Hawaiian Pulled Pork Recipe - Kalua Pig Recipe

Chef Jason shares a Hawaiian pulled pork recipe for Kalua Pig (also called Kalua Pork) in this episode of Chef Tips. Unlike Southern pulled pork, this recipe for pulled pork uses Hawaiian salt, banana leaves and liquid smoke as its base. This is one of the most common Hawaiian luau recipes. This kalua pig recipe is perfect served as BBQ pulled pork with coleslaw and barbecue sauce, or as a traditional kalua pork recipe with poi, shaved green onion and fresh diced tomatoes. It is also fantastic made into a pulled pork sandwich! The pulled pork sauce uses the pan drippings, plus additional Hawaiian salt and Mesquite-flavored liquid smoke, which mimics the kiawe wood from the imu pit. We hope you enjoy this unique recipe for how to make pulled pork. Don't forget to use it in a kalua pig quesadilla. It's awesome!

How to Make Kalua Pork

Ingredients

1 (3 1/2-pound) boneless pork butt roast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2-4 tablespoons Hawaiian alaea sea salt or kosher salt
4-6 banana leaves, rinsed
2-4 tablespoons Mesquite-flavored liquid smoke

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Rinse banana leaves and pat dry.
3. Remove netting from pork butt and discard.
4. Coat entire roast with about 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
5. Season the pork with about 2 tablespoons of the Hawaiian sea salt, working it into all the crevices on both sides. You can cut slits into the meat to penetrate more deeply if you prefer.
6. Next do the same with the liquid smoke, coating with about 2 tablespoons, or more to your taste.
7. Over a cooking flame, soften banana leaves on both sides until they turn shiny and pop slightly. This just makes them more pliable.
8. In a large roasting pan, place a nice long strip of aluminum foil (enough to wrap the roast). Place the banana leaves in strips on the bottom and wrap the roast. Place more banana leaves on top, tucking underneath the roast. Wrap very well and securely with the foil and tighten both ends.
9. Place in the oven at 400 F until the internal temperature reaches 160 F, about 20-25 minutes per pound of meat.
10. When the roast is done, remove it from the oven and let it rest and cool for a few minutes. Be sure to save the pan drippings when you open the foil.
11. Pull pork apart with your fingers into a mixing bowl, then pour the pan drippings on top. Taste, and then season to your personal taste with more Hawaiian salt and liquid smoke.

Serve the pulled pork on a bed of poi topped with diced tomatoes and green onions; inside a Taro roll with coleslaw and barbecue sauce, or inside a cheese quesadilla with a side of pineapple or mango salsa. Hawaiians also enjoy kalua pig and cabbage, which is made by sauteeing the shredded beef with fresh cut cabbage or even sauerkraut.

Tips
Make this in a crock pot by placing the roast in the slow cooker on low for about 16 hours.

You can buy Hawaiian sea salt, Taro root and banana leaves for this kalua pork at Whole Foods Market, or other specialty grocers. Banana leaves are also available at Asian and Latin markets.

Serves 4

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