How to make and Imu and Cook a Pig or Food
Step 1 - Dig your hole for your Imu and add quick burning materials.
Dig the hole 2 to 4 feet deep for your Imu. The hole is built depending on the size that you need it to be. As you add quick burning materials you are building the bottom layer of our Imu, which is just the quick burning material (tinder). Using coconut husk works great, and of course you can always use newspaper as both are really light and really easy and able to burn quickly. So now we beging to addthe next layer to our Imu.
Step 2 - Add a second layer of small sticks and wood to your Imu
You've already dug your hole and put some things that burn easiest on the bottom. Next is putting sticks to help kindle the fire going from smallest to biggest. You will need a tall stikc for going in the middle, but we will explain that later.
So there's a real science behind putting the whole thing together and your selection of wood has everything to do with it, beause if the underneath stuff disappears and it's not heated yet then you're not gonna have a very good Imu. So you are probably asking do we putthe wood in and just make it as full as possible? No. We're still thinking in terms of trying to keep everything level and distribution of heat and which section is gonna give in first. You want the wood to be uniform so it buns uniformly and it all drops at the same time.
Step 3 - What type of wood should you use in an IMU
When you gatherthe sticks to use with your Imu it's better for you to use the harder woods because they burn hotter and longer. Usually the softer woods come from the trees that bear fruit, so you don't want to use those you kind and if possible youwant to stay within those types of wood that are hard wood. For instance guava wood is gonna be very good, it burns hot and long. Woods like java plum are no good, at least not for the main wood for heating the stones. You want Kiawe (mesquite) wood, or Iron wood which are very hard woods and burn for longer times. A piece of wood like Iron wood may burn for about two hours. The same size wood made out of java plum wood will probably burn for about 15-20 minutes.
So it's much better to have the Imuburning for two hours so that it will really heat the stones well.
Step 4 - Selecting the middle stick, creating your chimney
So what is the center stick for again? The middle stick serves as a placeholder. Later a smaller stick will be used to set fire to the bottom and act as a chimney for the fire and for air flow. So it needs to get the fire down to the bottom where the fire needs to start from. So that's why you make the hollow center all the way down to the bottom, because heat rises. It's hard to force heat from the top stone to the bottom.
Step 5 - Placing the logs
You now have some wood that's picked out. That will need to put into the Imu. You want to have the wood fit into the Imu nicely, snuggly and in an even layer. So what you shoulddo is to go through and cut the wood so that it fits nicely either length wise or width wise depedning how you are placing the logs. Next you go ahead and do that and place the logs evenly over the Imu. Keeping the wood organized is best as you stack the wood a few inches deep.
Step 6 - Placing the stones
Okay, now it's time to add the stone finishes. Here we form a line, and pass the stones from person to person which will make this step faster. You know what, it's said, in ancient Hawaii the large stone walls were built passing the stones person to person.
What you want to do is keep the chimney open as you add the stones. One question you might have is where to get the stones from and what kind? In Hawaii you can usually get them from a river if there is on near by. You would be looking for the stones with these holes. The stones where the holes are too compact, those will crack and possibly explode. So you want the ones with a lot of holes if you can find them. A medium sizes basalt stone is a good stone with a lot of holes. If you can't find basalt stones, some people will use bricks. Again we are thinking even weight distribution so the fire will fall evenly as it burns. So if possible the more holes the better creating a pattern on this stone itself.
Step 7 - Starting the iMU fire
Remove the center stick, and pour in kerosene and then light the center using a small stick. Then let the fire burn 1.5 to 3 hours or until the stones reach their maximum heat. Of course don't pick them up to find out if they are hot, they may not look hot, but they will leave a very bad burn.
Step 8 - Gather the material for Hali'i or the cover
Gather some materials for the Hali'i which may include Banana Stumps, grass, Ti leaves, or palm fronds. If you can't find these then some good substitutes include cabage, lettuce, soaked corn husk/stalks, wet newspaper, thistle, watercress, cottonwood leaves, Kiawe/Mequite leaves. Very important though, your food will resemble the taste like the material you use so we suggest you make it good.
Step 9 - Remove the burning wood and reorganize the stones
Hint don't use your hands. A shovel is a good way to remove the burning wood embers and reorganize the stones. Even out the rocks to as flat as possible. What you are doing is taking the unburned wood from the bottom.
Step 10 - Add the first layer of Hali'i and your food of choice
This layer of Hali'i creates a buffer between the rocks and the food. You probably want to add your layers of Hali'i from densist type first to thinist. The rest of the Hali'i should be used to cover the food in final layers. Banana stumps are a good first layer we leaves or grass on top. So if you were to look inside the Imuat this point you would see the layer ofour rocks that we put on, the hali'i and then the food.
