It's LUAU Time!!

 

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TIME FO'EAT!!

Alright everyone I 'm finally going to do it.  This is for everyone who has been asking me for the recipes to the all time favorites Kalua pork and Shoyu chicken!!  As I have always said, these are super easy and no more difficult to make for 4 people as it is to make for 50.  They are ONO (delicious)! and when served with sticky white rice make a complete and easy meal.

Kalua Pig

 Here's what I use...

• 4-5 lb pork butt or shoulder blade roast with a bit of marbling 
• 2-3 tablespoons Hawaiian salt or kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons liquid smoke... mesquite is most authentic
• Ti leaves if you have or Banana if you don't (completely optional)  

Here's what I do...
If planning to use leaves (note: this is completely unnecessary if you follow my foil wrapping method but lends a bit more authenticity, but let's face it, if we were going for authenticity we should dig a hole and stuff it with hot lava rocks.  So  really... no need :) ) prepare them by removing the rib.  Lay out a long piece of aluminum foil and place the leaves on it.  Place pork on leaves and make small slashes all along.  Rub with salt, then liquid smoke.  Wrap leaves around pork as completely as possible. Wrap the foil tightly around the pork to make a watertight seal.  I do this 3 times.  Switching directions each time.  This ensures the moisture stays inside.  Let it sit at room temperature for 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Once oven is heated place wrapped pork in a large roasting pan. Fill with an inch of water. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Lower the temperature to 325 degrees F and cook for 3 and a half more hours or until tender. Cut a slit in the top of the package and shred with a fork before serving.   Reserve the cooking juices to pour as needed for flavor over the shredded pork.

You can also cut up and braise a bit of cabbage to add in as a variant. Serve it with sticky white medium grain calrose rice.  Simply delicious.



Ok now for the Shoyu Chicken

Here's what you need...

Marinade
To tell you the truth I do the marinade by feel and by what I have in the pantry.  It really is very forgiving.  The measures here are approximate but should lead you down the right path.
1 cup soy sauce
Juice of 1 medium orange or 1/4 cup pineapple juice
½ cup mirin which is a japanese sweet rice wine vinegar
½ cup water
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1½ tsp minced fresh garlic
1½ tsp peeled and minced fresh ginger (you can use dried also just use 1 tsp)

Mix all of these together and whisk till combined.

Get anywhere from 2-4 lbs of boneless skinless chicken thighs and place in gallon freezer ziploc bags.  Pour marinade over the chicken splitting between bags if necessary.  Zip really tight and place in fridge overnight if possible.  Try to give it at least 3 good hours to soak at minimum.  Remove bags from the fridge at least 30 min prior to grilling.  Fire up the gas or coals and grill these babies up.  The brown sugar and soy carmelize so nicely when grilled.  So ONO!!  (YUMMMMY)  Serve this with sticky white rice as well.  If you like you can take the remaining marinate and boil in a pan with a few tsp of cornstarch to thicken as a glaze.  Pour over chicken and garnish with chopped green onion.

There you have it!  Enjoy!