Kalua Pig (Hawaii)
intro
Tender, smoky shredded Hawaiian kalua pig, adapted from traditional underground imu cooking for easy home preparation, with rich, earthy, savory flavor.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep the pork
Pat the 1800g boneless pork butt completely dry with paper towels. Use a sharp knife to score the fat cap in a 2.5cm (1-inch) crosshatch pattern, cutting 6mm (1/4 inch) deep into the fat without slicing into the underlying meat. Rub the entire surface of the pork evenly with 2 tablespoons alaea sea salt, 1 tablespoon liquid smoke, and 4 crushed garlic cloves, pressing seasonings firmly into the scores and all sides of the roast. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to absorb flavors.
Line the cooking vessel
Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F) if using a heavy lidded Dutch oven, or set a 6-quart slow cooker to the low heat setting. Line the bottom and sides of the cooking vessel with 4 large banana leaves, overlapping them so edges hang 10-15cm (4-6 inches) over the vessel rim. Pour 120ml (1/2 cup) of cool water into the bottom of the lined vessel to generate steam during cooking.
Wrap pork in leaves
Set the seasoned pork butt fat-side up directly in the center of the banana leaf-lined vessel. Fold the overhanging banana leaf edges up and over the top of the pork to fully enclose the roast, tucking leaf edges under the meat to create a tight, steam-proof seal. Place the tight-fitting lid on the Dutch oven, or secure the slow cooker lid, to lock in moisture.
Slow cook the pork
For oven preparation: bake the covered Dutch oven at 160°C (325°F) for 5 full hours, resisting the urge to open the lid for the first 4 hours. For slow cooker preparation: cook on the low setting for 8 hours. The pork is fully cooked when it pulls apart easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 96°C (205°F) when checked with a meat thermometer.
Rest the cooked pork
Carefully remove the hot cooking vessel from the oven or slow cooker base. Keep the lid securely in place and let the pork rest for 30 minutes at room temperature, allowing juices to redistribute through the meat instead of running out during shredding. Do not unwrap the banana leaves during this resting period.
Shred and season pork
Unfold the banana leaves and transfer the pork to a large cutting board, reserving 60ml (1/4 cup) of the savory cooking juices from the bottom of the vessel. Use two forks to shred the pork into 2.5cm (1-inch) bite-sized pieces, discarding any large chunks of unrendered hard fat. Drizzle the reserved cooking juices over the shredded pork, toss gently, and add a pinch of extra alaea salt if needed to taste before serving.
Tips
2.Avoid lifting the cooking lid during the first 4 hours of cooking, as trapped steam is critical to keeping the pork moist and infusing it with subtle banana leaf flavor.
3.For extra authentic imu flavor, add 2 cleaned ti leaves under the banana leaves if available, as they contribute the traditional grassy, earthy note of classic kalua pig.
OMG this kalua pig tastes exactly like the stuff I had at a beach luau when I visited Maui last year! I was so nervous I’d mess it up since it’s my first time making Hawaiian food at home, but the steps were so straightforward. Threw it in the oven before my kid’s soccer game, came back 5 hours later and the whole house smelled incredible. Served it with sticky rice and mac salad, total hit for our Sunday dinner. 10/10 will make again!
Game changer! I usually smoke pork shoulder for 12+ hours for pulled pork, but this method gave that same deep, smoky, salty flavor in half the time with barely any effort? Used my Dutch oven like the recipe said, added a little extra liquid smoke because I’m a smoke fiend, and it pulled apart so easily. Brought it to my office potluck yesterday and people were begging for the recipe. Only note: make more than you think you need, everyone goes back for seconds!
Finally a kalua pig recipe that doesn’t have weird hidden gluten ingredients! I’ve been looking for a reliable version to make for my annual tiki night with friends, and this checked every box. Super tender, not too salty, pairs perfectly with pineapple coleslaw. My only tiny complaint is my apartment smelled like smoke for a full day after, but that’s 100% a me problem for not turning my range hood on high enough 😂
First time cooking a big cut of meat since our baby was born, I was stressed I’d mess it up for our family visiting from out of town. This recipe was SO easy — basically set it and forget it! My father in law is from Oahu and he said it tasted just like his grandma used to make. My kids loved it too, they ate two servings each which never happens. Quick question though: can I freeze the leftovers? I have a ton left and don’t want it to go to waste!
