Pork Roast Is Even Better When You Throw This Sweet Canned Addition Into The Mix

A good pork roast is usually a reliably juicy option for a Sunday dinner that impresses all at the table. You can go the creative route with a crown roast that is a showstopper, or just keep it traditional. Whatever your style, adding in an element of sweetness is a useful way to complement the savory flavors with a twist. If you're ready to experiment with an unexpected canned ingredient, crack out some canned pineapple for a succulent pork roast that combines all the best flavors in one pot. A juicy pork roast paired with caramelized accents of pineapple brings more vibrancy to your roast that makes all the difference.

Pork roasts (or any roasts, for that matter) are typically quite simple, requiring very little technical skill while placing attention on chosen rubs and ingredients to flavor the meat to your preference. In this case, either pineapple chunks or slices can be added to the pork roast. To make the dish, simply pour the canned pineapple and its juice into the pot on top of the roast, and allow it to cook and seep into the meat for super-tender, tasty results. This works in a slow cooker, pressure cooker, or a Dutch oven. If using the latter, you'll need to add water or broth before cooking until half the meat is submerged.

If you can't get your hands on some canned pineapple, you can opt for fresh pineapple instead. Some home chefs find that this changes the texture entirely since the fresh fruit is firmer than a processed pineapple soaked in juice, though canned and fresh pineapple chunks can be used more or less interchangeably. However, fresh pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain, which works as a tenderizer on thick connective tissues (bromelain is why pineapple burns your tongue). Because of this tenderizing effect, fresh pineapple works better with tougher cuts like pork shoulder. Canned pineapple, with little to no bromelain, is great for leaner roasts like pork loin that could get mushy if exposed too long to bromelain. 

To intensify the pineapple flavor, you could also make slits in the pork (about ¾ of the way should do it) and add pineapple chunks or slices in between each slice. Alternatively, if you're cooking the roast whole, using the leftover juices in the pot as a glaze is another way to concentrate the pineapple flavors even further, especially if you're using canned — it's rich in sugars.

If you want to skip the solid fruit entirely, simply pour pineapple juice or pineapple-flavored beer into the mix. While the juice is the closest swap taste-wise, pineapple-flavored beer offers a depth and a complex element to the roast — plus, tossing in some beer to your roast is known to help bring out the flavors.