Cooking A Whole Pig (Hawaiian “Apartment “Luau)

Though I’ve only been twice as of the writing of this caption, it doesn’t take a genius to realize that Hawaii is a special place. My stepmom Kim was lucky enough to grow up on the Hawaiian island that houses the city of Honolulu called Oahu. The state, in typical American fashion, is an amalgamation of a handful of different cultures ranging from Asia to Europe to the indigenous Samoan and other island peoples that have inhabited the land for hundreds of years, before it became a U.S. state.

When the word “Luau” is uttered, perhaps you imagine an image of a suburban backyard. Maybe it’s full of dorky white people in Hawaiian shirts, maybe there are tiki torches punched into the ground every 6 feet, maybe everybody is wearing flower necklaces called leis as they sip multi-colored cocktails with paper umbrellas slumping out the side. Let’s face it, here on the mainland the once sacred tradition of Luau has taken a turn towards a more... commercial destination. But hey, I suppose this is America.

Let’s put the cynicism aside for a second. The luau is a beautiful tradition that involves family, friends, drinks and pork. A lot of pork. Like we’re talking a whole hog. Hawaii might be 4,100 miles away and I might live in an apartment with no real way to dig an underground oven, but I’ll be DAMNED if that stops us... Let’s party.

P.S. If you’d like to purchase some of the products I used for this video, I’ve left a few links below. Some are affiliate links where I earn a small commission off of your purchase, others are just normal links. If you like what you see, come back to the YouTube channel and watch more Cooking the States episodes! We have a lot of fun stuff in store for you. 🤘🏻Adam

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DIY "Apartment Luau" at Home!

Ingredients

Kalua Pork

• 70-80 pound Whole Hog, butchered and splayed
• 1 1/2 cups Hawaiian Salt, more as needed
• Kiawe Wood Chunks (optional) *see note

Poi (Taro Paste)

• Taro Root Powder *see note
• Water, as needed

Chicken Long Rice

• 4 cups Chicken Stock
• 1/4 cup Shoyu (Soy Sauce)
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 inch knob of Ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 5 Chicken Thighs
• 10 ounces Rice or Bean Thread “Vermicelli” Noodles
• 5 Scallions, sliced thin
• Hawaiian Salt, to taste

Lomi Lomi Salmon

• 1 pound Salmon
• Hawaiian Salt, to taste
• 2 medium Tomatoes, medium dice
• 1 large Sweet Onion, medium dice
• 4 Scallions, sliced thin
• Juice of half a Lemon

Haupia (Coconut Pudding)

• 2 tsp Agar Agar Powder
• 1 cup Water
• 1/3 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Full-fat Coconut Milk
• 1/2 tsp Hawaiian Salt
• Toasted Coconut Flakes, for garnish

Hawaiian Chili Water

• 4 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 inch knob Ginger, peeled and minced
• 3 Bird Eye Chilis, sliced thin
• 1 tsp Hawaiian Salt
• 1/4 cup Distilled White Vinegar
• 1 cup Water

Kim's Mac Salad

• 1 pound Elbow Macaroni, cooked and strained
• 1 cup Yellow Onion, chopped
• 1 cup Carrot, shredded
• 1 cup Frozen Peas, thawed
• 2 Hard-boiled Eggs, chopped
• 1 pound Crab Stick, chopped
• 1 cup Mayonnaise, more to taste
• 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce, more to taste
• 1 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Black Pepper, to taste

SPAM Musubi

• 1 can of SPAM
• 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 3 Tbsp Mirin
• 3 Tbsp Sugar
• 3-4 cups Cook White Rice, more as needed
• 4-5 Nori Sheets, more as needed

Instructions

Kalua Pork

1. Season the pig with Hawaiian salt all over on both sides. Secure the pig in between the rack that Caja China provides. Situate the pig skin side down on the Caja China. If using, burn the Kiawe wood until smoking then situate the smoldering wood chunks in the corners of the box making sure that they do not tough the pig. Put the lid on, add 18 pounds of match-light charcoal on top and light. Once the charcoal stop flaming and begin to smolder, start the timer.
2. On the hour two marker, add 10 pounds more of match light charcoal. On the hour three marker, add another 10 pounds of charcoal. On the hour 4 marker add another 10 pounds of charcoal. On Hour 5, remove the lid and flip the pig so that the skin side is facing up. Dump the ashes from the tray, put the lid back on then place another 10 pounds of charcoal on top. Let cook for 30 minutes, then lift the corner of the box to check on the pigs skin. Check every 30 minutes until the skin is crisped to your liking. Remove the coals from the top, situate the lid so it's sitting ajar on the box at a 90 degree angle and let the pig rest for one hour.
3. Use a sharp, bulky knife and a pair of tongs to divvy out the meat so everyone gets a some juicy meat and crispy skin.
4. This method works for the Caja China Model #2 Roaster.

