Pressure Cooker Kalua Pig
If you want to cut the time cooking a batch of Kalua pig in lieu of using your oven or crockpot, get a pressure cooker. It's the most energy efficient method, in my opinion. Count on 15-20 minutes of cooking time per pound. Imagine enjoying Kalua pig from a 4-5 lb. piece of pork (shoulder) butt or loin tip roast for a low-fat alternative in an hour! This dish will make a good pair with Lox Salad, another recipe I posted.
If you want to cut the time cooking a batch of Kalua pig in lieu of using your oven or crockpot, get a pressure cooker. It's the most energy efficient method, in my opinion. Count on 15-20 minutes of cooking time per pound. Imagine enjoying Kalua pig from a 4-5 lb. piece of pork (shoulder) butt or loin tip roast for a low-fat alternative in an hour! This dish will make a good pair with Lox Salad, another recipe I posted.
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 170.09713875 mg
- Fat 16.187577704375 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 53.098656813125 g
- Saturated Fat 5.664234720375 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (402g)
- Sodium 187.826900315505 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 1.723651006 g
- Calories 374 calories
Step-by-step
- Score or poke meat on all sides with a knife and rub with salt.
- In bowl stir water and liquid smoke then pour in 6-8 quart pressure cooker.
- If necessary, cut pork into pieces to allow perfect fit into pressure cooker.
- Place meat in basket on stand to raise pork above liquid. If your pressure cooker doesn't come with a basket and stand, crush aluminum foil into large balls to a size that will raise the meat above the liquid. A small stainless steel colander that can fit may also work.
- Seal pressure cooker and cook on high for one hour (15-20 minutes per pound) according to pressure cooker manufacturer timing recommendations. When done the meat should break easily and fall apart. Remove pork from cooker and save drippings in pot. Use an oil separator if desired to cut the fat content.
- Shred meat with a pair of forks.
- Use drippings saved from cooker to return additional moistness and flavor to the Kahlua pig before serving.
- Scoring the surface deeply allows coarse salt and liquid smoke to penetrate muscle fibers rather than sitting solely on the exterior.
- Elevating the roast on a trivet or a makeshift foil platform prevents the meat from boiling in the liquid, ensuring a savory roast instead of a stewed texture.
- Evaluating doneness requires testing resistance with two forks rather than relying on a thermometer; fully rendered collagen means the fibers yield completely and pull apart with zero effort.
- Reintroducing reserved cooking liquid after shredding restores surface moisture before plating.
Retaining drippings separately prevents greasiness while preserving maximum moisture for leftover portions stored in airtight containers. Balancing salt distribution during the initial rub prevents pockets of over-seasoned meat.
