This little slow cooker supper comes straight from my Aunt Marlene, who raised three hungry boys on a farm and didn’t have time to fuss with fancy dinners. She started making these 3‑ingredient Hawaiian pork chops back in the late ’70s, when canned pineapple and sweet sauces were the height of weeknight excitement. Everything goes into a simple foil packet right in the slow cooker, so you come home to pork that’s tender, sweet, and sticky, with bright pineapple chunks all around. It’s the kind of no‑nonsense, Midwestern comfort food that tastes like someone’s been tending the stove all afternoon, even though you only spent a few minutes putting it together.
Serve these sweet, sticky Hawaiian pork chops over a bed of plain white rice or buttered egg noodles so they can soak up every bit of the glaze. A simple side of steamed green beans, peas, or a tossed salad balances the sweetness nicely. If you’re feeding a crowd, add some warm dinner rolls or cornbread and a bowl of coleslaw for crunch. The leftovers reheat well and are wonderful shredded over rice or tucked into soft sandwich buns the next day.
Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient Hawaiian Pork ChopsServings: 4
Ingredients
4 thick-cut boneless pork chops (about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds total)
1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice, undrained
1 cup thick sweet barbecue sauce (your favorite brand)
Directions
Tear off a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil, big enough to fold up and seal around all the pork chops with some room for the juices. Lightly crinkle it, then gently flatten it back out and lay it in the bottom of your slow cooker, letting the edges come partway up the sides like a shallow bowl.
Lay the pork chops in a single layer in the center of the foil. If they overlap a little, that’s fine, but try to keep them mostly in one layer so they cook evenly and stay tender.
In a medium bowl, stir together the undrained pineapple chunks and the barbecue sauce until well combined. You want a thick, glossy, sweet mixture with plenty of pineapple pieces.
Pour the pineapple–barbecue mixture evenly over the pork chops, making sure every chop is coated and some pineapple lands on top and around the sides.
Bring the long sides of the foil up and over the pork and sauce, then fold them together several times to seal. Fold up the short ends tightly as well, creating a snug foil packet that holds in all the juices but still sits comfortably inside the slow cooker.
Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook the foil packet on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the pork chops are very tender and easily pull apart with a fork.
When ready to serve, carefully open the foil packet—watch out for hot steam. Use tongs to transfer the pork chops and pineapple chunks to a serving plate, then spoon the thick, sweet glaze from the foil over the top. Serve hot, with extra sauce drizzled over each chop.
Variations & Tips
If you prefer a little less sweetness, use a smoky or spicy barbecue sauce instead of a very sweet one, or drain off a few tablespoons of the pineapple juice before mixing. Bone-in pork chops work just as well; just add about 30 minutes to the cooking time on LOW. For a touch of heat, sprinkle red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce into the pineapple–barbecue mixture before pouring it over the meat. You can also make this with a small pork loin or country-style ribs using the same foil packet method—just check for tenderness and add more time if needed. If your glaze is thinner than you’d like, carefully pour the juices from the foil into a small saucepan and simmer on the stovetop for a few minutes until slightly reduced, then spoon back over the chops. Leftovers are wonderful shredded and piled onto toasted buns for easy sandwiches the next day.
