Regular Pork Lau Lau Plate Recipe

Season pork

In a large bowl combine the pork chunks with 1 tablespoon Hawaiian sea salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and the minced garlic. Toss to coat evenly and let marinate 20–30 minutes at room temperature (or refrigerate up to 4 hours).

Prepare butterfish

Pat the butterfish pieces dry and lightly season with the remaining 1 tablespoon sea salt and a small grind of black pepper. Keep chilled until assembly.

Slice the onion thinly and set aside. Prepare ti leaves (or banana leaves) by wiping clean and trimming stems so they lay flat. If using ti leaves, briefly pass each leaf over a gas flame or into hot water to make them pliable (or warm the banana leaves) and then cut into roughly 12" x 12" squares for wrapping. Lay out aluminum foil sheets sized to match leaves.

Place one ti leaf square shiny side down on a work surface, then center an aluminum foil sheet on top of it (shiny side facing the leaf).

Layer components for each parcel: start with a small handful of sliced onion in the center of the leaf, add 1/3 of the marinated pork (about 10–12 oz), place 2–3 pieces of butterfish on top of the pork, then top with another small handful of onions. Drizzle about 2–3 tablespoons of water over the filling to help create steam during cooking.

Fold the ti leaf tightly over the filling to make a compact square parcel, then wrap the parcel tightly in the aluminum foil. Repeat to create 6 parcels total (quantity scales with servings).

Preheat an oven to 350°F (175°C) if you will bake, or prepare a steamer large enough for parcels. For traditional texture, steaming is preferred; baking works if steamer unavailable.

Steam method

Place parcels seam-side up in a large steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam for 3 to 4 hours, checking water level occasionally and replenishing with hot water as needed. Parcels are done when pork is very tender and flakes easily.

Oven method

Arrange parcels on a rimmed baking sheet, cover loosely with additional foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 3 to 4 hours. Add 1/2 cup water to the baking sheet to create steam and check once midway, adding more water if it evaporates.

While parcels steam, cook rice: rinse 2 cups white rice until water runs clear, then cook in a rice cooker or stovetop with 2 1/4 cups water until tender. Keep warm.

Portion store-bought or homemade macaroni salad into 1 cup servings and chill until plating.

When lau lau parcels are done, remove from heat and let rest 5–10 minutes. Carefully unwrap one parcel and remove the ti leaf (do not eat leaf). Transfer the cooked pork and butterfish to a cutting board and shred or cut into serving-size pieces if desired. Reserve any juices; spoon a little over meat when plating.

For each regular pork lau lau plate: place 2 cups steamed rice, 1 cup macaroni salad, and a generous portion of the lau lau meat (approximately one parcel worth, about 10–12 oz cooked). Drizzle a teaspoon of soy sauce if desired and serve hot.

Leftover parcels can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen (unwrap foil and rewrap in freezer-safe foil) for up to 2 months. Reheat by steaming or baking until heated through.