Step 11 - Finish up by covering food with Hali'i and then mats
Your Hali'i at this point will be palm leaves, grass or palm fronds, again we are going for a cover on top of the food before placing on the mats. Now make sure you thoroughly soak the mats in water before placingthem on top. Wet burlap is a great option for a mat. In ancient times, kapa mats were used for the top covering. Today many people just use pieces of wet carpet or burlap.
Step 12 - Add the finishing layer to your Imu
Finish it all off with a top layer of dirt and let cook for 2 to 8 hours depending on the heat, size, hali'i used and of course the food you are cooking. Pig is always a good choice. The bigger the portion or size the longer cooking time will be needed. Then uncover and enjoy your awesome IMU cooked food.
FAQs
How to make an IMU for kalua pig? ›
- Dig a hole in the ground about 8-feet by 8-feet by 4-feet deep. Arrange wood in a pyramid fashion then placing round river stones on top of wood. ...
- Place pig on its back and place a few hot stones in cavity. ...
- Arrange remaining stones over wood so it becomes level. ...
- Uncover imu and shred pig.
To build an imu, a lua or round pit, about 2 feet to 4 feet deep with sloping sides, is dug into the earth. The diameter and depth of the lua will match the amount of food to be cooked. The pit must be large enough to contain not only the food, but the rocks and the vegetation. Keep the imu as compact as possible.
How to build a backyard IMU? ›To build your own imu, dig a round pit two to four feet deep and just large enough in diameter to fit the food, rocks and vegetation. Place the excess dirt next to the pit, as you will use it to cover the oven at the end.
How deep should an imu be? ›An average imu pit is around 2 to 4 feet deep and they are all rounded holes with sloping sides. The diameter is determined by the amount of food. However, it also has to be large enough to accommodate the rocks and hali'i.
How to cook a 20 pound pig? ›Roast the pig in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes per pound, about 5 hours, basting and turning the pig every hour. For unstuffed pig, roast at 350 degrees for 15 minutes per pound. Internal temperature should be about 155 to 160 degrees for both methods.
How long does it take to cook a pig in an emu? ›And wait and wait some more. Total cooking time should be about 6 to 8 hours and sometimes as longs as 10, depending on the size of the pig. Once enough time has passed, layer by layer, you'll take apart your oven ti get the meat.
How to attract a Hawaiian man? ›Women with higher cheekbones, longer and darker lashes cause an attraction to the Hawaiian men. There are certain traits they find attractive in women. Women that speak fluently, have a good sense of humour, are bold enough to make the first step at any encounter.
How much Hawaiian do you need for Hawaiian homes? ›You must be a native Hawaiian, defined as “any descendant of not less than one-half part of the blood of the races inhabiting the Hawaiian Islands previous to 1778.” This means you must have a blood quantum of at least 50 percent Hawaiian. This requirement remains unchanged since the HHCA's passage in 1921.
Is kālua pig in an imu? ›What is kalua pork made of? Traditional kalua pork is made of only 2 ingredients: pork butt roast and Hawaiian sea salt. It doesn't need liquid smoke because the pig is cooked underground (imu) and wrapped with ti or banana leaves. Therefore, wood and leaves infused an earthly smokey flavor into the meat.
Can you use banana leaves for imu? ›Banana stumps are used to line the imu to prevent burning and to create the steam needed to cook the pig. Save the leaves, we'll use them later. 4. Put the pig in the ground: First you'll have to stuff it with hot rocks, wrap it with banana leaves and then enclose it in a good grade of chicken wire.
How long to cook a 20 lb pig on a spit? ›
Rub the salt generously on the pig inside and out. Beer and friends. The pig will take about an hour and 15 minutes per 10 pounds.
How long does it take to cook a 250 pound pig? ›Place the pig on the grill, skin side up, and cook at 225 –250 degrees for about 5 - 6 hours.
How long does it take to cook a 200 pound pig? ›A DEEP FRY TEMPERATURE GAGE: A 200 lb. pig should cook at roughly 210 degrees for 20-24 hours, depending on airflow within the pit. That will feed 100 people, with a good possibility of leftovers. HICKORY: About a half cord will burn over 20 to 24 hours, depending on the wind.
What are the different types of IMU? ›There are different types of IMU sensors: the one based on FOG (Fiber Optic Gyroscope), the RLG IMUs (Ring Laser Gyroscope), and lastly, IMU based on MEMS technology (Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems).
What are the components of IMU? ›Inertial measurement units (IMU) are composed of accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers which measure linear acceleration, angular velocity, and magnetic field strength (to orient with respect to the Earth's axes), respectively.
What is the full meaning of IMU? ›The term IMU stands for “Inertial Measurement Unit,” and we use it to describe a collection of measurement tools. When installed in a device, these tools can capture data about the device's movement.
