Slow Cooker Hawaiian Beef & Pineapple

📝Shopping list

To make this slow cooker meal you will need:

• Stew meat
• Pineapple chunks - canned is perfect so you can include all the pineapple juice
• Red bell pepper - orange or yellow or a combo would work as well
• Soy sauce
• Rice vinegar
• Ginger - fresh, grated
• Garlic - minced
• Onion - white onion, red onion, or yellow onion all work.
• Tapioca pearls - small
• Green onions and sesame seeds - optional garnish

🍍How to make this beef & pineapple dish

Start by prepping your meat and veggies. Cut beef into approximately 1 to 2-inch pieces. You can be extra lazy and purchase it already cut, or save some money and cut it yourself.

Cut peppers into bite-sized chunks. Dice or chop onion.

Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray for easiest clean-up. Place beef, veggies, pineapple, and all other sauce ingredients into the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover and cook on the low heat setting.

The beef in this dish should get more and more tender as the cooking time goes on. You can cook it anywhere from 6 -8 hours.

To confirm that your beef is cooked all the way through, use a meat thermometer. Beef is considered safe to eat once it reaches an internal temperature of 145º F. Beef that slow cooks for many hours like in this dish should easily exceed that number.

🍽Serving suggestions

There are tons of incredible options for serving your delicious beef mixture. Topping it with a few teaspoons of sesame seeds and a sprinkling of sliced green onion is a great start.

The sweet sauce and yummy pineapple flavors are perfect served over white rice, brown rice, jasmine rice, or cauliflower rice. Each bed of rice will soak up all the amazing Hawaiian sauce flavors. Likewise, mashed potatoes and mashed cauliflower make great serving beds.

One fun and decorative way to serve this dish is to scoop out a fresh pineapple and use the rind as a small bowl.

Storing leftovers

Store leftovers of this wonderfully sweet and sour chicken in the refrigerator or freezer. It will last in the fridge for 3-4 days and up to 4 months when frozen.

Be sure to store in an airtight container or bag. If you plan to freeze your leftovers, a freezer-safe container is a must.

↔️Substitutions

Tapioca pearls are included in this recipe as an easy method for thickening the sauce. If you prefer, you can skip them. Some other ways to thicken the sauce include:

1. Instant potato flakes. Add flakes one tablespoon at a time at the end of cooking time. Stir each tablespoon to fully combine. Repeat until desired consistency is achieved.
2. Cornstarch. Use a separate bowl to mix 3 tablespoons cornstarch with a few tablespoons of hot liquid from you slow cooker. Stir together to make a cornstarch slurry. Once fully mixed, add to slow cooker and stir to combine. Allow to cook an additional 15 - 30 minutes after cornstarch is added before serving.
3. Remove lid. Cooking your dish without the lid for the last hour or so will help with evaporation and allow your tangy sauce to thicken naturally.

😉Hints & hacks

1. Looking to spice things up a bit? Top your dish with red pepper flakes!
2. Would you rather make this dish with chicken? Try this slow cooker Hawaiian chicken dish. It is great with tender chicken thighs or breasts.
3. To make the easiest version of this dish, purchase stew meat that has already been cut into chunks. You can also purchase both mushrooms and onions pre-sliced. Can't find stew meat but pre-cut beef strips are on sale? Those work really well too!
4. I generally recommend the use of a slow cooker liner. As always, this an optional step. I like to purchase my liners in bulk for a less expensive per-piece price.
5. In the market for a new slow cooker? I love mine!
6. This is a great dish if your people will be eating at different times. After the cooking time, turn your slow cooker to warm and everyone can have a delicious and filling meal, no matter what time they are ready to eat.