Smoked Kalua Pork Recipe

Bring the taste of Hawaii to your backyard with this Smoked Kalua Pork recipe. This tender, juicy pork is slow-smoked with a kiss of hardwood for that deep, smoky flavor and seasoned simply with Hawaiian sea salt to let the pork shine. It’s an easy way to recreate traditional kalua pork on your smoker, perfect for serving at your next luau, backyard BBQ, or family dinner night.

If you want to bring a taste of the Hawaiian Islands to your backyard, this Smoked Kalua Pork recipe is the perfect place to start. Inspired by the traditional Hawaiian kalua pig, which is typically cooked in an underground oven (imu) lined with hot stones, lava rock, and ti leaves, this smoked version uses a smoker, banana leaves, and alaea Hawaiian sea salt to create the same fall-apart tender, juicy, and smoky flavor that makes this dish so beloved.

This is a great recipe for home cooks who want to experience authentic kalua pork without digging an underground pit. You’ll love how easy it is to create this succulent pork with a few essential ingredients, a good digital thermometer, and a little patience to achieve perfect results.

What Is Kalua Pork?

Kalua pork is a traditional Hawaiian recipe where a whole pig (or a large cut of pork like a pork butt roast or bone-in pork shoulder) is seasoned simply with Hawaiian sea salt and sometimes liquid smoke for indoor versions, then wrapped in banana leaves and ti leaves, and cooked slowly in an earth oven using hot coals, hot stones, and lava rock until it becomes tender and easy to shred.

The word “kalua” means “to cook in an underground oven,” which is the traditional Hawaiian BBQ method for creating this dish. The result is authentic kalua pork that is smoky, salty, and incredibly juicy, perfect for serving with steamed white rice, homemade macaroni salad, or as a main dish for your next gathering.

Why You’ll Love This Smoked Kalua Pork Recipe

• Authentic Flavor Without the Pit: This smoked kalua pork recipe uses your smoker to mimic the traditional Hawaiian kalua pig, delivering a smoky flavor that tastes like the real thing.
• Simple Ingredients: With just a few essential ingredients like banana leaves, alaea Hawaiian sea salt, and a bone-in pork shoulder, you can recreate this Hawaiian classic in your backyard.
• Fall-Apart Tender: Low and slow smoking ensures your pork is fall-apart tender, juicy, and infused with an authentic flavor that will have everyone coming back for seconds.

Ingredients for Smoked Kalua Pork

For this smoked kalua pork recipe, you will need:

• Bone-in pork shoulder or Boston butt (about 10 lbs)
• 3-4 tbsp Alaea Hawaiian sea salt (or kosher salt if unavailable)- This salt really does add a unique flavor because it has a unique color and flavor from the red clay that’s a component of the salt. For best results, get the salt! 
• Banana leaves (can be found at Asian markets or World Market or online)
• Butcher’s twine
• Mesquite and cherry wood chips (or kiawe wood if you can find it)

These essential ingredients help you achieve that authentic Hawaiian-style kalua pork while using your smoker instead of a traditional earth oven.

How to Make Smoked Kalua Pork on a Smoker

Start by preparing your pork. Place your bone-in pork shoulder on a clean work surface and use a sharp knife to score the fat cap in a crosshatch pattern, allowing the salt to penetrate and the fat to render down during the smoking process. Generously season all sides of the pork with alaea Hawaiian sea salt (or kosher salt), ensuring it is well-coated. You don’t need to use a binder or brown sugar in this recipe, letting the salt and smoke shine for authentic kalua pork flavor.

Preheat your smoker to 250°F using a mesquite and cherry wood blend for balanced, sweet smoke, similar to using kiawe wood, which is traditional in Hawaii. Once your smoker is at temperature, place the pork shoulder directly onto the smoker grates, fat side up, and let it smoke undisturbed for 4.5-5 hours, or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the pork butt.

Once your pork has reached the target internal temperature, carefully wrap it in banana leaves (or a corn husk as a last-resort substitute) and secure it with butcher’s twine to keep the leaves in place. Place the wrapped pork into a foil pan to cover the pan and catch any juices that escape during cooking. Return the pan to the smoker and continue to cook the pork until it is probe tender and reaches an internal temperature of 200-205°F. This will typically take around 10-12 hours total, but remember, every pork shoulder cooks differently, so let the temperature and feel guide you, not just the cooking time.

Once your pork has reached the desired temperature, remove it from the smoker and let it rest in a cooler, hot box, or covered in the pan for at least 1 hour before shredding. This rest period is crucial for retaining moisture and enhancing flavor.

When ready, unwrap the wrapped pork shoulder, remove the bone, and shred the pork with forks or your hands. Mix in any juices collected in the pan to keep your pork moist and flavorful. Serve immediately with steamed white rice, your favorite homemade macaroni salad, or as sliders for your backyard luau.

What Wood to Use for Smoked Kalua Pork

If you want to replicate the traditional Hawaiian kalua pork, using kiawe wood is the best choice for an authentic flavor, but it can be hard to find outside the Hawaiian Islands. A blend of mesquite and cherry wood chips will give you a good smoke with a sweet and earthy profile that pairs beautifully with pork.

Use mesquite sparingly, as it can be strong, but when paired with a fruit wood like cherry, it mimics the flavors of traditional kalua pork cooked in an underground pit with hot coals and lava rocks.

Tips for Juicy, Flavorful Kalua Pork

• Choose the right cut of meat: A bone-in pork shoulder or pork butt roast is ideal, as the bone helps retain moisture during cooking.
• Use banana leaves: Wrapping the pork in banana leaves helps trap moisture and adds a subtle, earthy aroma, similar to using ti leaves in a traditional method. No banana leaves? You can use butcher paper for this, but it does take away from the flavors that help make this recipe what it is.
• Let it rest: Resting the pork for at least 1 hour is essential for the juices to redistribute, creating a moist, flavorful result. If I can plan and rest 3-4 hours, that is usually my goal for incredible pulled pork. 
• Avoid excess fat: Trim any large pieces of excess fat, but leave enough to render and flavor the pork.
• Use a good digital thermometer: This helps ensure you hit the correct internal temperature of the pork for safe, tender results.

Serving Suggestions for Smoked Kalua Pork

This smoked kalua pork pairs beautifully with steamed white rice, homemade Hawaiian macaroni salad, or as a filling for sliders and tacos. You can also serve it as part of a Hawaiian plate lunch with pickled vegetables or as a main dish for a backyard luau.

Add a squeeze of lime, a drizzle of your favorite Hawaiian hot sauce, or enjoy it with classic BBQ sides like coleslaw, deli-style potato salad, and grilled pineapple for a complete meal.

How to Store and Reheat Kalua Pork

Place any leftover kalua pork in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze, place the shredded pork in freezer-safe bags and freeze for up to 3 months.

To reheat, place the pork in a covered skillet with a splash of water or apple cider vinegar over medium heat until warmed through. This method helps maintain the moisture and keeps your pork tender and flavorful.

More Recipes To Try

How To Smoke Baby Back Ribs

How To Smoke A Pork Loin Roast

Grilled Hot Honey Hawaiian Wings

Banana Coffee Cake Recipe

Banana Pudding Bars