Kalua Pork
The King of Aloha
Why It Works
Simply, it's pork with three flavors: minerally salt, earthy steam, and sweet smoke.
Salt: Pink Hawiian salt, or Alaea Salt, is an unrefined salt that has a large pebble like crystal, and a minerally taste. The taste and color come from the addition of Alaea, which is volcanic clay that contains 80 different minerals and is rich in iron oxide, which produces a red/ pink color. True Alaea salt is difficult to find and expensive, but the California made version is most commonly used. Amazon
Steam: Banana leaves are used to encase and provide moisture for steaming the pork. Banana Leaves are tougher compared to spinach like Lu'au (used in other Hawaiian dishes). It imparts a green tea-like earthy flavor and allows the meat to steam as in a pressure cooker.
Smoke: Since you aren't making a wood fire in your oven, using liquid smoke is your best bet to achieve the same flavor profile. Hawaiian cuisine traditionally uses three woods for smoking: Kiawe (like mesquite, most popular), Guava, and Lychee. Kiawe liquid smoke is available on-line, but mesquite liquid smoke is similar and easy to find in most grocery stores.
Tasting Journal
Date: 12/23/23
ng Notes: Big Hit! Wrapped Extra thicken with defrosted banana leaves. Try to use Fresh if available. The frozen have a weird slimy texture. Serve in Dutch oven as seen below with separated banana leaves and pork in the middle.
RECIPE CARD
Kalua Pork
Yield: 6 portions
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Equipment
- Dutch Oven
- Cotton Trussing
- Aluminum Foil
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 3 2 foot long banana leaves
- ½ bone in skin on pork shoulder
- Pink Hawaiian salt
- Kiawe liquid smoke (Mesquite is an adequate substitute)
Instructions
- Heat the dutch oven on high with coconut oil. Set the oven for 300 degrees.
- Place bone in pork shoulder on cutting board, and deeply score each side with a 1" diamond pattern.
- Rub in 10 dashes of liquid smoke and Hawaiian salt into the scores of the meat
- Sear pork on each side,
- Layout banana leaves in a 120 degree pattern. Having a 3 foot piece of truss running underneath.
- Turn off heat for the dutch oven, and place pork in the middle of the banana leaves. Fold leaves up over pork as tightly as possible.
- Pull the truss up over the banana leaves, make a 90 degree twist, and run diagonally. Secure knot so that the banana leaf is held securely.
- Place the wrapped shoulder back in the dutch oven, place the lid back on, and put into the oven at 300 F degree oven for 6-8 hours.
- Remove Pork from the oven and cut an x on the top of the banana leaves, exposing the meat. Pull leaves back, tucking into the side of the pot. Remove bone, and shred pork with two forks.
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