In Hawaii, it is a tradition to cook a pig in an underground oven known as an imu. The pig, known as a kalua pig, is then shredded and served in baskets. Though it may seem unconventional, a pig roasted underground is just as moist and tender as a pig roasted in a traditional oven, according to the Primitive Ways website. When creating an imu, keep in mind that the cooking process and imu preparation typically take more than 12 hours; therefore, make sure that you start early enough in the day to eat your pig at night. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Dig a hole with sloped sides that is 2- to 4-feet deep. Determine the diameter of the hole based on the total length of the pig. The hole must be large enough to fit the entire pig inside without bending it.
2. Place newspaper pieces and wood at the bottom of the pit. Fill the pit with kindling until it reaches 1 foot above the rim. Set lava rocks on top of the kindling. Make sure that you have placed enough lava rocks on top to cover the entire bottom of the pit once the kindling has burned down to ashes. Light the kindling material and let it burn for up to two hours, or until it has turned to ash and the lava rocks are white in color.
3. Pull out a few lava rocks using tongs or an oven mitt and set them aside. Rake the kindling material and evenly spread the lava rocks on the bottom of the pit. Create a 6-inch thick layer of banana leaves on top of the lava rocks at the bottom of the pit, followed by a layer of chicken wire. Cover the chicken wire with a thin layer of banana leaves.
4. Set a whole pig on a clean work surface. Whole pigs are purchased at a butcher or grocer and have been cut down the center and the cavity cleaned out. Salt the whole pig thoroughly inside and out with kosher or Hawaiian rock salt. Place hot lava rocks inside the pig's open cavity and seal the cavity shut using chicken wire. Tie the front legs together using chicken wire and repeat the process for the hind legs. Set it in the pit on top of the banana leaves, laying on its side.
5. Place a layer of banana leaves on top of the pig, and then cover the entire pit with water-soaked burlap bags. Soak the bags overnight, so that they are thoroughly saturated. Expect to use at least 50 bags to cover a 3-by-5 foot pit. Cover the pit with a tarp so that there are no burlap bags showing. Place dirt over the edges of the tarp to keep the steam inside the pit.
6. Allow the pig to steam for 30 minutes per pound of pig to reach a safe eating temperature. Check the internal temperature of the pig to make sure that it has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit minimum before consuming by lifting up a small corner of the tarp and bags to test the thigh meat with a thermometer. Make sure to calculate cooking time properly and not check the big until the time limit has passed. Allow as little steam as possible to leave the pit during this process and make sure the thermometer does not touch the bone, which will give a false reading. Cover the pit back up if the pig has not reached temperature and allow it to steam until 165 degrees Fahrenheit is reached.
Tags: lava rocks, banana leaves, chicken wire, layer banana, layer banana leaves