the luau and roasted pork recipe

On our first full day in Hawaii, we spent the day - steps from our hotel on Waikiki Beach.

After spending the day in the sun, M and I headed to our luau.  I booked our reservation before we left through a discount website  for the Paradise Cove Luau (which included transportation).  The Paradise Cove Luau was recommended by one of my personal food and travel heroes - Anthony Bourdain.

Mid-afternoon we boarded the shuttle to Paradise Cove. Upon arrival we were greeted with a Mai Tai ("out of this world" drink) and a lei.

After that, there was about an hour of festivities:

1. hula dancing lessons,
2. hula dancing, 
3. flower making projects, 
4. performers shimmying up coconut trees (right - about 30 ft in the air), and
5. traditional fishing exhibitions.

 Matt and I snapped these pictures below on the beach at Paradise Cove.

At sunset a photographer got this great picture of us, and we just had to buy it. Can you tell I went a little crazy at the craft table!! Hence, the flower hair and wrist band :)

Okay enough now with the reminiscing, and lets get to the food.  For dinner we had pork that had been roasted underground for hours.  The pork was wrapped in banana leaves and seasoned with Hawaiian salt.  At sunset they dug the pig up, and we had it for dinner along with: salad, several macaroni salads, poi, rice, roasted chicken, and macadamia crusted fish.  Hawaiians really like their starches. 

The pork was both M and my favorite part of the luau so when we got home, I was determined to replicate this island specialty.  I did some research online and found a slow cooker recipe online.  M and I tried it out today.  It was delicious, and tasted very authentic.  Did I mention it was VERY easy to make??


Recipe:

• 1 Tablespoon Liquid Smoke (left - found it next to BBQ sauces at the grocery store)
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons sea salt or Hawaiian salt
• 5-6 lb shoulder or butt pork roast.
  

Directions:

• Rub the pork with the salt,
• Rub with liquid smoke
• Place pork in a slow cooker for 16-20 hours on low. 
• Flip the pork over after 10 hours. 
• NOTE: Do NOT add any liquid - the pork has more than enough fat and juices for flavoring.
• Remove from slow cooker - shred - and pour juices over shredded pork. 
•  Serve over rice and with side salad (I chose a strawberry spinach salad).

Enjoy!!