Name: L&L Hawaiian Barbecue Albuquerques Pork Lau Lau Recipe
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Hawaiian
Ingredients: 2 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 1–1½ inch cubes; 1 lb pork belly, cut into 1–1½ inch cubes; 18 large leaves Hawaiian lau lau or taro leaves (fresh), trimmed and stacked; 12 large leaves luau (taro) leaves, cleaned and stacked (for inner layer); 12 large leaves ti leaves (for wrapping) or banana leaves as substitute; 2 tsp Hawaiian sea salt or kosher salt; 2 tbsp dark soy sauce; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 2 cups water (for steaming / simmering); 0.5 tsp optional: Hawaiian chili pepper or crushed red pepper; 6 sheets aluminum foil (if needed) or kitchen twine

Method

Pork Lau Lau

Prep the meat

Pat the pork shoulder and pork belly cubes dry. In a large bowl combine the meat with 2 teaspoons salt, 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and minced garlic. Toss to coat evenly and let marinate at least 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 2 hours refrigerated.

Prepare the leaves

If using fresh taro (luau) leaves, wash thoroughly and remove thick stems so leaves lay flat (wear gloves if you have sensitive skin). Stack the inner luau leaves (about 4–6 per parcel) to form a bed. Stack 2–3 lau lau/taro leaves (outer layer) on top of the inner layer to create a moisture barrier. Warm ti or banana leaves over an open flame or in a hot dry pan briefly and wipe them clean to make them flexible; cut into sheets about 12–14 inches square if needed.

Assemble parcels

For each parcel, place a stack of 4–6 luau leaves on your work surface, then add a stack of 2–3 lau lau/taro leaves on top. Put a portion of the marinated meat (about 8–10 ounces of combined pork shoulder and belly) in the center of the leaf stack. Optionally sprinkle a pinch (about 1/8 tsp) of Hawaiian chili or crushed red pepper over the meat. Fold the leaf edges up and over to form a tight square packet, folding like an envelope. Finally, wrap the packet in a ti or banana leaf and secure with kitchen twine or wrap tightly with a sheet of aluminum foil if using. Repeat to make 6 parcels.

Steam the parcels

Arrange parcels in a large steamer basket or on a rack in a covered Dutch oven. Add 2 cups of water to the pot (enough to produce steam but not touch parcels) and bring to a steady simmer. Cover and steam gently for 3 to 4 hours, checking water level every 45 minutes and adding hot water as needed. The meat is done when very tender and can be flaked easily with a fork.

Alternative oven method

If you don't have a steamer, preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Place wrapped parcels seam-side up in a roasting pan with about ½ inch of hot water in the bottom. Cover tightly with a lid or heavy foil and bake 3 to 4 hours until meat is tender, checking occasionally and replenishing water if necessary.

Rest and serve

When cooked, remove parcels carefully — they will be very hot and steamy. Let rest 5–10 minutes. Unwrap each parcel and, if desired, transfer contents to a serving plate. Serve lauu lau with steamed rice, poi, or pōlū (optional). Leftovers keep refrigerated up to 3–4 days and reheat gently in a steamer or oven covered.