Easy Hawaiian Kalua Pig
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This Easy Hawaiian Kalua Pig takes the guesswork, and pit, out of the traditional Hawaiian smoked pig so you can make it at home in a couple of easy steps!
Dish Count :: 1 Dutch Oven

Everyone has re-entry issues after a nice vacation, right? I’m going back to work today and after 10 days off work, I’m sure today is going to be a rough one. It’s just a good thing I remembered to write down all the passwords to my computer at work and hide them so that when I got in at 6, with only one cup of coffee to my name I will have some way to remember them! Hawaii, even three days later, seems to far away. Ben started back up at work yesterday, and he fell asleep on the couch last night.
The struggle is real. Ben didn’t want to come home from Hawaii at all anyway, so I figured I would try to keep Hawaii alive a little longer with this Kalua Pork. My sister’s new mother in law filled us in on her secret of homemade Kalua pork while we were in Hawaii, for those of us who couldn’t dig a pit in our non-existent backyards to make it the traditional way. This way worked like a charm! And it will be perfect for your Superbowl Sunday festivities.

Unlike Ben who was not ready to come home from Hawaii, I kind of was ready to come home. As much as I love vacation, and not being at work – hello, endless days in my yoga pants – I was ready to be in my own home, in my own bed, and with my dog again. There isn’t anything quite like being home.
It really is my favorite place. *awww, sentimental barf.*

Anyway, pork. Yes, meat on a plate. Important, less sentimental matters await. We live in an apartment and there is no way we can go dig up the play yard for a pork pit, not to mention the lack of banana leaves in Seattle pose a bit of a predicament for a traditional Kalua pig pit – so while we were in Hawaii, my sister’s new mother in law gave me her secret. The secret may make your house smell like a delicious smoke shack – but it is so worth it in the end you won’t even care.
Start with a boneless pork shoulder, or pork “butt” as it’s commonly referred. I just like saying “butt”. #Mature. Mine was 3 and a half pounds. You can do a bone-in shoulder, I just didn’t want to fuss with it. MIL said to season the pork with Hawaiian salt, or course sea salt if that is what you have on hand.
Add a couple of tablespoons of oil to the bottom of a dutch oven and heat until shimmering. Sear each side of the pork until golden brown, making sure that the pork releases naturally from the bottom of the pan before turning it to the next side. I can’t tell you enough – do not rip the pork off the bottom of the pan! This will undo all the seasoning you just did. The pork will know when it’s time to release. Just let it do it’s business.
Then, add in the secret ingredients – 3 Tablespoons of liquid smoke, and one can of guava juice. Cover and place in a 300 degree oven for 6 hours. Boom. Done. Easy. As. That.

Check this photo above. The photo on the left is after Hour 3. The photo on the right is Hour 6. The caramelization is total perfection. I uncovered the pork every hour to baste the pork with the juices and develop that ultra crispy skin that you see there.
You can make this in a slow cooker if you want, but the environment will a little wetter than the dutch oven.
Take two forks, and shred the living daylights out of this bad boy. And serve it up! Oh my gosh, it’s like the Hawaiian islands just came back and slapped me in the face. Now, it’s your turn.
Ingredients for Easy Hawaiian Kalua Pig
- Boneless Pork Shoulder or “Butt”
- Hawaiian or Course Sea Salt
- Fresh Ground Pepper
- Vegetable Oil
- Liquid Smoke
- Guava Juice
- Water

