Kalua Pork aka Hawaiian shredded pork

RRP

I'd never heard of that before - anybody ever have it let alone have a recipe? How it different than our mainland pulled or shredded pork? A lot more sweet maybe?

Eggcelsior

From what I can recall, it's cooked in the ground covered by banana leaves. I believe you rub it with Hawaiian sea salt and maybe some garlic.

Time to dig a hole!

SoCalTim

I follow 'Ballistic BBQ' on YouTube ... he's got an really good take on this. I'm about to try it this weekend. If you click on the picture, It'll take you to the page. Tim

http://youtu.be/F-vo2xPtrXo 

lousubcap

@RRP-spent some time in HI and it is good stuff-I will have to  scan a recipe to load into this topic and given my state of adult beverages I would suggest a google search.  And it does not require a hole in the ground...Try Kalua pig search and you should be good to go.  FWIW-

bettysnephew

You can use this link. I have not made it myself, but one of my pals used a recipe from this site and made it on his Egg. http://allrecipes.com/search/default.aspx?qt=k&wt=kalua pork&rt=r&origin=Home Page

HawkeyeEgghead

Kalua refers to the process of cooking in an earth oven or Imu.  What I've been told by many locals is the key is steam heat opposed to dry heat, thus the use of banana leaves, ti leaves, etc. 

 

Here is my process.

• Typical pork butt or shoulder 5 - 8lbs per wrap
• Rub with 2 tablespoons Hawaiian alaea sea salt or sea salt
• Wrap well - I use frozen banana or ti leaves from the Asian markets or soaked corn husk during sweet corn season and tie with butchers string
• Add a steaming liquid or inject. (I inject with Guva juice - not traditional)
• I also use Kiawe wood when I have it but often use Hickory.  Kiawe is like Mesquite but sweeter.  I don't recommend using Mesquite
• Cook like a normal butt at 225-250 or turbo
• Spray your greens down to keep moist (optional)
• Cooler rest for an hour before pulling.

Aloha

bettysnephew

Talked to my pal last night and this is the recipe he used. He also used a recommendation on their site to slice a banana (leave the skin on) and place it on top of the pork. Remove the skin when the cook is done. It gives a slight sweet flavor to the pork which is very similar to the island cooking style. Original recipe makes 12 servings 1 (6 pound) pork butt roast 1 1/2 tablespoons Hawaiian sea salt 1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring (He deleted this and put wood chunks on coals . Directions 1.Pierce pork all over with a carving fork. Rub salt then liquid smoke over meat. Place roast in a slow cooker. 2.Cover, and cook on Low for 16 to 20 hours, turning once during cooking time. 3.Remove meat from slow cooker, and shred, adding drippings as needed to moisten.

Miked125

The way I heard is: use pink sea salt as the rub, wrap in banana leaves(asian market) when cooking.

Richard Fl

Back in the early '70's my former BIL worked for Sheraton Corp and gave me their cookbook in which was this recipe. Works well on the BGE and also in the oven. 

Came across this a few months back and is right on. 

**************** 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-vo2xPtrXo 

********************** 

Pork, Butt, Kalua Roast Pig 

If digging a pit in your back yard is out of the question, but you want to go Hawaiian anyway, consider this Kalua Roast Pig. In fact, if you don't confess to the liquid smoke, your guests will start looking for the pit the minute they see the platter of shredded pork.****Ti leaves, long, slender, dark green leaves of the ti tree, are used to encase many foods in Hawaii, such as corn husks are used in Latin American cooking and banana leaves are used in other parts of the world. Leaves not only enclose and protect their contents, but they trap valuable moisture and impart flavor as well.****If ti leaves are not grown in your area, they often can be found in florists shops. If not, consider substituting dried palm leaves, which are frequently sold in oriental markets. 

INGREDIENTS: 
10-15 Ti Leaves, or dried palm leaves, soaked to soften, then shaken dry 
41/2-5 Lbs Pork Picnic Shoulder roast or a Boston Shoulder Roast 
2 Tsps Coarse Salt, Alea Red is great 
1 1/2 Tbs Liquid Smoke 
1/4 Cup Water 

PROCEDURE: 

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a deep roasting pan with Ti leaves. 

2. Season the pork roast with salt. Cover the meat with ti leaves and tie up with string. Place wrapped meat in pan on top of leaves, then cover meat with more leaves. Pour a mixture made of the liquid smoke and water over the meat and leaves. Seal the pan tightly with tin foil to prevent moisture from excaping. 

3. Roast the pork at least 3 hours, until very well done and to the point of overdone The meat is taken off the bones and shredded by hand, never cut with a knife.. 

Yield: 8-10 Servings 

Recipe Type: Asian, Main Dish, Meat 

Source 
Author: Princess Kaiulani Hotel, Honolulu, Hawaii 
Source: The Sheraton World Cookbook, 2011/08/17

gdub16

SoCalTim said:

I follow 'Ballistic BBQ' on YouTube ... he's got an really good take on this. I'm about to try it this weekend. If you click on the picture, It'll take you to the page. Tim

http://youtu.be/F-vo2xPtrXo 

In this Video is says 8 1/2 lb @ 275 took 6 1/2 hours does that sound about right?

I have 9 1/12 I am going to follow instructions so thing about about 7-8 hours?  Do you think the way it wrapped makes it cook faster cheers

SmokeyPitt

This looks interesting but if the butt is all wrapped up I think I would just cook it in the oven.  Especially if it is wrapped in foil over the leaves like in the vid.  Otherwise it is just a waste of lump.  

Richard Fl

SmokeyPitt said:

This looks interesting but if the butt is all wrapped up I think I would just cook it in the oven.  Especially if it is wrapped in foil over the leaves like in the vid.  Otherwise it is just a waste of lump.  

If you use liquid smoke as some of the recipes recommend you might smoke up your house.  On the BGE the smoke speaks for itself.

bettysnephew

@RRP
The recipe I posted above was from Larry.

jrj3rd

Made a batch for a Luau in the spring.  Cook it just like a butt.  I coated the meat with salt and nothing else.  let is smoke for 3-4 hours and then wrapped with banana leaves and then foil.  back on the egg until it was ready to pull.  Banana leaves adds the unique flavor that says Hawaii.  Pulled it and served on rolls with a little soy sauce for drizzling.  Group ate every bit.

Carolina Q

I may have to try this. If I can find banana leaves. Be cool to do it in an imu, but finding football sized lava rocks may be an issue.

Richard Fl

Carolina Q said:

I may have to try this. If I can find banana leaves. Be cool to do it in an imu, but finding football sized lava rocks may be an issue.

Treat BGE as an imu. Ask a local florist for ti leaves.  Just as good!

Carolina Q

Richard Fl said:

Treat BGE as an imu. 

No fun in doing that. I KNOW how to cook a butt in an egg.