook on low for 8hrs or high for 5hrs.
7. Remove pork from slow cooker and pull apart using 2 large forks. Return back to slow cooker and simmer in the sauce for 30min.

*Slow cooker recipes that use spices for a rub and wet ingredients for a liquid base are healthier choices than recipes that use pre-packaged seasoning mixes that are loaded with unnecessary sodium and bottled liquid bases that are loaded with corn syrup or other unnecessary sugars.