Kalua Pork
This kalua pork will rock your world. It is SO moist, it only has three ingredients, it can be prepared in less than five minutes, and it feeds a CROWD.
Kalua Pork. How I’ve managed to live this long without making myself acquainted with this incredible meal is beyond me.
First, a background. The word “Kalua” simply refers to a method – “cooking in an underground oven.” I don’t know about you but I don’t have any underground ovens around; however there is no need to worry.
This delicious Kalua Pork can be made at home and if you have never made it, I am telling you here and now that it will rock your world.
Let me outline the benefits of this life-changing meal:
1) It only has three ingredients (not counting a smidgeon of water).
2) It can be prepared in less than five minutes.
3) It is economical.
4) It feeds a CROWD.
5) Leftovers can be frozen beautifully and reheated as BBQ pork sandwiches, pork quesadillas, pork enchiladas, you get the picture.
6) It is the most deliciously moist pork I have ever tasted. Ever.
Have I convinced you to make this yet? You won’t be disappointed. My sister-in-law, Mary, introduced this method of cooking pork to me several months ago and I am forever grateful.
It really is my very, very favorite way to eat pork (served with rice and fresh pineapple and you have one incredibly divine meal).
FAQs for Kalua Pork
You can freeze it, no problem, especially if it saves you time. I’ve had the best luck cooking, letting the meat cool, and then vacuum sealing (in my food saver). It seems to keep the flavor and freshness a lot better.
Usually a 3-5 pound pork roast needs about 55-60 minutes in the IP (high pressure). If it were 1-2 pounds, I’d probably do 40 minutes or so.
Applewood and hickory are my favorites!
Either will work, but bone-in makes a more tender pork.
For a smaller roast (about 4-5 pounds), cut about an hour off the baking time, but still add the same amount of water so you are sure it doesn’t dry out.
Kalua Pork
Ingredients
- 10-12 pounds pork shoulder butt roast, don’t substitute a leaner cut of pork or it will be dry
- 1 bottle liquid smoke
- 2 tablespoons sea salt, or hula salt if you can find it
- 1 ½ cups water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Trim roast of large pockets of fat (but leave some fat on there to help the pork stay tender while cooking).
- Place pork in large roasting pan (the aluminum, deep roasting pans you can buy at the grocery store work great if you don’t own a heavy-duty roasting pan).
- Rub 2-3 tablespoons of sea salt into pork. Pour the bottle of liquid smoke over and around the pork. Pour the water around the pork. Cover roasting pan TIGHTLY with two layers of aluminum foil.
- Bake for 5-7 hours (don’t uncover while baking – let the steam and heat work its magic!).
- Shred with two forks and serve with rice.
Hey there! I made this tonight with a 4 pound picnic roast. I was worried about the outcome using a different cut of meat but it was super yummy!! I decreased the water by 1/2 c and the liquid smoke to half a bottle and cooked it for 5 hours. My pork was a little dry & and all the liquid had evaporated and sorta burned to the bottom of my pan. I will definitely make this again however I will not decrease the liquid next time… Just the cooking time 🙂 thanks for sharing this yummy recipe !
Hi! I am Nicole R’s SIL! We make This all of the time in the crock pot also! It’s our Sunday stand by. It is delicious to stir a bag of fresh spinach to the meat the last 30 minutes or so. Great way to get a little green into the little ones with no opposition. Great website, thanks for sharing so many ideas.
my 9 pound roast was a little overdone/dried out. Not sure if it was b/c the roast was too small, or the heavy roasting pan too large, but it was still delicious, and the leftovers were easy to add liquid and flavor to later. I’d recommend 5-6 hours for a slightly smaller roast, but I will definately try again- still soo good!
I live in Hawaii , and have made this recipe for years! Its so easy! I use the crockpot. After I season it, I usually wrap up the meat in tinfoil to keep it moist. I put some water in the bottom, and leave it on low. I add cabbage, or spinach after it is done and shredded. Just cook it a few minutes. Throw it all together, and of course eat over rice!
Cindy – LOVE your tips. Can’t wait to incorporate them when I make this next. Thank you!
Made this today and it was a HIT with the family!! I was only able to find an 8 pounder and I rubbed 2 Tbls of sea salt all over it, did a lot of stabbing and poured the liquid smoke all over it. I almost heard the roast sigh a very happy sigh. 😉 I cooked it for 4 1/2 hours and it seriously fell apart as soon as I touched it with a fork. Superb!! THANK YOU!
Thanks, Hollie – and thanks for including your variations.
I am trying this recipe soon and have one question before I do—if you are not going to be using 10-12 lbs. of pork but a smaller amount like 4-5 lbs. do you still bake it for 5-7 hrs. or do you reduce the baking time?
Brittany – I’d cut about an hour off the baking time with a roast that size but I’d still add the same amount of water so you are sure it doesn’t dry out.
