How to do an IMU

How to Build an Imu (Hawaiian Earthen Oven) PS Substitute Corn stalks and Corn leaves for the Banana stumps and Ti leaves. However, making sure adequate water for steam is crucial, soak corn stalks overnight in clean trash cans. The traditional way to cook a pig for a luau is to put it in an imu or earthen oven. Hot rocks called pohaku are covered with wet vegetation that steams the buried food slow cooking it for hours. There are more permanent versions of an imu around. Serious people build an imu pit in their yard with a concrete bottom for reuse. Ornate holes in the ground may be carefully lined with lava rock as if an ancient Hawaiian mason built it. My friends have a house on the water in Puako and decided to dig a New England style clambake imu in the sand. It won’t last more than one party at a time, but it works just as well. An imu has a few basic layers starting with the bottom: Wood fired rock surrounded by burning embers Wet vegetation Food Cover The rocks and wood embers heat up the wet vegetation and steam cook whatever you put in your imu. Food (meat) placed in an imu is typically wrapped in leaves from the ti plant or banana leaves and tied into little bundles. Each little tamale style package is placed in the imu and cooked for most of the day. We added tin foil over our leaf-wrapped meat for added protection. Lau laus ready for the imu Lau laus ready for the imu Here are 14 short steps to cooking your food in the ground: Step 1: Dig Pit and Build Fire Typically the pohaku used to retain heat in your imu are smooth lava rocks taken from fresh water streams. They should not be any larger than an american football. A friend told me the story of a few guys who stole river rocks from Maui park land for imus. That crime was made possible by the ill fated Superferry. I suggest scavenging for most dense and smooth lava rocks you can find. That is what we did along the Puako coast. We did not have the time or energy to find proper pohaku in the streams of Waimea. Pile your pohaku rocks and kiawe into one side of the pit and set it ablaze. Once the fire dies down to hot burning embers distribute the rocks and wood more evenly along the bottom. Add more rocks as the fire settles down to create a base for heat. Tending the fire Step 2: Hack Up Vegetation The key to cooking your food is the steam. Banana tree stalks have a tremendous amount of moisture to make steam. Hacking them up a little right before putting them on the fire releases the water. The banana leaf and stem give imu cooked food a classic flavor. Kailua pig would not taste the same without it. Slash up the leaves and stalks into size appropriate chunks. Chop chop Hack and slash Step 3: Add Banana Stalks Toss the banana and other leaves right on top of the fire. Note the steam already coming from the pit in these photos. Throw stuffs on Steam starting Step 4: Add Layer of Banana Leaves Before the meat is placed into the imu, create a blanket of leaves, or hala’i, for the food to sit on. This keeps the bundles away from direct heat. Banana leaf layer Step 5: Fill With Meat Pack as much food as you can in your earthen oven. Inviting as many people as possible to your party helps with filling your imu. Banana leaf layer Here comes the meat I hope you're hungry Step 6: Add Layer of Leaves Place a final layer of leftover leaves over your food to keep heat and steam in. Nearly covered Step 7: Cover With Wet Burlap and Tarp Cover with wet burlap or feed sacks and a tarp. This step will keep the dirt and sand out of your food. Burlap layer Tarp Layer Step 8: Bury Cap with a layer of dirt or sand. Watch for steam escaping and add more dirty to ensure it stays in the ground to cook you goodies. Bury it Step 9: Wait Beer helps the waiting process. Four to five hours is enough time for your food to slow cook. Talking stories Step 10: Check Heat and Wait More Keep tabs on your imu now and then. There is nothing you can do if your imu peters out before it is time. If you’re a nervous person keep checking. Drink more beer. Check heat Step 11: Uncover Gather everyone around for the reveal. The reveal Step 12: Remove Food Now that you have everyone standing around watching, put them to work in carrying all the food into the house. It keeps coming Closer All pau Meat man Get it out! Meat runner Logistics Step 13: Grind The wait is over. If you are not full from pupus, get yourself into the kitchen and get some before everyone else eats the good stuff. Tasty Grinds It's like Xmas Unwrapping party The crowd gathers Yum Taro img_4994 Step 14: Sit Around and Moan You are guaranteed to eat too much. Please allow some time later in the day to digest and let out a moan of satisfaction or two. Full People