Buy a whole pig for roasting from a farm in your area.
For many people, there is nothing more authentically Hawaiian than a luau. The centerpiece at most luaus is a slow-roasted pig, which is cooked in the ground all day before being enjoyed for dinner by the luau guests. Roast Kahlua pig does not have to be confined to Hawaiian luaus; with a little advanced planning, you can host a luau pig roast in your own backyard. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Visit a local river or stream to collect flat river rocks. You will need to gather 15-30 rocks that are approximately the size of your head. Once you have collected the rocks, bring them home and store them in your backyard for the roast. If you do no live near a river or stream, river rocks usually can be purchased from large home improvement stores and from landscaping companies.
2. Purchase your pig and bring it home. Many farms, Asian markets and butcher shops will have whole pigs for sale. Clean the pig and season it with a cup each of rock salt and pepper.
3. Lay out a sheet of wet burlap that is at least twice as large as your pig. Stack a layer of banana leaves on the burlap, then top with another equal sized sheet of wet burlap. On top of that, place an equal sized piece of chicken wire. Put the pig, with its legs in the air, on top of the chicken wire. Set aside.
4. Invite over a few strong friends or neighbors. With their help, dig a pit in your yard, about 4-5 feet deep and 10-12 inches wider around than your pig. Once the pit is complete, start a fire in the center and then surround the fire with most of your rocks. As the rocks heat up and the fire continues to burn, slowly slide your hardwood into the fire. The wood should catch fire and burn like barbecue coals. Continue doing this until you have a pit of hot coals 1 1/2 feet deep.
5. Dig a depression into the coals with a rake. Pull all four corners of burlap, wire, and banana leaves up toward the pig's feet. Secure with a large length of wire. Pull down two sides of the wire so that they are at a 90 degree angle; these pieces of chicken wire will be used as handles to raise the lower the pig into the pit.
6. Lower the pig into the pit. Bundle the hot rocks on top of the pig and the coals around the side. Cover the pit with the large piece of sheet metal and secure with plywood. Shovel some of the dirt that you removed from the pit around the edges of the sheet metal to seal the pit.
7. Cook for 18-24 hours. Remove the dirt from around the pit. Using heavy duty gloves, remove the plywood and sheet metal. With shovels or rakes, push the coals and rocks away from the pig. Raise up from the pit, carefully unwrap the burlap and chicken wire, and carve the pig.
8. Serve the pig to all of your friends and neighbors. To clean up, put out the coals and refill the pit with dirt.
Tags: chicken wire, sheet metal, banana leaves, burlap that, equal sized, feet deep, friends neighbors