Made this for our post-hike potluck in the Rockies last weekend and it was the perfect crowd-pleaser. It’s hearty, flavorful, and you don’t have to babysit it while it cooks which is ideal when you’re busy prepping for a trip. I added a bit of ginger to the rub because I love that extra zing, and it paired so well with the smoky flavor. Will absolutely be adding this to my regular camp cook rotation, even if I have to make it in the Dutch oven on the camp stove instead of the oven!
Y’all, I was skeptical about an oven method for kalua pig because I thought you needed an imu underground to get that real flavor, but I stand corrected! This is so rich and tender, the meat just melts in your mouth. I served it with lomi lomi salmon and poi I picked up from the local Hawaiian market, and my husband said it was better than the kalua pig we had at our wedding in Kauai. Wild! Only thing I’ll do different next time is score the fat cap a little deeper so more of that salt and smoke flavor gets in.
I made this last night for my roommate’s birthday since she’s from Hawaii and misses home cooking, and the flavor was amazing! Quick heads up for anyone with a janky old apartment oven: mine runs super hot, so even with it wrapped tight in foil the edges got a little crispier than I wanted after 5 hours. My roommate still said it tasted just like home, which made my night. Quick question though: do you think I should turn the temp down 25 degrees next time to avoid those crispy edges?
Meal prep win for the week! I made a big batch of this on Sunday, portioned it out with roasted veggies and cauliflower rice, and it’s been holding up so well for lunches all week. The flavor doesn’t get boring like a lot of slow cooked meats do, and it’s high protein which fits my macro goals. I was worried the liquid smoke would make it taste artificial, but it’s just the right amount — no weird chemical aftertaste at all. 10/10 for anyone who needs easy, filling weekly meals!
I’ve been smoking meats competitively for 12 years, and I’ll be honest — I clicked on this recipe expecting it to be a watered down, inauthentic version of kalua pig. Man was I wrong. The salt ratio is perfect, the liquid smoke measurement is spot on (way too many recipes go overboard with that stuff), and the low slow cook time in the sealed Dutch oven locks in all that moisture better than some of my smoker cooks. Hats off to the recipe writer, this is a keeper. I’ll be serving this at my next backyard BBQ for sure.
Total win! I was supposed to make this in the oven per the recipe, but my oven died literally right as I was about to put the pork in. Panicked, threw it in my 6 quart slow cooker on low for 8 hours with the same salt and liquid smoke measurements, sealed the lid tight, and it came out perfect! Brought it to my neighborhood block party and no one could believe I made it in a crockpot. Curious if anyone else has tried the slow cooker method and has tweaks for next time?
Who knew 3 ingredients (pork, salt, liquid smoke) could taste this good? I accidentally used hickory liquid smoke instead of mesquite the first time I made this, and it still slapped! Made it again this weekend with mesquite like the recipe recommends, and it was even better. My only oops the first time was I didn’t wrap the pan tight enough with foil, so some of the steam escaped and the top got a little dry, but I just poured a little of the pan juice over it when I pulled it and no one even noticed. Easy, forgiving, delicious — my kind of recipe!
Grew up on Oahu, moved to Washington for work 6 years ago and have been chasing that authentic kalua pig flavor ever since. Tried at least 8 different recipes online and they all either taste like liquid smoke straight from the bottle or are so bland they need a gallon of sauce to be edible. This one? It’s dead on. Brought a plate over to my cousin who lives 20 minutes away, and he texted me 10 minutes later asking for the link. Made me feel like I was back at a family lūʻau on the North Shore, no lie. Mahalo for putting this recipe out there, saved me from booking a flight home just for good kalua pig 😂