Pork Laulau

A. Weaver || Novemapa 29, 2022


A traditional Hawaiian dish can be wrapped up into one bundle. The term "laulau" comes from term "lau" meaning "many" and the second "lau" meaning "leaves." So, naturally "laulau" means "many leaves." Laulau is a dish that consist of a protein like a fatty piece of pork, beef, or chicken and salted butterfish. The protein is then wrapped in lūʻau (kalo or taro) leaves, then tī leaves, and steamed. Traditionally, laulau was baked in an imu (earthen oven) for hours. Once removed, the air is perfumed with the sweet essence of the lūʻau leaves and the meat is completely tender.

However, many of us do not have the ability to dig an imu in our yards. Today, laulau is often steamed on the stove top, baked in the oven, or placed in a pressure cooker. If you don't have access to lūʻau leaves, swiss chard is a great substitute. If you cannot find tī leaves, " ʻaʻole pilikia" (no problem)- use parchment paper instead.


Pork Laulau

Recipe makes 6 to 8 servings. Total time 4 hours (Prep: 30 minutes/ Cook: 3.5 hours). 

Ingredients 

  • 24 kalo leaves
  • 16 tī leaves
  • 6 tbs ʻalaea salth (red Hawaiian salt)
  • 2 pounds pork shoulder with a fat cap (cut into 8 pieces)

Directions

  1. Sprinkle each piece of pork shoulder with ʻalaea salt and seat aside. Flavor each piece to your liking.
  2. Prep the kale leaves by washing each leaf thoroughly under cold water. Make sure to inspect each leaf for small critters and dirt. With a paring knife, turn the lūʻau over to its underside and cut the stem from the base of the leaf.
  3. Wash and prep the tī leaves by following the stiff rib about half way up the leaf. Slice the rib horizontally. Using your hands, pull the bottom portion of the slit rib towards you. The rib should pill away from the rest of the leaf, making the leaf more pliable.
  4. Place the prepped tī leaves on the table. Make sure one is horizontal and the other in vertical.
  5. Assemble the delicious parcels by stacking three to four lūʻau leaves in your hand with the vein side down. Make sure that the largest lūʻau leaves are on the bottom of your pile.
  6. Place your pork and additional goods (fish, kalo, etc) in the middle of the lūʻau leaves. Fold the right and left sides in, then fold the bottom and top. Flip the bundle over with the creases facing down and place in the middle of the crossed tī leaves. 
  7. Fold the first tī leaf over the bundle and continue to fold until the parcel is contained. Warp the next tī leaf around in the opposite direction.
  8. Secure the bundles with a kitchen string or wrap tightly in foil.
  9. Fill a large pot with 2 inches worth of water. Bring the water to a rolling bubble. Place a steamer basket in the pot and turn down the heat to low. Place the laulau bundles in the steamer basket and put a lid on the pot. Steam and replenish the water if needed.
  10. If using an Insta Pot, place the steamer shelf in the pot and fill the water to the base of the shelf. Place the bundles in the Insta Pot. Pressure cook the laulau for at least 45 minutes.
Serve warm with a big scoop of rice and chili pepper water. Make sure to unwrap and discard the tī leaves. They are not edible.

Note: You must cook kalo leaves completely to remove the calcium oxalate. If you do not, your mouth and throat will become itchy.

Hūlō
A. Weaver
Photos by A. Weaver


 

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