Our Backyard Hawaiian Luau will be decorated beautifully with a lighted flower garland.  Tiki torches have been purchased and fire dancers are ready. Wait…maybe the fire dancers would be a bit much for a simple backyard party.

Summer Luau Lights

What we really need is a main dish that doesn’t involve purchasing a whole pig, digging a large hole in our backyard, heaping it full of coals and roasting it for an entire day.

How about this Summer Pulled Pork, which cooks quietly in your slow cooker for a mere 5-6 hours? We think it’s a good exchange. After all, anything that involves digging a large hole feels like too much work to us.

Ingredient List:

• One 6 1/2 pound bone-in pork shoulder roast
• 3 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp. smoked paprika
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• Pickles
• Onion Slices

Cooking Instructions:

Trim fat from pork, leaving fat cap about 1/4 inch thick. Pat dry with paper towels. Place on a large piece of plastic wrap. Spread the mustard on all sides.

In a small bowl stir together brown sugar, salt, paprika, chili powder, black pepper and garlic powder. Coat the entire pork shoulder with this mixture. The mustard will help it stick to the roast.

Place the pork roast in a 6-quart crock pot. Cover. Cook on the High setting for 5-6 hours or on the Low setting for 10-12 hours.

Remove the meat from the cooker and place on a large baking sheet. When it is cool enough to handle, use two forks to pull the pork apart, removing any large pockets of fat. Strain the cooking juices. Drizzle the shredded meat with cooking juices for desired moistness.

Serve solo or with buns plus your choice of sides, along with pickles and onions. Our favorite side with pulled pork .. or beef… or chicken, frankly, any pulled meat, is a spicy, salty coleslaw. 

Baked beans, a vinegary green salad, and potato salad are also on the top of our list as well. 

We can guarantee this recipe will be a huge hit for your luau, pool party or July 4th celebration. Enjoy!

Please share photos on Instagram and Facebook. We can’t wait to see them. @christmaslightsource #christmaslightsource