Kalua is a traditional Hawaiian cooking method that uses an imu, a type of underground oven. The word kalua means “to cook in an underground oven.” It’s also used to describe foods cooked this way, such as kalua pig and kalua turkey, both of which are traditionally served at Hawaiian luau feasts. As an alternative to cooking underground, Hawaiian chef Sam Choy created a slow-roasted technique that includes rubbing the pork with alaea sea salt and wrapping it in ti leaves before cooking it in a traditional oven. After the tender pork is shredded, it is covered in a salty mixture of liquid smoke to impart a smoky flavor. This easier method is commonly used by Hawaiians as well as mainland cooks. Kalua pork is often served with sweet potatoes and mashed taro root or as a sandwich with barbecue sauce and coleslaw.
Recipe Servings: 8
+ 10 minutes resting
Ingredients
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cut ¼-inch deep slits 1-inch apart all over pork roast.
- Rub 2 tablespoons alaea sea salt all over pork.
- Unfold a banana leaf onto a work surface and place the pork roast on top of the leaf. Fold the leaf around pork, enclosing it completely. Repeat wrapping pork in the remaining two banana leaves, one at a time.
- Tie the leaves using kitchen string to secure, and then wrap the roast in foil.
- Place pork in roasting pan and pour 4 cups water into pan.
- Roast pork in oven until very tender when pierced with fork, about 5 hours.
- Unwrap pork and let it cool slightly.
- Shred pork and place it in a large bowl.
- Bring remaining 2 cups water and remaining 2 teaspoons alaea sea salt to a boil in a small saucepan.
- Stir in liquid smoke.
- Pour mixture over pork, stirring to coat.
- Let stand 10 minutes to allow liquid to flavor pork before serving.
Recipe introduction and directions © Copyright 2016-2024 World Trade Press. All rights reserved.