How much water does a 200 pound pig need per day? ›Water usage is in the range of 1 gallon per grow-finish pig per day with wet/ dry feeders and bowl drinkers and 1.5 gallon per pig per day with gate-mounted nipple drinkers.
How many people will a 50 lb pig feed? ›Actually, a whole pig can easily feed 50 to 100 people and still have leftovers to take home. If you're expecting a large guest list, a hog roast is the perfect way to ensure that everyone leaves full and happy.
How much meat will a 250 pound pig yield? ›A 250 lb. hog will yield approximately 144 lbs of retail cuts. Around 28% of a hog's live weight is inedible product re- moved during the slaughter and dressing procedure bringing our 250 lb.
What is the toughest meat on a pig? ›The most desirable cuts of meat come from higher up on the animal. By contrast, the shank and shoulder muscles produce the toughest cuts.
What is the best temperature to cook a pig? ›
In a temperature-controlled smokehouse, a 150-pound carcass pig can usually be roasted at 180 degrees F overnight. If internal temperature is at 170 degrees F, the pig should be held at 170 degrees F until carving.
How long does it take to cook a 50 pound pig? ›A 50 pound pig cooks in anywhere from 4 to 7 or even 8 hours depending on your heat source and whether or not you've stuffed it with anything...more on that later. Some fellow pig roasters recommend around 1 hour and 15 minutes per 10 pounds of dead weight pig.
How do you show respect in Hawaiian? ›This weeks Olelo is "Ho'ihi" (Respect) as in: Ha'awi Ho'ihi, Loa'a Ho'ihi" which simply means give respect, get respect. As we treat others the way we want to be treated, we show respect for ourselves, others, our school and community. In everything you do, do it with aloha and ho'ihi.
What do Hawaiians value most? ›HA'AHA'A – Humility, to be humble, the concept of humility, a core value of the Hawaiian people. To be ha'aha'a is highly praised and respected. HO'OMA'EMA'E – Living with respect and honoring one's person and body inspires others by example.
How do you show respect to Hawaiian people? ›Always ask questions and permission. The best way to respect the Hawaiian culture is to ask! If you're not sure about anything, such as where to go or what to wear, you can never go wrong by asking a local.
What is the most affordable Hawaiian island to live on? ›There's no way around it: Hawaii is an expensive place to live. Most of its most affordable cities are located on the Big Island, particularly on its eastern edge.
What is the cheapest Hawaiian island to buy property? ›This is not surprising, as Honolulu is one of the most popular destinations and a business center. Generally, the lowest housing costs are on the Big Island, which is considered the cheapest Hawaiian island to live on.
What is the most livable Hawaiian island? ›Among the Hawaiian Islands, Molokai is known as the Friendly Isle, and those who live there would consider it the best island to live on by far. With many longtime families and few visitors living on remote Molokai, it is one of the most secluded Hawaiian Islands.
What does imu mean in Hawaiian? ›The imu is an underground oven and one of the simplest and most ancient cooking structures. Kālua, which means “to cook in an underground oven”, is a traditional Hawaiian cooking method that utilizes an imu. The word kālua may also be used to describe the food cooked in this manner, such as kālua pig or kālua turkey.
What part of pig is tastiest? ›Roasted pork loin is probably one of the best parts of the pig. pork loin can be made bone-in or boneless, Grilled, smoked or slow-roasted on a barbecue with whatever spices and sauces you like, the roasted pork loin is a firm favorite among chefs.
What is the anime pork called? ›
Anime Debut
Pork Bowl (aka Butadon) was a medium-grade piglet being raised by the Department of Dairy Science first-year students, especially by Hachiken, to be later processed as bacon.
The size of the hole in the ground you'll need is determined by what you are going to cook. The pit needs to be about one foot larger in every direction. If you have a pig that is four by two feet roughly in size, you need a hole six by four feet. The hole should be about three feet deep.
What rocks are best for underground cooking? ›Lava Rocks-
Lava rocks can be used in different ways when cooking. They can be used on the fire, they look like coals and retain some serious heat. Lava rocks are also used for underground and pit cooking for this very reason, they retain the heat well giving a better and more even underground cooking environment.
- Make sure you can have a fire in the first place. It's been a dry summer in a lot of places, so check to see whether your area is under a fire ban. ...
- Gather your materials. ...
- Dig a pit. ...
- Line the pit with rocks. ...
- Soak some green wood in water. ...
- Build a fire. ...
- Prep your meat. ...
- Add your meat to the fire.
Season to Your Taste
Some love their food to be spicier, some saltier and some sweeter. Therefore, they will placed salt at the left side of the leaf for the diner to season his/her food according to his/her taste). Condiments such as gravy, pickle and curry are kept on the right which are more accessible.