I just got back from a vacation in Maui where I had the opportunity to taste Kalua pork tacos. I fell in love and immediately went in search for a recipe. I tried yours yesterday in the crock pot! Delicious! I used my crock pot and cooked my boneless pork shoulder on high for about 6 hours. I turned over half way through. I couldn’t even pick it up without it falling apart. It was incredibly moist and tender. I had it in a tortilla with shredded lettuce, sour cream, cheese and topped with pico de gallo. It was a hit with all three of my kids and my husband. Thanks for the recipe!
Carrie – I love the idea of eating these as tacos. Thanks for sharing and including your tips for the crockpot!
I did it and it turned out fabulous! I gotta say my husband was quite impressed cuz I’ve never done anything this fancy and it turned out so well! It has been a meal saver for the last couple weeks. It gets hot here in Cali and it’s nice to only have to heat my house one day and end up with two weeks worth of meals. We turned it into everything, burritos, bbq pork sandwiches, mexican pork salad, enchiladas, nachos, as well as just serving it with rice and pineapple more than once. SO yummy! Thank you, thank you!
Kimi – wow! You’ve used this pork in a lot of dishes and I’m so happy that it was good enough to eat again and again! Thanks for letting me know.
Hey Melanie. This looks delicious! (I know you’ve had it up for awhile, I’m slow). How many people do you think this would feed? I’m thinking about making this for a church social thing and I need to feed around 20 people. I’m just wondering how big of a roast to get, so I thought I’d ask about how many the 10-12 lb. feeds. Anyway, thanks for your great recipes!
Hey Sarah – I would say the 10-12 pork roast (I buy the bone-in shoulder/butt) feeds at least 10, even more (probably around 15) if you are serving it with rice and other sides. Usually when I make it, after I shred it, I have a heaping 9X13 pan full of shredded pork. I hope that helps! If I were you, I’d probably cook at least 16-17 pounds to feed 20 people.
I’m assuming you use a bone-in roast? I really want to try this, so if you get this message please let me know! Thanks:)
Lisa – yes, I use a bone-in roast.
So, Let’s face it. I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to cooking large amounts of meat. Never done a turkey or made sunday pot roast. So, for the meat impaired you say to cook for 5-7 hours but to not check on it because I would let the steam out. How do I know when it’s done? Is it some equation with amount of meat I have and the cooking temperature and the like? Or do you check on it and if I do check on it what’s it supposed to look like? Or should I just stick to making pizza and sloppy joes?
Kimi – I’m not going to lie, I laughed at the “meat impaired” reference, but I’m sure you can make this work! It is easy, I promise. The reason you don’t need to peek in to check for doneness is because it absolutely will be done after five to seven hours. Unless your meat is frozen stiff (which it shouldn’t be), this will definitely be cooked properly with the cooking time. It actually overcooks but because it is covered tightly, the steam and moisture contribute to making it really tender. Don’t stress about checking it. If you use the amount of meat specified in the recipe and follow the directions, it will cook perfect. If you are worried about pulling it out too early (like at the five hour mark), just let it cook for six hours and you’ll be fine, I promise!
Kalua is excellent… especially if you’re fortunate enough to be at a party where they make it in an imu (underground oven). They sell it in convenient packs in the grocery stores in Hawaii… and being away from Hawaii for so long, I’m hungry for it again. I will have to make it soon. Leftovers are also good cooked with chopped cabbage (Kalua & Cabbage)… a well known dish in Hawaii and even better with white rice.
TankieGirlie – so how did it turn out??
I am making this now in the oven wrapped in Ti leaves & foil… I wish it would hurry up!
Anonymous – I’ve used both the hickory and the mesquite flavor with no real noticeable difference. In my opinion, both work equally well. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
This recipe sounds so good and I am excited to try it, at the grocery store they had two kinds of liquid smoke Hickory and mesquite. I was just wondering which one you used? Or is there a different flavor that is better? Thanks for your help.
Hey Becky – glad you liked the kalua pork. I love using the leftovers, too, and now I’ll have to try it in tacos!
Anonymous – the bottle of liquid smoke is 4 oz. I would definitely use foil in place of a lid – or a combination of both. You really want to seal in every bit of moisture. I think it would go fine with mashed potatoes but be aware that there really isn’t a lot of “gravy” type liquid, so your mashed potatoes wouldn’t have that gravy effect. Good luck!
How big of a bottle of liquid smoke? Also, if I have a tight fitting lid for my roasting pan do I still need to use foil? Thanks, I think I will make it for my daughters bday dinner. Do you think it will go with mashed potatoes??
Anonymous – that is NOT a dumb question, I promise. I serve my Kalua Pork with rice, rolls and veggies on the side, occasionally with fresh pineapple, which is divine.
Hey Melanie, sorry if this is a dumb question. The recipes sound delicious (lets me honest, all of your recipes sound delicious). BUT, I’ve never had Kalua pork before. What do you normally serve this with?
I’ve made this before and it’s amazing!
We just went to an annivesary party last weekend that served kahlua pork and I thought I needed to find a recipe to make it and now I don’t – I have one! Can’t wait to try it – thanks Melanie!! We’re in Utah for a few days!
I love your blog! I have made a lot of your recipes and I am NEVER dissapointed. You have great recipes. Have you ever tried this recipe in a crock pot? Just wondering if that would work as well. This recipe sounds so delicious. I am going to try it tomorrow!
