Kalua Pork with Cabbage Recipe: Learn to Cook Kalua Pork with Cabbage in Your Kitchen!

Kalua Pork with Cabbage: Aloha! Have you ever been to Hawaii? Maybe you went to a luau, a wedding, or even just a street festival. If so, you probably tried Kalua Pork – it’s kind of a Hawaiian staple. Traditionally, they make it with a whole pig, buried underground in a special pit called an imu. It takes hours, but the end result is this amazing roast pork with these deep, earthy flavors. Let me tell you, it’s ono (delicious) like they say in Hawaii!

Every time I visit Hawaii, I come back wanting all the amazing food – ahi poke, saimin noodles, and of course, Kalua Pork. But vacations have to end eventually, and that’s always a bummer. So, to keep those island vibes going, I like to try recreating my favorite dishes at home.

Now, I did think about making a whole Kalua Pig at home once. But honestly, I don’t have the space for an imu, and digging a pit in my yard just wasn’t on my weekend to-do list. After looking at a bunch of recipes online, I came up with a super easy way to make Kalua Pork with Cabbage right at home. You only need five ingredients, and most of the cooking time is hands-off. This recipe is so simple, you can totally make it for a weeknight dinner.

Kalua Pork Recipe Ingredients

Let’s dive into the ingredients for this super easy Kalua Pork with Cabbage. Believe it or not, you only need five things!

First up, we need the pork. The beauty of this recipe is you can be flexible with the cut. Bone-in options are always my favorite for extra flavor, so I’m using a pork shoulder, also known as pork butt or Boston butt. Don’t worry about trimming it meticulously – that fat will melt into the braising liquid during cooking, and we’ll skim it off later.

Let’s talk about the next special ingredient: liquid smoke. This stuff is magic for Kalua Pork! It adds that smoky depth of flavor, mimicking the traditional underground cooking method in an imu. It’s not essential – you can definitely skip it if you don’t have any on hand. But if you want that authentic Kalua Pork taste, I highly recommend it. Think of it as bottling the essence of the imu to add to your Kalua Pork at home.

How to Make Kalua Pork with Cabbage in the Oven?

Okay, here’s how we’ll tackle Kalua Pork with Cabbage at home: we can use the oven, an Instant Pot, or even a slow cooker. Today, we’ll focus on the oven method. It involves a quick sear for browning and then a slow braise – this two-step process creates tender, flavorful pork regardless of the cut you choose.

1. PREPARE: Cut 1-2 inch deep slices in the pork, or, if you have one, all the way down to the bone. Season with Hawaiian Alaea sea salt inside the indentations and on both sides.
2. BROWN: Pour in enough oil to cover the bottom of a Dutch oven and preheat it to high heat. Brown the pork after adding it. It will take ten to fifteen minutes. Turn over, then brown the other side.
3. BRAISE: Add liquid smoke, soy sauce, and enough water to cover the meat halfway. Bake, covered, for two hours or until the pork is extremely soft, falling from the bone. Halfway through cooking, turn the pork over.
4. SHRED: After the pork is soft, move it to a big bowl. After letting it cool, shred it into bite-sized pieces. If you want more texture, I prefer slightly larger chunks, but you can shred it as finely or as coarsely as you wish.
5. COOKING THE CABBAGE: This recipe is completed by adding a head of finely chopped cabbage after the pork is cooked. This Kalua Pork recipe goes great with cabbage, and it’s a simple way to sneak some veggies into your meal. It also gives the meal a naturally sweet taste and lightens it up. It is an easy one-pot dinner that can be prepared in the same Dutch oven.

Remove as much fat from the braising liquid as you can with a skim. I use these fat skimming ladles, but any simple ladle would do the job perfectly. Reheat the braising liquid over medium heat and stir in the sliced cabbage. After covering and lowering the heat to a simmer, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until it is soft and tender. Once the heat is off, add the shredded pork back to the saucepan and thoroughly mix it all together.

Over rice, serve Kalua Pig and Cabbage. Alternately, serve on banana leaves with two scoops of rice and a dollop of mac salad for the full traditional Hawaiian experience. Use leftovers to make Kalua Pork Sandwiches for lunch the following day.

How to Make Slow Cooker Kalua Pig?

Slow cooker fans, rejoice! You can absolutely make amazing Kalua Pork with Cabbage in your trusty Crock Pot. Here’s how to do it:

First, we need to brown the pork. You can do this in a separate pan or skillet on the stovetop, or if your slow cooker has a sear or sauté function, you can use that instead.

