Hawaiian Thanksgiving with Kalua Turkey
Celebrating Thanksgiving in Hawaii is a culinary adventure, so many flavors, so many traditions to taste and enjoy. Our family has a tradition of a turkey cookoff to see who's turkey is the best - one family member deep fries a turkey and another family member does a kalua turkey and the kalua turkey is always a winner!
The best part of a Kalua Turkey is that it can be cooked in a Electric Roaster Oven. It frees up precious real estate in your oven for other dishes and can be cooked outside, keeping your kitchen cool.
This year we were especially excited to use For Js Hawaii's Kiawe Liquid Smoke it brings a flavor of Hawai'i to this kalua turkey recipe that is spectacular!
Kalua Turkey
Keep in mind this may not be the beautiful turkey that we see on the Thanksgiving table, but it's so delicious & SO easy!
INGREDIENTS:
- 14lb Turkey
- 1/4 cup - Oils of Aloha Hawaii's Gold Macadamia Nut Oil
- 1/2 cup - For Js Kiawe Liquid Smoke (use more if you like that smoky flavor)
- 3/4 cups - Gourmet Maui Onion Hawaiian Sea Salt
- 8 Medium ti leaves or banana leaves washed and dried (if you do not have access to these - no problem - aluminum foil can be used)
METHOD:
- Preheat a electric roasting oven* to 350 degrees. (Frees up the oven for other dishes and less heat in the kitchen)
- Apply Da Kine Hawaiian Macadamia Oil liberally to the outisde and inside of turkey (make sure to remove the turkey giblets and inners).
- Liberally apply Maui Onion Sea Salt to the entire turkey inside and outside.
- Pour For Js Kiawe Liquid Smoke to the inside and outside of the turkey evenly.
- Line the roaster oven with aluminum foil. Next line with ti leaves - leave enough room so that you can wrap around turkey. Place ti leaves on top of turkey and tuck under turkey. (Omit this step if you do not have ti leaves and wrap turkey with aluminum foil) Once wrapped with ti leaves top turkey with aluminum foil and crimp tightly around turkey.
- Roast for 5-6 hours, turkey should be a golden brown and thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees. This is where the turkey will be melting off the bone, making for easy shredding. Turn off heat and put a warm towel on the turkey to keep moisture in and let rest for 30 min.
- Shred turkey meat - the turkey will be hot, a pair of forks and tongs will make light work of the shredding. Transfer to a serving platter lined with ti leaves.
Enjoy this delicious recipe as our family has for years and now is a family favorite. All the ingredients can be found in this Hawaiian Holiday Thanksgiving Gift Box - a perfect way to celebrate Thanksgiving the Hawai'i way and comes with all the items you need to create that perfect Hawaiian Kalua Turkey.
