Instant Pot Hawaiian Kalua Pork

Last Updated on April 15, 2022 by Karen

Smoky, tender, succulent Hawaiian kalua pork made in the Instant Pot, this dish is perfect for serving with rice, macaroni salad, in sandwiches, nachos, pizzas, and more!

I can’t believe that I’ve been blogging for such a long time and have never shared this kalua pork recipe! After all, this juicy and tender kalua pork is one of my favorite things to eat. I never get tired of it and always wish I had more leftovers for using it in other dishes.

Have I mentioned before that I love my Instant Pot? I think I may have…a time or ten. But did you know that one of my favorite things to cook in the Instant Pot is pork?

I used to make this dish in the slow cooker, and it’s a low and slow process. But when you’re trying to prep dinner in the morning and get caught up with other things, sometimes you just need dinner to be done quicker. If you happen to agree, you are going to love what I have in store for you today!

With this Instant Pot recipe, it’s done under 2 hours with hardly any hands-on time, instead of 8+ hours in the slow cooker.

One of the things I love about this Hawaiian kalua pork recipe is how versatile it is. The potential delicious serving combinations are truly never-ending. So when I ended up with some leftover last week, I decided that it just might make go well as a quesadilla filling. And I was totally right about that!

The pork itself is so easy to make that I’m almost embarrassed to call it a recipe. All you do is brown the pieces of pork butt, then throw it into the Instant Pot with some water and few other ingredients. That’s it.

And then, since your whole day has been freed up by the wonder that is the Instant Pot, you should go ahead and invest a tad bit of time into making a batch of homemade barbecue sauce and some creamy, crunchy coleslaw or macaroni salad to go with your heavenly kalua pork.

Hawaiian Kalua Pork Recipe Ingredients

• Pork butt: You’ll need about 5 lbs, boneless or bone-in (no change needed to the cooking time).
• Olive oil: This is used for browning the pork.
• Garlic: This is optional, but I like to add few cloves of minced garlic for extra flavor.
• Liquid smoke: Gives the dish a nice smoky flavor, don’t add too much though.
• Green cabbage: Cut into wedges and wait until the end to add so it doesn’t get too mushy. This is optional, but makes a great veggie side dish.
• Salt and pepper: Season to taste.

Scroll down below for full printable recipe with ingredient amounts.

How to make Hawaiian Kalua Pork

Once you have all of your ingredients chopped and prepped, cooking this dish is easier than you think.

• Brown the pork.
• Add water, garlic, and liquid smoke to the Instant Pot. Cook under High pressure for 90 minutes, then natural release.
• Remove pork and shred with two forks.
• Add cabbage wedges to the cooking liquid, cook under High pressure for 3 minutes, then quick release.
• Add pork back to the Instant Pot and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve over cooked rice and cabbage.

Do you have to brown the meat?

If you’re in a hurry, you can skip this step. But browning the meat before cooking under pressure adds so much flavor to the finished dish!

How long can you keep this?

You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Is kalua pork gluten-free and keto-friendly?

Yes! It’s both gluten-free and keto-friendly.

What is the best way to serve this Hawaiian Kalua Pork?

In addition to enjoying this Hawaiian Kalua Pork the traditional way with white rice and cabbage, here are some tasty ways I’ve used the pork:

• Make pulled pork sandwiches or sliders and top with coleslaw
• Use it as a pizza topping. You can make a Hawaiian pizza with pineapple cubes, red onions, kalua pork and barbecue sauce
• Use it as a nachos topping or quesadilla filling (pulled pork and cheese = match made in food heaven!)
• Serve it plate-lunch style with macaroni salad and fresh pineapple

Some tips for this recipe

• I always use either hickory or mesquite liquid smoke, but you can substitute any flavor or brand that you prefer.
• If you don’t want to use liquid smoke, you can add 4 slices of bacon (leave whole) to the Instant Pot along with the water and the rest of the ingredients. You may have to skim off some fat at the end of the cooking.

Can I substitute the pork butt with pork shoulder or pork tenderloin?

Pork butt is an inexpensive cut of meat that I prefer in this recipe. You can substitute with pork shoulder, but I don’t recommend substituting it with pork tenderloin. Pork butt is a fattier cut and shreds easily, however, pork tenderloin is much leaner and tends to get tough and chewy after cooking under high pressure.

Can you make this Hawaiian Kalua Pork ahead of time?

Yes! You can refrigerate this dish in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days. Before serving, you can reheat in the microwave until warm and then crisp up on a non-stick skillet. In fact, that’s my favorite way to serve it because you get a nice crispy bits of pork. It’s super yummy! 

Is this Hawaiian Kalua Pork freezer-friendly?

Yes, you can definitely freeze it. Just let it cool completely before transferring to an airtight freezer-safe container (leaving some room on top) and placing it in the freezer. This dish will keep in the freezer for up to three months.