Slow Cooked Kalua Pork
Nothing beats walking into a house that smells like food. If you use a slow cooker, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The original plan for this week’s post was to do some grilling, but it turns out it’s is pretty hard to grill when it’s raining.
It works out perfectly though, because this week’s dish is one of the most delicious and authentic Hawaiian foods you can make, all while putting in minimal effort! You can expect soft and flavorful Hawaiian-style pulled pork with cabbage to balance out the saltiness.
Background
Up until 1819, this dish was reserved only for Hawaiian royalty. It was then that King Kamehameha II began to make celebratory feasts more inclusive to everyone, leading to the birth of the word Luau. The term is still used today, and refers to any large celebration that makes use of traditional Hawaiian food. Kalua pork is made traditionally in an Imu, a large, semi-underground rock oven that requires expertise and about a whole day to prepare. If not done correctly, you could end up with exploding rocks. Thankfully, this slow cooking method lets us get close to the authentic taste with much less effort.
*History courtesy of the Polynesian cultural center’s website — they’re like Disneyland for Hawaiian and Polynesian culture. Located on Oahu and definitely recommended if it’s your first visit to the islands.
Ingredients
~2–2.5lb pork butt
1tbsp Hawaiian Salt (or sea salt)*
1tsp liquid smoke
1/4 head of cabbage
Rice
Cook time: 8 hours. You’ll also need aluminum foil & cooking oil.
*Hawaiian salt, also called Alaea or red salt tends to give food a more robust and natural flavor compared to regular table salt. You can find some on Amazon if and makes a great addition to other dishes too.
Preparation
Start early — the pork is going to take 8 hours to cook. Line the slow cooker with aluminum foil to make cleaning up easier.
Place the pork in the slow cooker and season both sides with the salt. Add the liquid smoke, but be careful — this stuff has a strong smell that sticks to whatever it touches. It’s a good smell though, so it’s not the end of the world if you get it on your face.
Cover the pork with another sheet of foil, but leave a small gap down the middle for ventilation. This step is key to making it soft.
Turn the slow cooker onto low heat and leave for 8 hours. Come back in the last hour to start preparing the rice and the cabbage.
The cabbage can be cooked in the last half hour. Chop off about 1/4 of a head of cabbage and shred it. Start heating a pan on medium heat and add oil, throwing in the cabbage and frying until soft.
Add the cabbage to the pork and let cook for another 5–10 mins. Break the pork apart into bite-size strips using forks or you tool of choice. Serve on rice and be sure to get the pieces that have been soaking in those delicious meat juices at the bottom.
Enjoy! This dish is even better when served with other Hawaiian foods, especially lomi salmon, lau lau, and poi. Don’t Google those words if you’re hungry. Thanks for reading!
