Roasting Turkey, Polynesian Style!

Cooking by underground oven, or "imu," is a distinctly Polynesian practice, and it is delicious. (Picture courtesy of Mark Weims)

Last week, I introduced how much turkey is loved here on the islands. This week, I would like to showcase how that plays out during Thanksgiving.

Roast turkey is very fine, indeed. But a turkey baked in an imu (an in-ground pit) is a delicacy not to be missed.

Unfortunately, most of us do not have the means or the expertise to dig a hole in the backyard to smoke our turkey for hours at a time.

In my attempt to bring the islands to my Thanksgiving meal, I have personally experienced how not to smoke a turkey. It is quite the tale, but it would take too long to share here.

Surprisingly enough, it turned out that the meat inside this charcoaled mess was amazing. Being that we had 20 people coming for dinner, we consider it a true miracle. Still, I would not recommend this particular approach.

Luckily, you can do better. We found this recipe from Linda Hayes at just-a-pinch.com that helps replicate that fine imu flavor without all the digging. For a true Polynesian buffet, do not forget to include steamed rice and roasted sweet potatoes.

Hawaiian Kalua Turkey Recipe

Developed and posted by Linda Hayes on just-a-pinch.com

Ingredients

• 1 16–20 lb turkey, cleaned
• 1 bottle liquid smoke, mesquite
• 2 handfuls Hawaiian salt (or sea salt)
• 3 tbsp black pepper, to taste
• 8 medium ti leaves (or banana leaves)
• 1 stick of butter, melted

Directions

1. Remove neck and organs from the turkey cavity. Rinse well and pat dry.
2. Melt butter and add liquid smoke. Pour some inside the turkey and the rest on the outside.
3. Mix salt and black pepper. Season inside and outside of the turkey.
4. In a large roasting pan, lay two 3–4 ft sections of aluminum foil in a crisscross pattern.
5. Lay 4–5 ti or banana leaves in the pan. Place turkey on top. Lay remaining leaves on top of the turkey.
6. Take the lengthwise foil edges and roll down toward the turkey. Repeat with other two edges.
7. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook for 2 hours. Set oven to 250°F and bake for 4 more hours.
8. Remove turkey. Remove foil and allow steam to release. Remove leaves.
9. Shred meat into a bowl. Place bones in a separate bowl. Pour pan juices into a gravy bowl.

Serve with white rice just as they do in Hawaiʻi. Mahalo.

Where can you find banana leaves? Try your local health food or ethnic markets (Hispanic or Asian).

From our ʻohana to yours, special wishes for a blessed, safe, and delicious Thanksgiving.