Now, as you can see this process looks like it will totally destroy the daylights out of your enameled dutch oven. Don’t fret!! Tomorrow, for How-To Tuesday I’m going to show you to scrub up your enamelware to remove any stains in a jiffy. It can be done, and I’ll show you how.
In the mean time – kalua pork, friends.
Inspired Homemade Recipes To Try
Easy Santa Maria Tri Tip Roast
Roasted Ham With Honey Mustard Glaze and Apples
Instant Pot Rosemary Dijon Pot Roast
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Easy Hawaiian Kalua Pig
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
Description
This Easy Hawaiian Kalua Pig takes the guesswork, and pit, out of the traditional Hawaiian smoked pig so you can make it at home in a couple of easy steps!
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 pound Boneless Pork Shoulder or “Butt”
- 2–3 Tbsp Hawaiian or Course Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
- 3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 3 Tbsp Liquid Smoke
- 12 ounce can Guava Juice
- 1/2 cup Water
Instructions
- Remove pork shoulder from the fridge, one hour prior to cooking to allow it to take the chill off and promote even cooking. Season with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- With dutch oven over burner over medium heat, add vegetable oil to the pan and heat until shimmering. Sear all sides of the pork until golden brown on all sides, ensuring to not switch sides until the pork naturally releases from the pan before switching to a new side to sear.
- Sprinkle with liquid smoke, water and guava juice. Cover pork, and place in the oven. Uncover every hour to baste pork.
- Remove from the oven between 5-6 hours, when the pork easily shreds with two forks. Let rest for 20 minutes after removing from the oven before completing shredding. Serve while hot.
I can’t get over how good this looks. And how easy! Guava juice – who would have guessed. YUM! And I’m with you. I love vacation but I’m always happy to come home to my fur baby.
Welcome back and I can’t wait to hear all about it. I’m so going to try this recipe because I can have leftovers for days.
GAH!! This is so epic. Loved all of your travel pictures and of course, can’t wait to make this!!
We are obsessed with kalua pig at my house. This version looks amazing.
Dang, girl. This looks absolutely amazing! By the way, I was living vicariously through your Hawaii photos. We’re going to the Big Island at the end of February and I can’t wait!
I want to eat the whole thing!! And I can’t wait for the post tomorrow. I need help with getting my enamel pot cleaned well. I hate scrubbing that thing!
And I’m drooling. This looks and sounds fabulous. Love the secret ingredients and tips! Making this for sure.
I NEED this pork! (and a trip to Hawaii!!)
Coming home from vacation is the worst! But there’s nothing like recreating the food that you had to keep the memories alive!! This looks phenomenal, I’ve always wanted to go to one of those pig roasts, the meat always looks so succulent and juicy!
I made this today and it ended up perfectly .. just wondering if different liquid smoke brands have different strengths… on first hour basting I tasted and it was waaay to bitter so poured out half the liquid and then added another can of guava juice… turned out wonderfully and not too sweet…thanks will be a staple
I just made this and it’s nearly a drug it’s so good. Any advice on what to to with the delicious pan drippings?
Ohhhh man, I’m so glad you liked the Kalua pig Jenny!! My day is made!! With the drippings, I would add in some butter, flour, and whisk together over medium heat. Whisk in some chicken broth and make a gravy out of it! YUM, I have another pig to make soon!
This is my 4th time making this – wonderful. I did find the original amount of liquid smoke a bit bitter so took it down to 1 spoon and made sure to salt well.. perfect and so easy. Thanks!
Melinda – You have made my DAY!! I’m so pleased that you like the Kalua Pig!! I have to get on it and make another one ASAP!!
Thanks for this delicious and easy Kalua pig. Finaly could use the liquid smoke which I brought home from our latest Hawaii trip. We can’t but it here in Belgium yet. As from now probably this will be on the menu once a month! Only I miss the poi to dip the piggy in.
I’m so pleased you enjoyed it!! We are making it for Christmas with our Hawaiian relatives who can’t be on the islands for the holidays.
Question
Can you use guava nector instead of juice? Looks yummy
I wonder if my family tried this when they visited Hawaii!! It looks so good (and I am so sending this recipe over to them!)
This is such a perfect way to celebrate the memories of a wonderful vacation! So hard leaving Hawaii, I know (I was there years ago on a college trip) – so tough coming back to the “real world”! But what a wonderful way to recall the trip! And such a stroke of luck that you don’t need a pit in the backyard for this recipe – I definitely don’t have one of those! 🙂 Welcome home – and thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!
I have been longing to o back to Hawaii, and this pork isn’t helping. Sigh…one day!
Oooooh I just got a big enameled dutch oven, and I know what I want to cook in it first… this pork!! Holy mother of yum 🙂
This looks amazing, so tender, so succulent, I need to try it asap!
I miss Hawaii so much. Love that you created such a big dish from there. I love that char look on the pork butt. 🙂 Yumm looks so tasty and now I’ll dream about it all night. 😉
Although this recipe looks good, traditional Hawaiian kalua pig does not have oil, black pepper and guava juice. Being born and raised in Hawaii and still living here, I cook kalua pig on a regular basis and all it needs is pork, Hawaiian salt, liquid smoke and water. The key is low and slow cooking (crock pot or oven). If you’re lucky enough to experience kalua pig from an “imu” (underground oven) all it needs is a pig and salt. The smokiness comes from the ti leaves, banana leaves and hot lava rocks covering the pig.
Hi Lani! Thanks for your feedback. I have had kalua pig from an imu and it can’t be beat!! This recipe came from my brother in law’s mother, and it was the best way for us to get the authentic flavor since we don’t have a yard to dig a hole in. One day I’ll be able to make it the real way. Thanks so much!
Is tablespoons of liquid smoke correct it seems a lot to me thanks
You can adjust this as needed if you feel it is too much. I have used only 1 1/2 if I am running low.
What kind of quava juice did you use I can only see quava nectar Kerns I’m not sure if that’s the right thing to use thanks
This might be a stupid question…it probably is…but isn’t this supposed to include actual Kahlua? Dinner party on Sat. and wanting to serve this!
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try it with a little lilikoi juice – I just added the lilikoi to the mix after putting the seeds in a net. I still used guave, but the combo is amazing. Save the juice for cooking the cabbage
Ohhhh my gosh that sounds AMAZING!!!!!! Thanks for the tip. I’ll have to see where I can find lilikoi in Seattle!
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