A friend of ours is giving a Hawaiian themed graduation party for her
daughter. I volunteered to make the kalua pig (or reasonable
facsimile).

I plan to cook 4 butts in the K seasoned only with some Hawaiian salt.
I'll dress the pulled meat with some salty water (per a Sam Choy
recipe). I'm going to skip the ti/banana leaf wrap - I'd rather get
the smoke flavor and the K will keep the meat moist enough. I'll try
to squeeze some yams into the K along with the butts, for authenticity
(and, I like, roasted sweet potatoes).

Because of our busy social schedule (hah!), I'll have to cook the butts
on the previous weekend, pull and season them, and then keep them in
vacuum sealed bags until the event. They'll reheat very nicely in a
pot of hot water; you can't overcook the pig).

The day before the the graduation party, we'll be 200 miles away at a
Basque picnic organized by a friend of mine. I usually make the
pintxos (ie, tapas, ie, appetizers). One of the pintxos will probably
be bacalao ajoarriero, that is, salt cod, garlic teamster style. Tony
Soprano might call it baccala Jimmy Hoffa. You can't drive mules
without lots of garlic, can you?

Louis Cohen wrote:
> A friend of ours is giving a Hawaiian themed graduation party for her
> daughter. I volunteered to make the kalua pig (or reasonable
> facsimile).
>
> I plan to cook 4 butts in the K seasoned only with some Hawaiian salt.
> I'll dress the pulled meat with some salty water (per a Sam Choy
> recipe). I'm going to skip the ti/banana leaf wrap - I'd rather get
> the smoke flavor and the K will keep the meat moist enough. I'll try
> to squeeze some yams into the K along with the butts, for authenticity
> (and, I like, roasted sweet potatoes).


Louis,
Just thought I'd offer my catering experience here.

Most people don't know what real Kalua pig tastes like, but the words
"luau", Hawaiian, or Polynesian, do conjure up visual and taste
expectations. Theme decorations are probably most important, sweet &
savory and sweet & hot flavors are also expected (soy sauce based)
along with grilled fruits and veggies (you're sweet potato fits right
in).

Here's what I do to imitate Kalua pork; marinate in equal parts
pineapple juice and cheap Blush wine for 24 hours, salt and white
pepper, then wrap in lotus leaves that have been soaked in water for
about an hour, then smoke with apple wood. Serve just like pulled pork
atop a banana leaf along side some sticky rice, grilled pineapple &
green apple rings and some roasted red & green bell pepper with sides
of soy sauce and a balsamic vinegar reduction. Or, make some chicken
kabobs with the red & green bell pepper brush with some teriyaki glaze
that you've added a little Sambal to, serve along side your pork.

BTW what is the salty water dressing?

Steve

A search for kalua pork recipes suggested that the consensus is to
slash the pork butt, apply Hawaiian salt and liguid smoke, wrap in
leaves, and roast. The Sam Choy/Emeril version suggests dissolving
some salt in water and dressing the pulled meat with that before
serving.

I'm just doing this for a friend, and I'm not setting up the venue, so
I can leave the tiki torches, and side dishes, and the lomi-lomi salmon
etc. to others.

After the pork comes out of the cooker, I may grill some cabbage - many
plate lunches offer kalua pig and cabbage.