Kalua Pig Wood Question

We are having a Luau this weekend and I would like to make Kalua Pig. I am following a Steven Raichlen recipe. Mr. Raichlen calls for wrapping a pork shoulder in banana leaves with salt, pepper, onion, ginger, garlic, and liquid smoke. I would prefer not to use liquid smoke and I would like to substitute mesquite. Can anyone recommend a good amount of mesquite for Kalua Pig?

Thanks,
Oak

I would recomend using either cherry, maple, hickory, or apple personally and would use 5 or 6 chunks for an average size butt. For Mesquite I would go with probably 3 chunks.

Clark

Aloha... I have been doing kalua pig in an imu for over 50 years both in HI, where I was born and raised, and also here in CA and WA. I do it the traditional way in the imu (underground pit) using lava rocks. Here in WA I use alder and maple to heat up the rocks and I season the whole hog with Hawaiian sea salt.

Are you planning to do it in a bbq pit?

Be glad to answer any questions...

joe

Hmmmm ...

If it's wrapped in banana leaves, does it really make a difference what wood is used?


BTW, Liquid Smoke does come in Mesquite flavor.

And it's horrid - just like the hickory version. Not a fan of mesquite for smoking, myself - nice for grilling though. If you want to add some smoke flavor directly use smoked paprika.

Kalua pig is not typically seasoned with much more than salt, as Joe notes. (I find it too bland for my taste, and prefer to add aromatics - onion, garlic and ginger and an herb sprig or two.)

The traditional Hawaiian kalua pig is cooked on red hot lava rocks. On the rocks a bed of smashed or shredded banana stumps, banana leaves and ti leaves are placed on the rocks to prevent the pig from scorching. It also is a source of some moisture. It is a unique method of cooking since hot lava rocks are placed within the stomach cavity before placing the pig on the aforementioned stumps and leaves. So the pig cooks from the inside with direct contact with the lava rocks while the outside cooks from the heat and steam from the rocks in the pit and leaves.

for taste and if done wrapped and in the oven that is a common way its done even in hawaii, the use of liquid smoke is almost mandatory. its real smoke so nothing really wrong with it. just don't use to much. if its wrapped and you try to use smoking wood you will not get much if any smoke on the pork. i really don' think you will regret using liquid smoke. most hawaiians don't.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by george curtis:
for taste and if done wrapped and in the oven that is a common way its done even in hawaii, the use of liquid smoke is almost mandatory. its real smoke so nothing really wrong with it. just don't use to much. if its wrapped and you try to use smoking wood you will not get much if any smoke on the pork. i really don' think you will regret using liquid smoke. most hawaiians don't. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

"Aloha... I have been doing kalua pig in an imu for over 50 years both in HI, where I was born and raised, and also here in CA and WA. I do it the traditional way in the imu (underground pit) using lava rocks. Here in WA I use alder and maple to heat up the rocks and I season the whole hog with Hawaiian sea salt.

Are you planning to do it in a bbq pit?

Be glad to answer any questions..."

George, Joe, et al.

Thank you for your advice. I am cooking on my WSM so I thought I might be able to use real wood instead of liquid smoke. Texas Barbeque has a recipe for Kalua Pig and they call for using mesquite chips, but there is no mention as to how much. http://www.texasbarbeques.com/Hawaiian_barbecue.html

I agree mesquite can be overpowering so I was going to keep it low—2-3 cups of mesquite chips. I figured the smoke would be able to penetrate the banana leaves since there are bound to be some holes after wrapping the pork butt. I’m still on the fence on whether to use liquid smoke or wood chips. I’d appreciate any more thoughts.

I hope to post the results of the cook before too many piña coladas.

Regards,
Oak

If you look at the pics on this thread for Cochinita Pibil (Yucatecan pork in banana leaves), also traditionally cooked in a ground pit, you'll see in the third pic down (scroll down through the thread) the banana packs after smoking. The leaves tend to dry and shrink. If leaf coverage is not too generous there will be openings for the smoke.

george is quite right, Liquid Smoke is smoke. My problem with it is that it is frequently overused - a little really does go a long way, but try telling that to people who use it. The food (kalua pig, barbecue sauce, whatever) ends of tasting like, well, Liquid Smoke, a distinctively unnatural concentrated smoke flavor. To me anyway.

The Kalua Pig was a hit at the Luau. I am known in the neighborhood as the pork guy. It helps when you have a WSM. I used about 2-3 cups of mesquite chunks and it penetrated the gaps in the banana leaves lightly, which is what I wanted. The onions, ginger, and garlic gave the pork a good flavor. The onions smelled heavenly while cooking-like Sunday roast. I'd probably make this again for the next Luau. I served the pork with a passion fruit apple sauce.

Wow! Nice job. Did the banana leaves Make a difference with the flavor, tenderness, moisture?

I bet everyone loved it.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ernie D:
Wow! Nice job. Did the banana leaves Make a difference with the flavor, tenderness, moisture?

I bet everyone loved it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ernie,

Yes on all four. The banana leaves gave it a slight flavor, but the real purpose was to tenderize and keep the moisture in the butt. The leaves also speed up the cooking process. It was nice cooking a butt in 6 hours instead of 16.

Regards,
Oak

How hot do you think I could cook a butt wrapped in banana leaves? I'm figuring mid 300's would be fine. Thoughts?