Slow Cooker Hangi Pork

Hangi is a traditional New Zealand Māori method of cooking food using umu, basically a type of oven made with heated rocks buried in a pit. Using meats like pork, beef, lamb and chicken this method is usually used on special occasions.

Hangi is one of the special occasion dishes here in New Zealand and since it is the holiday season and New Year’s is a couple of days away, we are making one. To give you an idea what this is, Hangi is a traditional New Zealand Māori method of cooking food, usually with meats. This cooking method usually involves digging a pit in the ground, heating the stones inside the pit with a big fire, then the food is laid down on baskets, finally covering it with large leaves then topped with soil for several hour before unearthing.

This practice has been handed down from generations to generations, in fact in most island nations of the Pacific they have similar way of cooking, as it can be seen as far as Hawaii with their Kalua Pig which they cook in an imu.

It is a lot of work, so the one we will be making today will save you some time on the preparation, while we will still wrap it with leaves as it gives a good flavour to the dish but we will not be digging some dirt on the backyard, instead we will be putting it in a slow cooker.

Slow Cooker Hangi Pork

• Author: Raymund
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 8 hours
• Total Time: 8 hours 15 mins
• Yield: 8 1x
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Maori

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Description

Hangi is a traditional New Zealand Māori method of cooking food using umu, basically a type of oven made with heated rocks buried in a pit. Using meats like pork, beef, lamb and chicken this method is usually used on special occasions.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 kg fatty pork (pork shoulder or belly) cut into large chunks
• 1 cup stuffing mix
• 1/2 pumpkin, cut into large chunks
• 2 large sweet potatoes, cut into large chunks
• 4 strips smoked bacon
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• smoked salt (or sea salt if you can’t find one)
• freshly ground black pepper
• banana leaf

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Instructions

1. Make your stuffing according to packet instructions, form into a large ball then set it aside.
2. Lay large banana leaf on a table, arrange bacon in one layer on the bottom, place stuffing ball in the middle, then place meat, sweet potatoes and pumpkin. Season with smoked paprika, smoked salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Wrap the meats and vegetables with the banana leaf then secure it with another wrap of aluminum foil. Set it aside.
4. Using aluminum foil, crumple four small rolled up aluminum foils then place it on the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour enough water to cover the balls then place wrapped meat on top.
5. Cover with damp cloth on top with the sides hanging outside the slow cooker, slow cook for 8 hours on low heat.
6. Remove from pot, unwrap then serve.

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