February 5, 2024

Barbecue Pork Polenta Bowls with Pineapple and Guacamole

This post was originally published here on January 25, 2016. I’ve since adjusted the recipe instructions slightly. And I’ve updated the text and photographs to reflect those changes.

Hello and Happy New Year!

Yes, I realize it’s February. But since I haven’t been here since December, I thought a proper greeting was in order.

I “took January off” last year (translation: worked behind the scenes and was lurking around on social media, but didn’t publish any new blog posts). And it was literally the best thing ever. So I decided to do it again this year. Huzzah.

But now I’m back with some serious cold weather comfort food. These Barbecue Pork Polenta Bowls with Pineapple and Guacamole are a real “stick to your ribs” type of meal. Which I’m very into right now in February. Because it’s freezing and I’m hungry and I’m cranky. But luckily, this recipe helps with those things (at least two of them!).

There are a few different parts to making these Barbecue Pork Polenta Bowls with Pineapple and Guacamole (all very easy!), which I want to break down for you, as well as mention a few quick recipe notes. First and foremost is the barbecue pork. I make this in my slow cooker using my favorite store-bought barbecue sauce (Sweet Baby Ray’s). You should use whatever YOUR favorite barbecue sauce happens to be. I try to find the smallest boneless pork loin that I can, which is usually about 2 lbs. If you can’t find something that small, you can use two pork tenderloins which are typically around 1 lb each. A third option would be to use a larger piece of pork and either cut it or cook it all and be prepared for leftovers. These can be used for tacos, nachos, whatever. Yum!

For this recipe, I used instant polenta. Instant polenta cooks in under 5 minutes, which is awesome. If you can’t find instant polenta, just follow the basic stove-top cooking instruction on the package that you have, then stir in the mascarpone cheese, butter and salt at the end. If you can’t find mascarpone cheese, cream cheese works here as a substitute.

If you haven’t used polenta before, be aware that it “spurts” and “splatters” a bit as it cooks. My advice is to use a bigger pot than you think is necessary. It will also start to firm up very quickly as it cools. I highly recommend having all the other parts of these bowls ready to go before you start cooking the polenta.

These Barbecue Pork Polenta Bowls with Pineapple and Guacamole are great for a cozy dinner. But I also think they’d be a fun alternative for the Super Bowl. I hear that’s coming up this weekend. I’ll be in it for the food!

Cheers,

Liz

Get the Recipe:

Barbecue Pork Polenta Bowls with Pineapple and Guacamole

At a Glance:

Yield: Serves about 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes

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Ingredients

For the Pork:

• Small boneless pork loin (about 2 lbs)
• Salt
• About 1 cup barbecue sauce

For the Guacamole:

• 2 avocados, pitted and flesh scooped out
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

For the Pineapple:

• 1 1/2 cups cubed fresh pineapple
• Juice from 1/4 lime
• 1/8 tsp. chili powder

For the Polenta:

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup instant polenta
• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 tsp. salt

For Serving:

• Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• Scallions, thinly sliced
• Lime wedges
• Barbecue sauce

Instructions

1. To make the barbecue pork, season the pork loin on all sides with a few pinches of salt. Place it in your slow cooker and cover with the barbecue sauce. Place the lid on your slow cooker and cook on the “low” setting for about 8 hours or on the “high” setting for about 4 hours. The pork loin is done when it’s extremely tender and easily falls apart. Use two forks to shred the pork loin into smaller pieces. There will initially be excess cooking liquid in your slow cooker, but the shredded pork pieces will absorb most of it within 30 minutes. Keep warm.
2. To make the guacamole, add the avocado, lime juice and salt to a bowl and gently mash together with a fork. Stir in the cilantro. Set aside.
3. Add the cubed pineapple to a bowl. Squeeze the lime juice over top and sprinkle with the chili powder. Set aside.
4. To make the polenta, bring the water to a boil in a large heavy-bottom saucepan. Slowly whisk in the polenta. Once all the polenta has been added, turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, whisking constantly, for 3-4 minutes (or according to your package instructions). Turn off the heat and whisk in the mascarpone cheese, butter and salt. Cover to keep warm. 
5. To assemble the bowls, divide the still-warm polenta between bowls. Top with the shredded pork, guacamole and pineapple. Add additional cilantro, scallions, lime juice or barbecue sauce, if desired.
6. This recipe makes more barbecue pork then you’ll likely use for the bowls. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 2-3 days.