Kalua

Kalua is a Hawaiian cooking method and the name given to dishes prepared using that method. The Hawaiian word Kālua means to bake in an underground oven, known as an imu. Traditionally, meat—most often pork—was prepared for large gatherings by cooking it buried in a pit.

The imu method involves digging a pit, heating it with hardwoods, and heating stones in the fire. The meat, usually seasoned with salt and wrapped in ti leaves or banana leaves, is placed on the hot stones, covered with more leaves, and buried with soil. The pit traps heat and smoke, and the food cooks slowly for several hours until it is tender and infused with a smoky flavor.

In modern kitchens, kalua pork is frequently prepared in ovens, slow cookers, or smokers to emulate the imu result. The dish remains central to luau feasts and Hawaiian hospitality, valued for its rich, smoky, pull-apart texture. Kalua pork is commonly shredded and served as part of a larger Hawaiian spread, though the kalua method can be applied to other meats and vegetables as well.

As a cooking technique, kalua reflects Hawaii’s imu tradition and its ongoing adaptation, from traditional community feasts to contemporary culinary settings. See also luau, imu, Hawaiian cuisine.