hawaiian flavor profile

[Shan_Can_Cook]

Aloha guys! Being born and raised in Hawaii, I'll tell you this much... Putting pineapple and/or coconut on/in anything does NOT make it Hawaiian. For Kalua pig, just keep it simple: Hawaiian salt/Alea salt or even just coarse sea salt, if you don't have access to Hawaiian sea salt. The smoke will add the rest of the flavor profile you're looking for. If you can get kiawe wood, cool. If not, mesquite or hickory will do just fine. Let it sit in a foil pan and soak up its own juices while smoking and when done, shred and salt to taste. No need for sauce, just don't forget the steamed white rice :) Hope this helps. \000/

 

[Bearcarver]

Aloha guys! Being born and raised in Hawaii, I'll tell you this much... Putting pineapple and/or coconut on/in anything does NOT make it Hawaiian. For Kalua pig, just keep it simple: Hawaiian salt/Alea salt or even just coarse sea salt, if you don't have access to Hawaiian sea salt. The smoke will add the rest of the flavor profile you're looking for. If you can get kiawe wood, cool. If not, mesquite or hickory will do just fine. Let it sit in a foil pan and soak up its own juices while smoking and when done, shred and salt to taste. No need for sauce, just don't forget the steamed white rice :) Hope this helps. \000/

Aloha Shan!!
And Welcome to SMF !!

Bear

 

[TomKnollRFV]

Aloha guys! Being born and raised in Hawaii, I'll tell you this much... Putting pineapple and/or coconut on/in anything does NOT make it Hawaiian. For Kalua pig, just keep it simple: Hawaiian salt/Alea salt or even just coarse sea salt, if you don't have access to Hawaiian sea salt. The smoke will add the rest of the flavor profile you're looking for. If you can get kiawe wood, cool. If not, mesquite or hickory will do just fine. Let it sit in a foil pan and soak up its own juices while smoking and when done, shred and salt to taste. No need for sauce, just don't forget the steamed white rice :) Hope this helps. \000/

And there ya have it from an Islander them selves!

And Shan the only place I've seen Kiawe wood online is some reference to a brand sold in Hawaii. I wish I could get Kiawe wood in the 48!

 

[zwiller]

Aloha guys! Being born and raised in Hawaii, I'll tell you this much... Putting pineapple and/or coconut on/in anything does NOT make it Hawaiian. For Kalua pig, just keep it simple: Hawaiian salt/Alea salt or even just coarse sea salt, if you don't have access to Hawaiian sea salt. The smoke will add the rest of the flavor profile you're looking for. If you can get kiawe wood, cool. If not, mesquite or hickory will do just fine. Let it sit in a foil pan and soak up its own juices while smoking and when done, shred and salt to taste. No need for sauce, just don't forget the steamed white rice :) Hope this helps. \000/

I don't typically use a pan or foil at the stall but I can see how doing it for this might add some authenticity for this style. Thanks!

 

[TomKnollRFV]

I did it in Banana leaves, didn't see much use for a pan when I did it, since I am pretty sure Banana leaves are pretty much impervious to leakage <or apparently heat as I learned> lol.

 

[Shan_Can_Cook]

Thanks for the welcome note, Bear! Tom, you’re spot on with the ‘Imu’ process of salting, wrapping in foil/banana leaves and literally burying it in a hole in the ground with a smoldering kiawe wood fire and rocks, covered with more banana leaves to retain the heat. My uncles have done an Imu before but I’ve never done one on my own... primarily because I have concrete and paver stones in my backyard lol. Anyways, looking forward to LEARNING a lot here, as I am brand new to smoking but have a lifelong relationship with cooking and the foodie culture, even before it was “cool” . Hope I can contribute a little here and there as well! Mahalo

 

[TomKnollRFV]

Thanks for the welcome note, Bear! Tom, you’re spot on with the ‘Imu’ process of salting, wrapping in foil/banana leaves and literally burying it in a hole in the ground with a smoldering kiawe wood fire and rocks, covered with more banana leaves to retain the heat. My uncles have done an Imu before but I’ve never done one on my own... primarily because I have concrete and paver stones in my backyard lol. Anyways, looking forward to LEARNING a lot here, as I am brand new to smoking but have a lifelong relationship with cooking and the foodie culture, even before it was “cool” . Hope I can contribute a little here and there as well! Mahalo

I believe if I dug a hole in the backyard to enact Imu cooking the family<and possibly city officials> might be upset LOL. If I ever try it again, I plan to do it in my chargriller. At least that won't be to painful to clean out!

 

[kauai808]

We make Kalau pig all the time. It’s basically steamed from all the banana leaf and stalks. It gets its flavor from the banana and the salt since there is no flame when you bury it I the ground. You put porous river rocks over wood and light the wood until the rocks are red hot. I tried to duplicate it in my smoker but it didn’t turn out anything like it. I should of put more banana stalks in there.

If you’re looking for more non traditional way then like someone mentioned, pineapple and mango would be good. Guava juice injection sounds good too.

 

[kauai808]

Doesn't the pineapple juice injection turn the meat to mush?

Not sure. I use green papaya on Hawaiian “smoke meat” for about an hour and half before I put it in smoker. It will turn to mush if it stays on too long.

 

[ironhorse07]

A UDS might be the smoker to go with for Kalau pork...

 

[ab canuck]

Wow some great info and ideas in here. Welcome to the new guys and input as well. I am going to have to try a few things on next pulled pork.

 

[TomKnollRFV]

Having tried Kalua pork my self; I think part of the magic might be the relatively high heat in the pit. I'm guessing 400f or so. I tried this and whilst the pork was good <I was also doing it as just a pork butt to pull>...well... I think part of the magic of Kalua pork is really the setting.

Now here's a crazy idea...what if you stuffed a pork tenderloin with green mangos and chilis and served it with a pineapple juice reduction? Like Pineapple..butter...some salt...garlic..just an idea. <Green Mango slices in red chilis and salt is more Asiatic then tropical, but if you never tried it...well, it's a good taste!>