Lu'au questions.
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Denver, CA
Posts: 3,789
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lu'au questions.
Hey guys,
For the 4th of July, I'm trying for the first time a lu'au style feast.
I've done some extensive research and am confident I can get the imu and prepration part down. However, I can't seem to find much information on how to marinate the pig itself.
I've read about adding salt and an apple in the mouth for flavor. Does the pig get marinated or does all the flavor come from the pig and vegetation?
Also being from Colorado, I don't have acess to some of the vegations like banana stalks. What do you guys recommend? I've read about cabbage, corn stalks and cottonwood leaves.
I'm thinking about throwing in some lemon grass. Have anyone tried it?
Thanks in advance.
For the 4th of July, I'm trying for the first time a lu'au style feast.
I've done some extensive research and am confident I can get the imu and prepration part down. However, I can't seem to find much information on how to marinate the pig itself.
I've read about adding salt and an apple in the mouth for flavor. Does the pig get marinated or does all the flavor come from the pig and vegetation?
Also being from Colorado, I don't have acess to some of the vegations like banana stalks. What do you guys recommend? I've read about cabbage, corn stalks and cottonwood leaves.
I'm thinking about throwing in some lemon grass. Have anyone tried it?
Thanks in advance.
#3
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: 21°19'51.22" N, 157°51'36.09"
Posts: 369
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In Hawai'i...we dont particularly have lu'au parties and, essentially...a lu'au is a potluck where family and friends bring in their special dishes to share with everyone. That's how we do it in Hawai'i. These are the typcial stuff you can make or find.
Recipe for Kalua Pork
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1727...240195,00.html
Lomi Salmon
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/reci..._14615,00.html
Laulau you can order
http://luauking.com/laulaus.html
or make
http://maindish.allrecipes.com/AZ/LL.asp
poi? good luck finding that on the mainland
if you want an authentic lu'au. you need to make an imu
http://www.ehow.com/how_6296_make-imu.html
Recipe for Kalua Pork
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1727...240195,00.html
Lomi Salmon
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/reci..._14615,00.html
Laulau you can order
http://luauking.com/laulaus.html
or make
http://maindish.allrecipes.com/AZ/LL.asp
poi? good luck finding that on the mainland
if you want an authentic lu'au. you need to make an imu
http://www.ehow.com/how_6296_make-imu.html
#4
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Denver, CA
Posts: 3,789
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
^^thanks, I tired searching those sites before and couldn't find anything. guess you have to know what you're looking for.
Wish you and your gf could make it to
Originally Posted by yobri
Sounds good bro... man, wish I could be there
#5
New Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you _really_ want poi, they sell freeze dried poi in a jar. I know some folks who had a baby with bad allergies. The baby couldn't eat much of anything else, so before moving to the mainland, that's what they stocked up on. My Mom, a retired nurse, actually said that it's a common food for babies here with allergies.
Too bad you're not in California. You can get all kinds of food from Hawaii there, or even go to places that serve many of the kinds of food you'd find at a luau.
Too bad you're not in California. You can get all kinds of food from Hawaii there, or even go to places that serve many of the kinds of food you'd find at a luau.
#6
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Denver, CA
Posts: 3,789
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you know where to look you can find things. For me, I can find poi pretty easily at asain markets here but it's just not as fresh or tasty. I can get my hands on banana leaves, ti leaves but I wish I can get some fresh banana stumps.
God, I would die to live in Hawaii. You guys are so freaky lucky!
God, I would die to live in Hawaii. You guys are so freaky lucky!
#7
Registered User
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Bellevue, Ne
Posts: 2,386
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by bamyi
I can find poi pretty easily at asain markets here but it's just not as fresh or tasty.
That should do well enough, poi is not usualy fresh and definately not tasty. IMHO
Trending Topics
#9
New Member
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Maui
Posts: 287
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by bamyi
Hey guys,
For the 4th of July, I'm trying for the first time a lu'au style feast.
I've done some extensive research and am confident I can get the imu and prepration part down. However, I can't seem to find much information on how to marinate the pig itself.
I've read about adding salt and an apple in the mouth for flavor. Does the pig get marinated or does all the flavor come from the pig and vegetation?
Also being from Colorado, I don't have acess to some of the vegations like banana stalks. What do you guys recommend? I've read about cabbage, corn stalks and cottonwood leaves.
I'm thinking about throwing in some lemon grass. Have anyone tried it?
Thanks in advance.
For the 4th of July, I'm trying for the first time a lu'au style feast.
I've done some extensive research and am confident I can get the imu and prepration part down. However, I can't seem to find much information on how to marinate the pig itself.
I've read about adding salt and an apple in the mouth for flavor. Does the pig get marinated or does all the flavor come from the pig and vegetation?
Also being from Colorado, I don't have acess to some of the vegations like banana stalks. What do you guys recommend? I've read about cabbage, corn stalks and cottonwood leaves.
