Hawaiian Imu-Style Kalua Pork
(kah-loo-ah poo-ah-ah)
MEAL PREP
Naturally AIP / Hawaiian Traditional. This isn't a whole pig buried under wet burlap and dirt for fourteen hours; true kālua puaʻa relies solely on high-quality pork shoulder, mineral-rich Alaea salt, and the slow breakdown of fat from steam and wood smoke. Because it leverages technique and natural fat, it requires zero substitutions to be entirely compliant with the Autoimmune Protocol—we are trading the backyard fire pit for a six-quart slow cooker, but keeping the deep salt-and-smoke flavor profile. Wrapped in banana leaves and spiked with clean liquid smoke, you get a deeply savory, fall-apart protein that demands exactly five minutes of active work. Shred the hot meat, fill the glass meal-prep containers, and take your Wednesday night back.
Before you start
Thaw the banana leaves ahead of time.
If using frozen leaves from an Asian or Latin market, let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight so they are pliable enough to line the pot without tearing.
Ingredients
- boneless pork shoulder4 lb
- red Alaea sea salt1 tbsp
- additive-free liquid smoke1 tbsp
- banana leaves2 large
- bone broth1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Line your slow cooker with the thawed banana leaves.
Let the excess hang over the edges like wrapping paper, creating a permeable, aromatic barrier that will trap the steam.
- 02
Score the pork shoulder with shallow, one-inch slits.
Place the meat on a cutting board and make the cuts evenly across the surface of the fat cap.
- 03
Massage the liquid smoke and coarse salt deeply into the meat.
Pour the smoke into your palm and push it into the cuts, then repeat with the Alaea salt to completely crust the outside of the pork.
- 04
Place the seasoned pork into the center of the leaf-lined pot and add the broth.
Pour the liquid into the bottom, underneath the leaves, so the meat steams rather than boils. Fold the overhanging leaves tightly over the top of the pork to create a sealed botanical packet.
- 05
Cook on low for eight to ten hours until the meat offers zero resistance to a fork.
The fat cap will break down over the long cook, basting the meat in essential, bioavailable collagen. For an Instant Pot, lock the lid and cook on high pressure for 90 minutes, allowing a 20-minute natural release.
- 06
Discard the leaves, shred the pork, and rehydrate it with the cooking juices.
Carefully peel back the dark green leaves. Transfer the meat to a board, shred it effortlessly with two forks, and ladle a half cup of the smoky pot juices over the top before serving or storing.
Notes
Always verify the ingredient label on your liquid smoke.
We are looking for condensed wood smoke and water—nothing else. Wright’s Hickory Liquid Smoke is perfectly compliant; brands like Colgin sneak in molasses and caramel color, which are severe elimination triggers.
Do not apologize for the pork fat.
AIP takes away cheap flavor shortcuts, making natural animal fats critical for deep satisfaction. The fat on a pork shoulder breaks down into highly bioavailable nutrition that your gut lining desperately needs. Do not trim it away.
Leverage this across your entire week of meal prep.
Serve it tonight over steamed sweet potatoes or braised cabbage, pack it for lunch tomorrow, or crisp it up in a cast-iron skillet to add a crunchy, smoky edge to a bowl of bone broth later in the week.
From AIP 10 Minute Meals.