Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Kalua Pig

Typically, this Hawaiian dish is cooked in an underground pit - but since that's not the most convenient method available to me, I found this recipe that uses an oven.  You can use Hawaiian smoked salt, which my parents brought me from Hawaii when they went in April, or a combination of sea salt and liquid smoke.  
I found banana leaves in the freezer section of my local Asian market.

(adapted from Epicurious)

1 large banana leaf
6-lb boneless pork shoulder Boston roast (Boston butt), cut across grain into 6 pieces
2 tablespoons Hawaiian smoke salt (or 2 tbsp sea salt plus 2 tbsp liquid smoke)

Preheat oven to 500°F.

Lay 2 sheets of foil (each about 1 feet long) on a work surface with long sides overlapping by about 4 inches. 
Cut 2 (12-inch) lengths from banana leaf and center 1 on foil. 
Put pork on banana leaf and sprinkle with salt. 
Cover top of pork with other 12-inch length of banana leaf and 2 overlapping sheets of foil (each about 1 1/2 feet long). 
Crimp edges of foil tightly to form a packet and put in a large roasting pan. Add 2 inches of water and cover pan tightly with more foil.
Bake pork in middle of oven 3 1/2 hours. 
If necessary, replenish water in the pan while cooking.
Remove foil covering, and transfer foil to a flat surface.  
Remove the meat from the foil and banana leaf packet, place in a bowl, and shred with forks. 
Serve warm.


4 comments:

What's Cookin Chicago said...

Looks awesome and I love how you wrapped it banana leaves! We use them occasionally for some Filipino dishes. I have some pink and black hawaiian sea salt I haven't used - I should really consider making this to use it up!

That Girl said...

I was hoping you'd be digging the pig out from a sandy pit!

Maria said...

Nice job on this one! Happy New Year to you!

Anonymous said...

This looks soooooo good! I'm totally loving all your meals lately!!