Once browned, transfer the pork to the slow cooker. Add the soy sauce and liquid smoke, then pour in enough water to reach about halfway up the pork. Set your slow cooker to low and let it work its magic for 8 hours, or until the pork is so tender it shreds easily with a fork. Don’t forget to flip the pork halfway through cooking for even results.

Now, take the pork out and let it cool slightly. While it rests, grab some forks and shred that pork into delicious, bite-sized pieces.

Here comes the fun part – time to remove the excess fat! Grab a ladle and skim off as much fat as you can from the braising liquid in the slow cooker. Then, crank up the heat to high and toss in your sliced cabbage. Cook for just a few minutes, until the cabbage is nice and tender. Once it’s done, you can either switch the slow cooker to warm or turn it off completely.

Finally, the moment you’ve been waiting for: return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and add the cooked cabbage. Give everything a good stir to combine, and voila! Kalua Pork with Cabbage slow cooker style.

Kalua Pork with Cabbage Ingredients

• 5-7 lbs bone-in pork shoulder: This cut is also called pork butt or Boston butt. Bone-in adds extra flavor, but feel free to use boneless if that’s easier to find.
• 2 teaspoons Hawaiian Alaea sea salt: This sea salt adds a nice touch, but any sea salt you have on hand will work.
• ¼ cup light soy sauce: This adds savory depth to the pork.
• 1 tablespoon liquid smoke (optional, but highly recommended): This smoky flavor mimics the traditional Kalua Pork cooking method in an underground imu.
• 3+ cups water: You’ll use enough water to submerge the pork about halfway.
• 1 head of cabbage, coarsely sliced: This will be cooked with the pork for a delicious side dish.

Instructions

This recipe breaks down the cooking process into three methods: oven, Instant Pot, and slow cooker. Choose your preferred method and follow the steps below:

Prepare the Pork (Same for all methods)

1. Using a sharp knife, pierce the pork shoulder with 5-7 slits, 1-2 inches deep, reaching close to the bone if possible.
2. Generously season the pork on all sides and inside the slits with Hawaiian Alaea sea salt (or regular sea salt).

Cooking Methods:

Oven Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot, heat oil over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Sear the pork on all sides until browned.
3. Once browned, turn off the heat and pour in the soy sauce, liquid smoke, and enough water to cover the pork about halfway.
4. Cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake for 2 hours, or until the pork is fork-tender, flipping halfway through cooking. Adjust cooking time based on the size of your pork shoulder. Check for tenderness during the last hour.
5. Remove the pot from the oven and carefully transfer the pork to a bowl or tray. Let it cool slightly before shredding into bite-sized pieces.
6. Skim off any excess fat from the braising liquid using a fat separator or ladle.
7. Bring the braising liquid to a boil on the stovetop. Add the sliced cabbage, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat until tender.
8. Turn off the heat and return the shredded pork to the pot with the cooked cabbage. Stir well to combine.

Instant Pot Method:

1. Set your Instant Pot to “Sauté” and add enough oil to coat the bottom. Brown the pork shoulder on all sides.
2. Pour in the soy sauce, liquid smoke, and add water until the pork is half submerged.
3. Close the lid and pressure cook on high for 1-1.5 hours, depending on the size of your pork.
4. Once the cooking time is complete, use a quick pressure release. Carefully remove the pork and shred it into a bowl or tray as it cools.
5. Skim off any excess fat from the braising liquid. Add the sliced cabbage and pressure cook on high for 1 minute. Use a quick pressure release when done.
6. Return the shredded pork to the Instant Pot with the cooked cabbage and braising liquid. Stir everything together thoroughly.

Slow Cooker Method:

1. Heat a large pot or skillet over medium-high heat and add enough oil to coat the bottom. Brown the pork shoulder on all sides.
2. Transfer the browned pork to your slow cooker. Add the soy sauce, liquid smoke, and enough water to cover the pork halfway.
3. Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 8 hours, or until the pork is fork-tender, flipping halfway through cooking.
4. Once cooked, remove the pork and let it cool slightly in a bowl or tray before shredding into bite-sized pieces.
5. Using a ladle, skim off any excess fat from the remaining braising liquid in the slow cooker.
6. Turn the slow cooker to high and add the sliced cabbage. Cook until tender.
7. Turn off the heat and return the shredded pork to the slow cooker with the cooked cabbage. Stir well to combine.