Oven-Roasted Hawaiian-Style Kalua Pig
Although all of us love the taste of kalua pig steamed/smoked in an actual imu (wood-fired pit), most of us don't know how to build one and haven't the courage to try! It does take a lot of skill and know-how.
So oven-made kalua has become perfectly acceptable, with a little help from liquid smoke and heavy-duty aluminum foil to seal in the steam.
Oven-Roasted Hawaiian-Style Kalua Pig
This is the Island version of pulled pork.
Ingredients
- 6 lbs pork butt
- 4 Tbsp Kaʻiulani Alaea Sea Salt
- 3 Tbsp Kaʻiulani Chinese 5 Spice
- 3 Tbsp liquid smoke
- 6 ti leaves (aluminum foil if you can't find ti leaves)
Process
- Preheat oven to 300° F.
- Mix the Alaea Sea Salt and Chinese 5 Spice together and rub the mixture all over the pork butt, then sprinkle and rub with liquid smoke.
- Place ti leaves (or foil) in roasting pan to cover the bottom, place pork on top and wrap the rest of the ti leaf (or foil) around the pork (secure with toothpicks or tie with cotton cooking twine). Seal the roasting pan with aluminum foil.
- Bake in oven 2 to 3 hours, or until tender.
- Unwrap foil, shred meat and mix in the juices that have been released from the roast. Serve with rice or poi.
Serves 8 to 10.
Other Uses
Make kalua pig sandwiches, serve kalua pig on a bed of spinach or cooked luʻau leaf with poi for supper, or make kalua pig tacos or quesadillas.
Pair it with our Jasmine Curry Rice with Pineapple for a complete island-style meal—or explore more Hawaiian-inspired recipes on our site.
Love bold Hawaiian flavor? Try our Hawaiian Spice as a rub on your next pork shoulder, or browse the full Kai Spices collection to find your next favorite blend.