I’d forgotten all about this recipe. A friend gave it to me awhile back and I agree, it’s delicious.
Think you could make this in the crock pot?
what a groovy technique, and it definitely would make for an awesome quesadilla! your posts are so often an education for me, melanie. 🙂
I was just about to aks the same thing…do you think you could throw this in a crockpot for the day? Imput please!
MMMm. This is a great recipe, I’ve tried it. If you get the opportunity you must try it cooked the authentic way. Lovo food is so so so good. (Lovo is the Fijian way of saying underground oven)
You have me convinced! Of course when it comes to pork, I’m pretty easy 😉
Oh yum..I will be making this in my underground oven tomorrow!!! LOL
Ummm..no underground ovens here!!!LOL
let us know if you can use it in the crockpot
Ok, here is my input on whether or not this could work in a crockpot – yes, I think it might work just fine but I have to add my disclaimer that I have not tried it this way! My mom is trying it in a crockpot on Sunday and I’ll let you know how it goes. Basically the advice I gave her was to make sure your crockpot has a really good seal because the key to this pork turning out moist and tender is no moisture escaping. She is going to put her lid on the crockpot and also cover with a layer of foil. Also, remember to buy the right kind of pork roast. If anyone else tries it in a crockpot, let us know how it works out!
It sounds like a winning dish and perfect for an end of summer treat.
I have been making this dish in a crock pot sucessfully for the past two years since a trip to Hawaii where it is served at all the luaus. I cook it on low 14-16 hours. Good luck.
Ok, that’s it. You must be my long lost sister…
I’ve been making this for 7 years !!!!!!!!!!!! THIS SAME RECIPE AND I CAN CONFIRM THAT IT’S THE MOST AMAZING DISH !!!! I learned to make this while I lived in Hawaii for 3 years….it’s fabulous and authentic !!!!!!!!!!!!
So, Mel, I guess you’re on my Christmas List since we are now ‘family’ 🙂
I can’t believe that is all that is in Kalua Pork. We devour it when we are in Hawaii, but haven’t found anything close here. I can’t wait to try this!
I made Coconut Chicken Curry Friday night, it might be my favorite dinner. I’m making it again tonight…it’s that good!
I love when the meat just falls apart like that. Delicious!
Queen B. – ok, sister, put me on your Christmas card list!! And thanks for adding your raving review to this recipe.
Tasha – thanks for weighing in on the crockpot issue. It looks like the crockpot will work but you have to cook it a lot longer than the typical 8-10 hours.
Cammee – glad you liked the coconut curry chicken. It, too, is one of my very favorites. You and I have great taste in food, I should say!
i guarantee this will be made within a matter of weeks at our house, delicious!
This looks so good, I can not wait to try it out. Next week hopefully 🙂
I made this for dinner last night, and it did not disappoint! We all had 2nds (I think one of my girls had 3rds!). Needless to say, we did not have much to freeze, the left-overs will be fantastic to take camping, awesome as a sandwich.
Melissa – I’m so glad you tried this. Thanks for letting me know! The leftovers DO make great sandwiches so I hope you enjoy the little bit you have left that way. Thanks for checking in.
I put mine in the crockpot and cooked on low for 16 hours. That meant that I put it in at midnight. When I opened it up it was juicy and tender.I found that it was REALLY salty. I don’t know if it was my bleary eyed midnight cooking, or should I have just used 2TBL of salt or less? It was still very delicious with rice! Would the oven cooking process make it any different? I love your site and I love your favorite cookie recipe. We’ve made it about five times in the last few weeks!
Candace – I have made this before and it turned out really salty, too, but it was because I used way too much salt – probably 1/2 cup or more (yikes, I know!). I would say if you liked it enough to make again, cut the salt down to one or two tablespoons. The amount in the recipe (2-3 tablespoons) is for almost 8 pounds of meat so if you are using less meat, of course, cut the salt down, too. On another note, I declare best friend status with everyone who likes my favorite cookie so welcome to the club!!
I read this wrong and thought it said Kahlua. 😉
I made this for dinner last night and it turned out AWESOME. And so so easy. And PLENTY of leftovers. LOVED it. I served it with sticky rice and pineapple.
My husband was thinking it would be a great “rice bowl” meat, so I am going to use the leftover meat with sauted zucchini, squash, pepper, carrots, and a little teriyaki sauce, whip up some brown rice and there I have an EASY weeknight dinner.
And I can’t wait to try your chili mac. My husband LOVES that stuff.
Hi Tara – We just ate this meal again, too. I’m so, so glad you liked it. I bet it was delicious with fresh pineapple and I think your idea of serving it in a rice bowl is brilliant. Thanks for checking in!
I don’t usually write in, but I just tried out this recipe today (using the crockpot and a very frozen pork shoulder, so I actually started last night) and it turned out to be amazing! Thanks so much for sharing such an easy and delicious meal!
Megan – thanks for letting me know this worked out for you, especially in the crockpot. I’ve been wondering how that would work. Thanks!