Dreaming of a Hawaiian getaway? This slow cooker Kalua Pork brings island vibes straight to your kitchen—no imu pit or plane ticket required. It’s tender, smoky, and surprisingly simple to make at home with liquid smoke and banana leaves.

This Zero Point recipe is perfect for meal prep or feeding a crowd, and it pairs beautifully with mild sides like steamed rice or veggies. Don’t miss our other Weight Watchers slow cooker recipes!

Tender, tropical Kalua Pork on a plate with braised cabbage on the side—easy and delicious!

Why try slow cooker Kalua Pork?

Six ingredients. Pork shoulder, salt, garlic, liquid smoke, banana leaves and half a head of green cabbage. That’s the whole shopping list.
The slow cooker does the work. Rub the pork with the garlic paste, wrap everything in the banana leaves and put the lid on. This Kalua Pork cooks on low until it is fall-apart tender and shreds easily with a fork.
The side dish cooks in the same pot. A layer of cabbage goes under the pork and another goes on top, all inside the same bundle, so the cabbage is ready when the pork is.
0 Points and 8 servings. One pork shoulder makes eight servings at 0 WW Points each, enough for meal prep or a full table.

Recipe Overview

Serving Size: 263 g.
Number of Servings: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 hours
Total Time: 10 hours 20 minutes
0 WW Points Per Serving. You can view the recipe on the WW App here. (WW login required.)

Ingredients in Kalua Pork:

Few, simple Kalua Pork ingredients in separate dishes on a countertop.

4 lb. pork shoulder (1.8 kg), excess fat and skin removed
½ tablespoon salt (9 g)
4 garlic cloves, mashed into a paste (about 12 g)
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (5 ml)
6 large banana leaves, cleaned and dried (about 300 g total)
½ head of green cabbage, chopped into large chunks (about 4 cups, 280 g)

Can’t find banana leaves? Parchment paper or foil will also wrap the bundle and hold in the steam.

Instructions for making Kalua Pork:

Start by trimming any visible fat or skin off the pork shoulder to reduce excess grease during cooking. Set the meat aside.
In a small bowl, mash the garlic cloves using a mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon until they become a paste. Add the salt and liquid smoke, then mix well to create a seasoning paste.
Rub this paste all over the pork shoulder, making sure to coat all sides evenly. Massage it into the meat so the flavors can begin to penetrate.
Next, wash the banana leaves thoroughly under running water. They may appear clean, but it’s important to remove any residue. Dry the leaves with a clean kitchen towel. If they’re stiff or prone to cracking, soften them slightly by passing them briefly over a hot pan or microwaving them for a few seconds. This will make them more flexible and easier to use.
Line the bottom of the slow cooker with banana leaves, overlapping them to create a base that will also wrap the meat. Place a layer of chopped cabbage directly over the banana leaves. Set the seasoned pork shoulder on top of the cabbage, then add another layer of cabbage on top of the meat.
Fold the banana leaves over the filling to form a tight bundle. If needed, use kitchen twine to hold the leaves in place.
Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on low heat for 8 to 10 hours, or until the pork is fall-apart tender and shreds easily with a fork.
Once cooked, carefully open the banana leaves and transfer the pork and cabbage to a baking tray. If the pork looks pale, you can place it under the broiler (set to high) for about 10 minutes to develop a richer color and a light crisp on the edges.
After broiling, transfer the pork and cabbage to a large serving dish.

Pork shoulder in a white bowl topped with mashed garlic, salt and liquid smoke.

Green cabbage cut into large chunks on a plate with bits of mashed garlic.

A banana leaf and half of the chopped green cabbage added to the slow cooker pot.

Seasoned pork shoulder set on top of the cabbage and banana leaves in the slow cooker.

Remaining cabbage leaves added on top of the pork shoulder in the slow cooker.

The banana leaf ends closed on top of the meat and veggies in the slow cooker pot.

Tips and Tricks for making Kalua Pork

This recipe is completely new to me, but I want to share a bit of my experience:

First, I removed all the visible fat and skin from the pork. I did this with the goal of saving Weight Watchers points.
Then, I mashed the garlic and mixed it with salt and a touch of liquid smoke to make a paste that I rubbed all over the meat.
I read that many traditional Kalua Pork recipes include cabbage cooked alongside the pork. I thought it was a great idea since it also takes care of the side dish, so I decided to add it in—and I definitely recommend you do the same.
Before putting everything together, I made sure to wash the banana leaves thoroughly under running water and dry them with a clean kitchen towel. They’re not clean enough to use straight out of the package.
Finally, I wrapped the pork and cabbage with the banana leaves like a big bundle. If needed, you can tie it with kitchen twine to keep everything nicely sealed.
If your pork looks pale after cooking, transfer it to a baking tray and broil it in the oven for about 10 minutes.
The steam trapped inside can cause burns if you’re not cautious. Allow the pork to cool slightly before handling, and use tongs or wear heat-resistant gloves when opening the bundle.

Two more ways to put a pork shoulder in the slow cooker: our Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork cooks in sugar-free BBQ sauce, vinegar and chicken broth, and our Weight Watchers Carnitas recipe uses a cumin, oregano and chili powder rub and fresh orange juice.

Pork Loin with Plum Sauce

Slow Cooker Pork and Sauerkraut

Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin

No ratings yet