Kalua Pork

Hawaiian Style Smoked Pork

Despite the calendar saying that Spring is here, the not so spring like weather dampens the (sprit of the) barbeque grill. My husband braved the rain to go out and light the first of many barbeques to come .

No hole in the ground nor banana leaves required for Cook's Country’s Kalua Pork recipe, took about 5 hours to complete (excluding the 24 hour dry rub marinating time). Salty meat is great companion for hot cooked rice, OK let’s have Luau night…I wish that Jake Shimabukuro was entertaining us with his Jimmy Hendrix like ukulele awesomeness (He got a gig in Portland, Oregon on 3/16 which we couldn’t get tickets to)!

Ingredients and Instruction for approximately 4 servings  (Print Recipe Here)

Equipment: charcoal grill or gas grill, disposable aluminum pan, heavy–duty foil

• 3 Tablespoons green tea leaves Note: I used decaffeinated tea
• 2 - 3 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon baked brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 - 3 pounds boneless pork butt roast
• 6 cups mesquite wood chips, soaked in water for 15 minutes.

1. Combine tea, salt, sugar and pepper in bowl. Dry pork with paper towel and rub with tea mixture.Wrap meat tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours
   
2. Prepare wood chips – wrap 2 cups soaked chips into heavy duty foil. repeat process to make 2 more wood chip packets for a total of 3 packets. Cut several vent holes in each packet. Set aside.
3. Place pork in a disposable aluminum pan then cover the pan loosely with foil. Poke lots of 1/4 inch vent holes (20 or so) in foil.
4. Ready for charcoal grill – Open bottom vent halfway. Light large chimney starter three-quarters full with charcoal briquettes. When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour into steeply banked pile against side of grill. Place wood chip packets on coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill  until hot and wood chips are smoking about 5 minutes. Go to step # 6
5. Ready for a gas grill  - Place wood chip packets over primary burner. Turn all burners to high, cover and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking about 15 minutes. Turn primary burner to medium–high and turn off other burners. Adjust burners as needed to maintain grill temperature at 300 degrees
   . 
6. Place pan on cool part of grill. Cover and cook for 2 hours. See that wood chips are charred black.
    
7. Position the oven rack to lower-medium. Heat oven to 325F Remove pan from grill. Cover pan tightly with new sheet of foil, put in the preheated oven and bake until tender about 2 hours. Let pork rest, covered for 30 minutes. Unwrap and when meat is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-size pieces.
   
8. Strain the juice through fine mesh and pour juice the over meat. Serve with rice. (pork can be refrigerated for up to 3 days).

I was excited when I received 1st place prize of Chocolate Lover’s Recipe Contest from Marcela. The macaron making kit was really neat!Ta-da! Looks professional, ya? Thank you fabulous blogger friend!

I saw this on Youtube, ‘Frozen fried egg’.  I challenged it too and posted it on instagram. #todaystapas – this is tempura egg.
Amazing right? Loaded with calories for sure.

Also on #todaystapas - Inspired by amazing blogger Angie’s Recipes…I didn't have the right ingredients like black quinoa though my compromised version was not bad. The coral color tulip I nipped from backyard.

Our backyard weeping cherry tree…blooms last only a week., this is where I get melancholy…everything moves so fast..wait! Why don’t you stop and smell the roses or somethin…

Enjoy the Spring!