Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1/4 pound smoked ham or bacon, diced
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
1 sweet onion, such as Maui or Vidalia, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 Kaiser rolls
1 cup shredded yellow cheddar cheese
Directions
Pre-heat the broiler.
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with one turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. Cook the bacon in the pan until crispy, about 3-4 minutes, and remove it to a small bowl. Return the pan with the bacon drippings back over the heat. Add the ground pork and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook until soft, about 5-6 minutes.
While the pork and onion are cooking, in a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce. Pour into the skillet with the pork and onion, cook about a minute, then stir in the pineapple. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
While the filling is cooking, split open the rolls and toast them under the broiler. Be careful not to burn them!
To serve, place a bun bottom on a plate with a scoop of Hula Joe mixture and a sprinkling of cheese. Top with the bun cap and serve with Pacific Rim Potatoes alongside.