Crockpot Laulau

Mom stopped by to visit a couple days ago and since I had an extra pair of hands I started my second try at making crockpot laulau. The ingredients are simple:

6lb pork butt roast
3 Tbs sea salt
3 Tbs shoyu
1/4 C water
Taro leaves

Cut the pork into 1&1/2 inch pieces. Add salt and shoyu to pork and mix. Put pork in heart of taro leaves and fold then place into crockpot. Add 1/4C water to crockpot, set on low for 8 hrs.

There are a few things I did differently this time.

1. I used ti leaf in place of the foil on the inside of the pot to help keep as much steam in as possible.

2.  I wrapped the individual laulau in foil for freezing purposes.

Previously, I made the laulau and put them in the pot without foil and I definitely liked that way better. When it cooks, the liquid collects from the meat and leaves and moistens the laulau bundles when they aren't covered in foil. This time around I noticed that by using foil it kept a few of them dryer than normal and still itchy after the 8 hrs, which is no good.

In the video I found for the recipe, ti leaves were used to help keep the steam in.  I noticed no difference, it's really not needed.

I would recommend making this when the little ones are asleep as it does take time to prep (washing leaves and cutting meat) and it would take all day to "stop n go" cook. It can be cooked over night if you have a timer crockpot like I do , after cooking for 8 hrs it will automatically turn to warm.  If not, you can, like I did this time, make the bundles the night before and put them in a tray in the fridge overnight and then cook the next morning.

The next time I make this, I would place the bundles all in the bare pot (no ti leaves) , without the individual foil wrapping, but after piling them in the pot I'd put a sheet of foil over the top of the crockpot right under the lid to help keep the moisture in.


Trial and error are fun when you get to eat the results.  Have you tried anything new or different in your cooking lately?

Happy eating!