Poi (Taro Paste)

1. Add water as needed until the proper consistency is achieved.
2. Leave poi out at room temperature to ferment for a day, or eat fresh. Aged poi is tangier and more sour than fresh.

Chicken Long Rice

1. Add the chicken stock, shoyu, sugar, garlic, ginger and chicken thighs to a large stockpot. Bring to a simmer then cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until the thighs are cooked through. Soak the vermicelli noodles in a bowl of water and set aside as the chicken simmers.
2. Once the chicken has simmered for 20 minutes and is cooked through, remove them from the liquid, let cool slightly and shred into pieces. Remove the vermicelli noodles from the water and drain. Add the chicken and noodles back to the simmering stock, stir and cook for another 5 minutes. Garnish with green onions, serve hot, and CRUSH!

Lomi Lomi Salmon

1. Salt the skinless salmon liberally, cover in plastic wrap and place it on a plate in the fridge overnight, or up to 3 days. Remove from plastic wrap, rinse and pat dry, and slice into a medium dice.
2. Mix the salted salmon, tomatoes, onion and scallion and gently massage everything together. Serve cold.

Haupia (Coconut Pudding)

1. In a small saucepan add the water and whisk in the agar agar powder then bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, whisk in the sugar and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the mixture is viscous and bubbly. Whisk in the coconut milk and cook for 1 more minute, just until the mixture comes back to a simmer.
2. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture into a heat-proof pan or tray making sure that the pudding is about 1 1/2 inches tall. Let the pudding set for 2-3 hours.
3. Once set, cut the pudding into 3 inch squares to form “bars”. Garnish with toasted coconut. Serve chilled.

Hawaiian Chili Water

1. In a small sealable, heatproof, container mix together the garlic, chili and salt.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the vinegar and water just until steaming. Add in the garlic, chilis and salt. Let cool slightly then store in the fridge and let sit for 2 days before using.

Kim's Mac Salad

1. Mix all of the ingredients together, and adjust seasoning to taste with salt and soy sauce. Refrigerate until chilled down fully and serve cold. If the mac salad is a bit dry after it’s been in the fridge, add a dash of mayonnaise to loosen it back up.

SPAM Musubi

1. Slice the Spam into 1/3 inch slices, set aside. Reserve one SPAM can.
2. Pour the soy sauce, mirin and sugar into a small bowl and whisk until the sugar dissolves.
3. Sear the spam pieces in a pan over medium-high heat until crispy, then brush on some of the sweet soy sauce mixture. Flip and repeat, then reserve the SPAM on a plate.
4. Slice the nori sheets into 3 inch wide strips. Line the inside of the reserved SPAM can with plastic wrap, add a 1/2 cup of cooked rice then a piece of spam, close the plastic wrap then lightly push down to form a large piece of “SPAM sushi.”
5. Remove the SPAM from the can and wrap in a nori strip with the shiny side of the nori facing downwards. Serve immediately or wrap in plastic wrap and store on the counter at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Adam's Notes

• Mac Salad is a staple in Hawaiian plate lunch culture. Every spot makes it slightly different. This is the version that I grew up eating.
• The pig I used was 78 pounds and considered a "roaster." Somewhere between a suckling pig and mature hog. I found this size to be perfect for the occasion, it can easily feed 40 people +.
• Kiawe Wood is the Hawaiian wood used in Imu (traditional underground ovens). I had some shipped in from this website.
• Traditionally, Hawaiian Salt aka "Alaea" was used by native Hawaiians to bestow spiritual power. It was used in ceremony, blessings, for purifying and of course, cooking.
• I tried making poi with the regular white taro available in many American grocery stores using my Mortar & Pestle. It didn't work out too well. I found this poi powder that looked and tasted like the real deal so I went with it.
• I understand the Caja China is not the traditional way to cook a pig for luau. However, it's a fantastic option for those of us without the space to dig a massive hole and make an Imu. Is the technique Cuban, is it Chinese?... who cares. It works, and it yields a mega tasty end result.

Stuff That I Use:

Caja China

Poi Powder

Caja China

Hawaiian Salt

Hawaiian “Shoyu” Soy Sauce

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