I'm thinking about throwing in some lemon grass. Have anyone tried it?
Thanks in advance.
#10
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Denver, CA
Posts: 3,789
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yeah, every where I've read it states Hawaiian salt, but honestly I have no idea what that is and if I can use sea salt instead.
^^^thanks for your help and looking forward to more suggestions.
^^^thanks for your help and looking forward to more suggestions.
#11
Registered User
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Torrance
Posts: 1,008
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
yes, mainly hawaiian salt is sea salt. The more popular hawaiian sea salt has hawaiian red clay rich in iron called alaea.
http://www.saltworks.us/shop/product.asp?idProduct=116
http://www.saltworks.us/shop/product.asp?idProduct=116
#12
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Hawaii
Posts: 278
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Good luck in putting a pig in the imu. Most of us here just do the liquid smoke with pork shoulder in the crock pot (much easier and faster). And, you don't have to see the sorry looking face of the pig coming out of the imu.
#13
Registered User
iTrader: (6)
as suggested I would recommend sticking with items that you can cook in a traditional kitchen (poi, lomi lomi salmon, lau lau, etc.) and if you want to do kalua pig I'd see if you can't find it already prepared at an asian or hawaiian product type market. cooking a pig in an imu is a science that I would attempt w/o someone with experience. you'd need lava rocks (which I doubt are readliy available where you are), banana leaves, ti leaves, etc. plus it takes a lot of man hrs to do this. if you can't find kalua pig in stores, then just make it yourself on the stove as suggested.
#14
New Member
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Maui
Posts: 287
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by showstoppertk
as suggested I would recommend sticking with items that you can cook in a traditional kitchen (poi, lomi lomi salmon, lau lau, etc.) and if you want to do kalua pig I'd see if you can't find it already prepared at an asian or hawaiian product type market. cooking a pig in an imu is a science that I would attempt w/o someone with experience. you'd need lava rocks (which I doubt are readliy available where you are), banana leaves, ti leaves, etc. plus it takes a lot of man hrs to do this. if you can't find kalua pig in stores, then just make it yourself on the stove as suggested.
i highly agree with showstoppertk about not attempting this without an experienced person but then if you rreeeeeaaally want that lu'au feeling then feel free. oh and make sure you call the fire department cuz over here we have to notify them before we start our fire. i'm sure you can guess why we need to do that so....good luck with yo lu'au
Last edited by dkmaxitus; 06-26-2006 at 02:38 PM.
#15
Registered User
iTrader: (6)
yeah burlap bags are fine, although with the rocks you might want to be weary of the composite of the rocks you use. you might want to try using sauna rocks (which you can order online or maybe find at sauna stores) since they can handle high temps and dispurse a lot of steam. don't just go outside and grab whatever rocks you find. this might be ok in hawaii, but different regions and climates produce different rocks, some of which can explode at high temps or release bad or poisonous gases.
#17
Registered User
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Torrance
Posts: 1,008
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Like Aloha350z said, the crockpot or oven kalua comes out great too, the liquid smoke works wonders, very easy and just shred meat with a fork after. Practically instant kalua pork, you can worry about other stuff like having a local hula halau or having some live hawaiian music, is always good too!
#18
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Denver, CA
Posts: 3,789
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I understand your concerns and appreciate your advice. I'm really excited about doing this from scratch. I know this is my first time but it won't be my last. Experts start from somewhere right?
Anyways, I'm either using lava rocks or river rocks which I can buy at a local rock store. As for bananan leaves, those are common items at our local vietnamese markets.
Anyways, I dug the imu today. I'll post pics tomorrow. Its 5'x4' and 4' deep. I don't plan on cooking a big pig.
My pain concern at this point is preparing the pig. Its just one of those things that I'll have to tackle and learn on a trail basis.
Anyways, I'm either using lava rocks or river rocks which I can buy at a local rock store. As for bananan leaves, those are common items at our local vietnamese markets.
Anyways, I dug the imu today. I'll post pics tomorrow. Its 5'x4' and 4' deep. I don't plan on cooking a big pig.
My pain concern at this point is preparing the pig. Its just one of those things that I'll have to tackle and learn on a trail basis.
#19
Registered User
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Torrance
Posts: 1,008
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Don't worry too much about seasoning the pig, maybe just lightly brush it with a liquid smoke mixture and just put sea salt all over it and it will be great. By the time you take that sucker out, it's going to be all falling apart and super moist. You're gonna have a ton of kalua pork. Remember, you can always add more salt when you are shredding it too, once it's out of the imu, so i wouldn't worry too much about it.
more imu info
http://www.primitiveways.com/Imu1.html
more imu info
http://www.primitiveways.com/Imu1.html
#20
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Denver, CA
Posts: 3,789
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
^^ that site was how I got interested in the Lu'au. So far, I find it to have the best info with pics.
I'll post pics along the way if anyone is interested. Thanks again for all the help.
I'll post pics along the way if anyone is interested. Thanks again for all the help.