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–+ servings
Shredded pork butt is served on a banana leaf.

Hawaiian Kalua Pork Shoulder Recipe

Harry Soo
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This recipe is sponsored by Slap Yo' Daddy.
This Hawaiian Kalua pork shoulder is dry marinated, smoked, and finished with a pineapple mopping liquid, infusing it with flavor.
Preparation 30 minutes
Cook 4 hours
Ready in 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8
CourseMain Dish
InfluenceNorth American
DifficultySeasoned
MethodSmoke

Ingredients

Mopping Liquid

  • 1/4 cup golden brown sugar
  • 1 (13-ounce) can crushed pineapple
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons apple or pineapple juice
  • 1 tablespoon liquid smoke (optional)

Pork Shoulder

Equipment

  • smoker
  • plastic wrap
  • foil
  • 2 chunks mesquite wood

Directions

Mopping Liquid

  • Combine the brown sugar, crushed pineapple, melted butter, fruit juice, and liquid smoke in a small bowl. Set aside.

Pork Shoulder

  • Create a pork rub by combining the chicken powder, all-purpose rub, and coarse Hawaiian salt.
  • Sprinkle a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce to wet the pork butt so the rub will stick and be tacky. Apply a generous layer of the pork rub all over the butt.
  • Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  • Preheat a kettle style BBQ to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C) using briquettes with a hot zone and a cool zone for indirect smoking.
  • Remove the meat from the fridge and discard the plastic wrap.
  • Place the butt on the grate on the cool side of the BBQ and adjust the damper vents to maintain 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
  • Add to the BBQ a tennis-sized chunk of mesquite wood. Add another after 30 minutes. (Two chunks are enough.)
  • Smoke until the crust forms on the pork butt and it passes the scratch test. For a 7-pound (3kg) butt, it should take 4 to 6 hours to reach this stage.
    Scratch Test: If you gently scratch the surface of the meat, the rub should not come off on your fingernail.
  • Spray with water using a plastic spray bottle every 30 minutes starting at the 3-hour mark.
  • Lay out aluminum foil on a counter. Place the banana leaves on the foil.
  • Remove the pork butt and place it on the banana leaves. Add the mopping liquid and return to the smoker. Cook for another 30 minutes.
  • Remove the pork butt from the smoker, let cool enough to handle, then shred the meat.