We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Food

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Kalua Pig?

Mary McMahon
By
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 66,621
Share

Kalua pig is a Hawaiian dish which is produced by slowly roasting a pig in an underground pit. Traditional kalua pig is seasoned only with salt, allowing the flavors of the pig and the vegetation it is buried with to mingle, creating a very rich, smoky flavor which many people find very enjoyable. Some people also use the term “kalua pig” to refer to any sort of roasted pig, whether or not the pig is prepared in a traditional underground oven.

To make the dish in the traditional Hawaiian way, a whole pig is rubbed down with salt while a hole is dug and lined with extremely hot rocks and layers of vegetation, like banana and tea leaves. The pig is wrapped in vegetation and lowered into the hole, and then the entire pig is buried for five or more hours to slowly roast it. When the pig has finished roasting, it is uncovered, removed, and served. The meat tends to be very tender and juicy, thanks to the wrapping of vegetation which keeps the pig moist during the cooking process.

The underground oven used to make kalua pig is known as an imu, and this cooking technique can be found in many parts of the South Pacific. It is particularly associated with the Hawaiian luau, a large and festive party which may feature an assortment of foods along with music and dancing. Since the guest list at a luau is often large, a whole pig can be a useful party staple, ensuring that everyone gets enough to eat at the party.

Since roasting a whole pig is a lot of work and it generates a lot of meat, some people like to make the dish using just a section, like a pork shoulder, instead of the whole pig. If an imu is deemed too much work, the pig may be roasted in an oven or cooked in a crockpot to get the desired slow-cooked flavor. When kalua pig is not made in an imu, many people like to add liquid smoke, to hint at the flavor which would develop with pit roasting.

You may also hear kalua pig referred to as kalua pua'a in Hawaii, a term which translates as “pit roasted pig.” In addition to pig, other foods can be prepared in an imu, including fish, and other cultures have similar cooking techniques which are used to prepare things like mechoui, a North African lamb dish. While preparation of these dishes takes time because of the slow cooking, some consumers feel that the extra time is well worth it, when one considers the resulting flavor.

Share
DelightedCooking is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Mary McMahon
By Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a DelightedCooking researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Discussion Comments
By velveeta — On Jun 12, 2008

>>To make kalua pig in the traditional Hawaiian way, a whole pig is rubbed down with salt while a hole is dug and lined with extremely hot rocks and layers of vegetation like banana and tea leaves. Kalua pig is not made with TEA (Camellia sinensis) leaves, but rather with TI (Cordyline fruticosa) leaves

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a...

Learn more
Share
https://www.delightedcooking.com/what-is-kalua-pig.htm
Copy this link
DelightedCooking, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

DelightedCooking, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.