Kalua Pork in an Instant Pot

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Kalua Pork is a smoked pork that is shredded and often served with rice and cabbage at a Hawaiian luau. In Hawaiian, the word "kalua" literally translates to "to cook in an underground oven". And traditionally, kalua pork is made by placing a ti leaf wrapped whole pig in a fire pit of hot lava rocks and koa or kiawe wood. The pig is smoked for hours until the meat is succulent, fall off the bone tender, and has absorbed the flavors of the ti leaves and smoked wood.

My father in law tells stories of how he and his Hawaiian friends dug a giant pit to make kaula pork for a University of Illinois luau back in the 1950's. And my husband's friends tell hilarious stories of their attempt at making kalua pork the traditional way, that ended with someone waking up and yelling "FIRE!", and was left with an entire pig, blackened but still completely raw.

Add water, cut pork butt and spices to instant pot.

Pressure cook 1 hour and 15 minutes

Caramelize onions in a pan

Take out pork with juices. Shred with forks

Add caramelized onions and mix to combine.

Luckily, you don't need to dig a giant hole in the backyard and risk your life when you want to have some kalua pork. It's not the traditional way, but kalua pork can be ready in under 2 hours with an instant pot, some salt and liquid smoke. (If you don't have an instant pot, then just place the pork in a crockpot for 6-8 hours.) I also like to add in additional spices, (just a little bit), such as ginger powder, garlic powder, paprika, and dried onion flakes, to the pot to make it extra tasty. And then while the meat is cooking, I caramelize 2 thinly sliced onions in a frying pan and mix with the kaula pork when it's done. I came up with this idea one time when we were eating the last of the leftover kalua pork, and I didn't have quite enough for 2 servings, so I mixed in some caramelized onions to stretch it, and my husband said, "Is this kalua pork? It's tastes so much better than yesterday." Ha! Enjoy!

Updated Dec 18, 2019: Kalua Pork is also freezer friendly! Just make sure you pour plenty of the juices over the pork in a freezer safe container. Pictured below, I made two freezer meals of kalua pork with a side dish of sauteed spinach and onions.

Freezer Friendly Meal kit

Yields 12 servings

Ingredients:

  • 6 lbs pork butt cut into 3 equal pieces
  • 2 t salt
  • 1 t pepper
  • 1 t garlic powder
  • 1 t ginger powder
  • 1 t sweet paprika
  • 1 T dried onion flakes
  • 2 T liquid smoke
  • ½ c water
  • 2 thinly sliced yellow onion caramelized

Procedures:

  1.  Add ½ c water to the instant pot.
  2. Cut pork butt into 3 equal pieces and place in the instant pot (6 quart IP) with the water.
  3. Add in salt, pepper, garlic powder, ginger powder, paprika, dried onion flakes and liquid smoke.
  4. Close the lid, turn vent to seal and set instant pot to cook under high pressure for 1 hour and 15 min. Natural release 15 min.
  5. While the pork is cooking, slice onions and caramelize in a pan by stirring the onions with 1 T oil and ½ t salt under medium heat for about 15-20 min or until brown and translucent. Set aside.
  6. When instant pot timer is up and pork is ready, transfer pork and juices to a bowl. Shred the pork with 2 forks. Stir in the caramelized onions. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Serve the kalua pork hot over rice and a side of veggies.