50 State Sandwich Challenge: Hawaii

 Aloha.  You might have heard of our 50th and most recently admitted state, Hawaii. The lush, tropical paradise of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is somewhere I really wish I was right now.  But instead, I'm bringing the luau to my apartment, and no luau would be complete without a feast of kalua pua'a (I had a Hawaiian roommate for 2 years and he's no doubt calling me a Haole right now).  Kalua pork is one of the oldest and most traditional dishes served on a Hawaiian plate.  The word kalua translates "to cook in an underground oven" which is interestingly similar to the native cooking techniques of the Caribbean we covered when slow cooking the pork for our Cuban sandwich.  The marinade for this, though, is entirely different and reflects a more Asian influence you'd find in the Pacific.  Sandwiches were not native to the islands until European arrival in 1778 when British explorer Captain James Cook named the archipelago, I'm not joking, "the Sandwich Islands," in honor of his sponsor John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich.  Prior to European arrival, chiefs often fought for power over the islands, however, in 1795, facing the inevitable increase of European colonization, all inhabited islands were subjugated under a single ruler, King Kamehameha the Great, who's dynasty ruled Hawaii as a kingdom until 1872.  American missionaries worked quickly to convert the kingdom to Christianity, however, thankfully their rich history and traditions were not completely erased as they were all too often.  After the death of bachelor King Kamehameha V in 1874, the United States and Britain landed troops to establish a republic.  By 1887, under pressure from wealthy American businessmen, the elected Hawaiian leader was forced to sign a new constitution that stripped all Hawaiians and other Asian immigrant groups of their rights to work and vote in favor of white settlers.  By 1898, the islands were annexed into a territory, until being admitted as a state in 1959.  After attaining statehood, Hawaii quickly modernized through construction and a rapidly growing tourism economy, while state programs promoted Hawaiian culture.  While there is not a lot of actual history of the kalua pork sandwich in Hawaii or where to get one, the pulled pork is incredibly common.  Instead of hamburger rolls, I decided to call an audible and use King Hawaiian rolls and turn these into sliders! 

Ingredients:

1 packet teriyaki marinade (recommended: McCormick Grill Mates)

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

3 1/2 pounds pork shoulder

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 cup chili sauce

One 6-ounce can pineapple juice

1 medium onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

8 King Hawaiian rolls

1. In a bowl, combine teriyaki mix, paprika, and pepper. Coat the pork in the rub mixture until it's all used.  Let that shit marinade.

2. Whisk together chicken broth, brown sugar, soy sauce, chili sauce, and pineapple juice, and let it chill for a minute.

3. Put chopped onions and carrots in your slow cooker and place the pork on top.  Pour half of the pineapple juice mixture over the pork. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.

4.  When the pork is almost ready, make the sauce.  Heat oil over medium heat and add garlic and ginger.  Saute a minute and add the remaining pineapple juice mixture.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  

5. Serve the shredded pork on the rolls and drizzle some of the Hawaiian sauce on top.