This slow cooker 3-ingredient sweet and sour pork is pure seventies comfort food in the best way. My mom clipped the original version from a magazine back when shag carpet was still a thing, and it’s one of those recipes that never left our family rotation. It’s incredibly simple—just pork, bottled sweet and sour sauce, and canned pineapple—but somehow it still beats any takeout when you’re craving that glossy, tangy, sticky pork. The meat turns fall-apart tender in the slow cooker, the sauce gets ruby red and shiny, and every time I make it, my family still crowds around the slow cooker picking at the last caramelized piece.
Serve this sweet and sour pork right out of the slow cooker over fluffy white rice or steamed jasmine rice so it can soak up all that glossy red-orange sauce. For a more seventies-style spread, add a side of buttered peas or mixed frozen veggies. If you want to keep it weeknight-easy, pair it with microwave rice and a bagged salad. It’s also great spooned into bowls with rice on the bottom, pork and sauce on top, and a sprinkle of sliced green onions if you have them—nothing fancy, just cozy, sticky, tangy comfort.
Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient Sweet and Sour PorkServings: 6
Ingredients
3 pounds boneless pork shoulder or pork butt, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 (10- to 12-ounce) bottles sweet and sour sauce (about 2 1/2 cups total)
1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice, undrained
Directions
Trim excess thick fat from the pork shoulder, but leave some marbling so the meat stays tender and flavorful. Cut the pork into 1- to 1 1/2-inch chunks and pat dry with paper towels so the sauce clings better.
Lightly coat the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray for easier cleanup. Add the pork chunks in an even layer.
Pour the bottled sweet and sour sauce evenly over the pork. Add the entire can of pineapple chunks with all of the juice, pouring it over the top. Gently stir to coat the pork pieces in the sauce and distribute the pineapple.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the pork is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork. Try not to lift the lid during cooking so the heat and moisture stay in.
Once the pork is tender, taste the sauce and adjust if you like: you can stir in a splash of pineapple juice, a spoonful of sugar, or a dash of soy sauce to balance the sweet and tangy flavor to your liking.
For extra glossy, caramelized edges like old-school takeout, use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork and pineapple to a serving bowl, then ladle some of the sauce into a small saucepan. Simmer the sauce on the stovetop over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened and shiny, then pour it back over the pork. (This step is optional but gives that sticky, ruby red finish.)
Serve the sweet and sour pork hot, spooned over rice with plenty of the red-orange sauce and pineapple chunks. Let the slow cooker cool, then refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours of cooking.
Variations & Tips
To keep the spirit of that seventies magazine recipe, this version sticks to three ingredients, but you can still tweak it a little. If you like extra tang, stir in a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar or pineapple juice at the end. For more sweetness and caramelization, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of brown sugar to the sauce before cooking. If you want some heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes or a drizzle of hot sauce works well. To stretch the meal, you can toss in a bag of frozen bell pepper strips and onions during the last hour of cooking, though this technically adds more ingredients. Leftovers reheat beautifully: cool them quickly, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days, and reheat until steaming hot. For food safety, use fresh pork that has been kept refrigerated at or below 40°F (4°C), avoid leaving the finished dish at room temperature for more than 2 hours, and always cook the pork until it reaches at least 145°F (63°C) internally (it will go well beyond this in the slow cooker, which is fine for tenderness). If you’re using a larger or smaller slow cooker, keep an eye on timing the first time you make it—the pork should be fully submerged in sauce so it cooks evenly and stays juicy.
