One Yummy Pig

I know that we usually talk about fruit or vegetables on this blog, but earlier this month, my husband and I celebrated our 20^th wedding anniversary by taking a trip to Hawaii. This actually wasn’t our first trip there. Our previous visits included our honeymoon and a trip for one of our sons who was married there.

However, we had not gone to a Luau since our honeymoon, and we thought it would be fun to do again.

My memory of the first Luau dinner was lots of fresh fruit, delicious tropical drinks, very good Kalua pork, and purplish wallpaper paste, or as they billed it, poi. I apologize to all the poi lovers out there, my palate just is not refined enough to recognize the subtle nuances of taste and flavor in the poi that I have had.

This year’s Luau was very similar. The food was delicious; the entertainment was a combination of my husband being part of the onstage hula lessons and a very good ‘history of the Hawaiian people’s arrival to the islands’ with wonderful Hawaiian music.

The focal point of the dinner was the roasted pig, ceremoniously unearthed from his underground oven or Imu, and carried to the carving table. It was delicious, tender, moist and flavorful. My husband loves this ‘other white meat’.

When we returned to the Mainland, I decided to try my hand at cooking Kalua Pork…..but without the underground cooking. On the web, I found an excellent recipe that had only 3 ingredients (including the pig) and lots of rave reviews. I did have to purchase Hawaiian Salt, all the reviewers who used either sea salt or regular salt said the meat was too salty. Hawaiian Salt actually includes some clay with the salt (there’s my piece of earth in the recipe).

I tried the recipe last week and it was delicious, just as good as that which we enjoyed at the Luau. So, for all of you who want to try a bit of Hawaiian pork at your home, without digging up your backyard, here are the directions I followed:

1 6 lb. pork butt

1 to 1/12 Tbs. Hawaiian Salt

1 Tbs. liquid smoke

Pierce the pork butt all over with a knife or fork

Rub the Hawaiian Salt and liquid smoke into the meat

Place meat in your slow cooker set to low heat

Allow to cook on low for 16 – 20 hours

Remove from cooker, shred the pork and serve with rolls, if desired.