In olden days, there were no concrete floors and people would sit on grounds and eat on a banana leaf. So if the mud was dry and someone passed from nearby, the dust particles would enter into the plate and make the food impure. The water around the food was sprinkled to make the dust particles settle down.
Is banana leaves good for pigs? ›Finally, banana leaf meal has been used to replace up to 15% of total dietary dry matter for growing pigs (Garcia et al., 1991b); performance was satisfactory both from the point of view of average daily gain and feed conversion (Table 5.6). Table 5.6. Use of banana leaf meal for growing pigs (14–28 kg).
What is the best wood for spit roasting? ›One of the finest hardwoods that you can employ for almost any roasting application is redgum.
How many people will a 20lb pig feed? ›Plan on 1 ½ pounds of suckling pig per guest, so a 20-pound suckling pig should yield enough delicious meat to serve 12 to 14 people.
What is the best size pig to roast? ›For your first pig roast, we recommend choosing a pig under 100 pounds dressed weight. A 90-pound (dressed weight) pig is easy to handle and the best way to practice your skills and build your confidence. For a smaller pig like this, we recommend cooking it at 275 degrees F.
How much does a 200 pound pig sell for? ›
At the time of the sale, market swine will weigh between 200 and 280 pounds with an average weight of 265 pounds. Market pigs sell for between $2.00 and $4.00 a pound with an average price of $3.50 per pound.
How much feed does a 300 pound pig need per day? ›The average amount of feed your pig will consume each day is between 5 and 7 pounds per day.
How much is a 250 pig worth? ›Wholesale Cuts
For the 250 pound hogs yielding more than 75 percent the total wholesale weight is 31,861pounds and is valued at $26,582 or $132.91 per head.
You will need about 30 pounds of charcoal to get the fire started for roasting a whole pig. Then, you should have an extra 10 pounds of charcoal per hour of cooking time. We estimate a whole pig takes about 1 hour per 10 pounds of pork, so you would need 100 extra pounds of charcoal for a 100 pound pig.
How many people will a 60 lb pig feed? ›So a 60lb Pig will give you approximately 25-30lb of cooked meat and will feed around 55 people. You'll need at least 1lb raw weight per person for a mixed group, for a bunch of hungry men I would recommend allowing 1.5lb raw weight per person.
How much meat do you get from a 100 pound hog? ›A hanging pork carcass will typically yield about 75% of the carcass weight, in mostly bone-in meat cuts, resulting in approximately 130-194 pounds of meat to take home.
Is kalua pig in an imu? ›What is kalua pork made of? Traditional kalua pork is made of only 2 ingredients: pork butt roast and Hawaiian sea salt. It doesn't need liquid smoke because the pig is cooked underground (imu) and wrapped with ti or banana leaves. Therefore, wood and leaves infused an earthly smokey flavor into the meat.
What is a Hawaiian imu? ›The imu is an underground oven and one of the simplest and most ancient cooking structures. Kālua, which means “to cook in an underground oven”, is a traditional Hawaiian cooking method that utilizes an imu. The word kālua may also be used to describe the food cooked in this manner, such as kālua pig or kālua turkey.
What is imu style pork? ›The pig is lowered into an underground oven (imu), covered in banana leaves or ti leaves (the palm-like leaves of the Hawaiian ti plant) & soil, & left to cook. The resulting pork is succulent, juicy, & melt-in-your-mouth tender.
What is the Hawaiian cooking method? ›Kālua is a traditional Hawaiian cooking method that utilizes an imu, a type of underground oven. The word "kālua" ("to cook in an underground oven" in the Hawaiian language) may also be used to describe the food cooked in this manner, such as kālua pig or kālua turkey, which are commonly served at lūʻau feasts.
Where does Hawaii get pork? ›
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - It's been widely believed that Hawaii's feral pigs were brought to the islands by Captain Cook.
What does pee mean in Hawaiian? ›8. Shi shi. Definition: Pee, to urinate.
What does Wana mean in Hawaiian? ›These long-spined sea urchins, known collectively in Hawaiian as wana (pronounced “vah-na”), are found on reef flats and shallow reef slopes, where they are often wedged into crevices in the reef framework.
What is the highest grade pork? ›Known for its luxurious flavor, high degree of marbling and exceptional tenderness, Berkshire Kurobuta pork has earned its reputation as the Wagyu of pork.
What is Hawaiian pork called? ›Kalua pig is one of the traditional foods found at every luau. Among the succulent options of any Hawaiian luau is a shredded pork dish called kalua pig. Most luaus even have an elaborate ceremony surrounding its presentation.
What is the Hawaiian word for pig? ›Puaʻa means “pig, swine, hog, pork.” And although it is a commonly used Hawaiian word, even in English conversation, it is often mispronounced. Say puaʻa as in kamapuaʻa.