Juicy, tender meat wrapped in leafy greens slow cooked to perfection. This deconstructed Crock Pot laulau takes the effort out of making laulau.
Laulau is a traditional Hawaiian meal that consists of meat (pork, fish, beef, chicken) wrapped in lū’au (taro) leaves, packaged in ti leaves, and steamed in an imu (underground oven). Today steaming in an imu has been replaced with a stacked steamer.
When using a stacked steamer each laulau is individually wrapped in foil and placed in the steamer. The water levels need to be monitored and refilled multiple times over the long cooking process.
Looking for another Crock Pot recipe? Check this one out.
With this Crock Pot laulau recipe all you have to do is dump it in, set it, and viola yummy homemade laulau.
What are lū’au leaves?
Lū’au leaves come from the kalo (taro) plant.
What is a kalo plant?
Hawaiians believe in the creation story named Kumulipo. Story goes Wākea, sky father, and Papahānaumoku have a daughter named Ho’ohokukalani. Wākea and Ho’ohokukalani birthed a stillborn son named Hāloa. They bury Hāloa and out of his body grew the kalo plant. Kalo is sacred to the Hawaiian culture. Want to read more about Hāloa? Check this article out.
What is kalo used for?
Kalo is one of the oldest cultivated crops. The root of kalo is most commonly used to make poi (steamed kalo root, pounded, and thinned out with water). The leaves were used to wrap and cook meat.
Can you eat lū’au leaves raw?
NO! The lū’au leaf and the kalo root contain calcium oxalate which makes your mouth and throat very itchy.
What’s in laulau?
Traditional laulau generally consists of
- Salted butterfish
- Meat
- Pork
- Beef
- Chicken
- Lū’au leaf
- Ti leaf
How long do you cook laulau?
Traditional steaming takes 3-4 hours. In a Crock Pot laulau cooks in 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
What pairs well with laulau?
- Sticky, white rice
- Poi
- Lomi salmon (side dish made of diced salmon, tomato, and onion)
- Kālua pig (steamed pork made in an underground oven)
- Haupia (coconut milk based dessert)
Can I freeze laulau?
Yes. Placed cooked laulau in a zip top bag and freeze. You can reheat with the microwave or steaming.
How to make Crock Pot laulau?
Rinse lū’au leaf. Handling raw lū’au leaf may cause skin itch due to calcium oxalate crystals. If you have sensitive skin I suggest using gloves. Trim off the steam of the leaf. Lay half of the leaves in the bottom of the Crock Pot. Add fillings of choice (pork, beef, chicken). Season with Hawaiian salt. Cover with remaining lū’au leaves. Pour water in to pot. Cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
Crock Pot Laulau
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound taro leaves divided
- 1 1/2 pound stew meat
- 1 pound pork cubed
- 1 tablespoon Hawaiian salt
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Rinse lū’au leaf. Trim off the steam of the leaf.
- Lay half of the leaves in the bottom of the Crock Pot.
- Add fillings of choice (pork, beef, chicken).
- Season with Hawaiian salt.
- Cover with remaining lū’au leaves.
- Pour water in to pot.
- Cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
Notes
Nutrition
© Relle Lum for Keeping It Relle. Please do not copy and paste or screenshot recipes online or on social media. I’d love it if you share a link with a photo instead. Mahalo!
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Confirming on time? 4 hours on low or 8 hours on high?
Hi Pua. Thank you for that typo catch. I have corrected it. It should read 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
What can be used in place of taro leaves?
Hi BJ. You can replace the taro leaves with collard greens or spinach. It will definitely change the taste of the recipe, but still yummy. Have a great day.
Do you know if you can use previously frozen luau leaf to make lau lau?
That should be fine.
U wrap it or mix it all together ?
You can wrap it if you’d like, but I just layer leaf on the bottom, put the meat in the middle, and layer of leaf on the top. It’s like a deconstructed laulau.
Do you know where you can get taro leaves on Maui?
Foodland or Island Grocery Depot usually has.
My husband is craving this but no longer eats pork. Any ideas on what to add instead or would it taste fine just omitting? Thx!
Aloha. You can do beef, chicken, fish. Most proteins work just fine. Have a great day.
So.. made this today. I did replace 1 cup water with beef broth. Buggah was mean! Didn’t need anything but a bowl of rice!😂
Will definitely make this again!
Mahalo!!😘
Yay. Happy to hear. Glad you liked it. Have a great day.
I love to use coconut mild in this recipe
Thank you for sharing and stopping by.
Hello my name is Lorena and I’m a lover of all things Hawaiian specially the food. I want to try making my favorite dish kalua pig in taro leaves in my slow cooker. Together with some sticky rice. I have had some buns filled with I’m not sure what’s inside maybe black beans?
I’m not sure. Do you know about those buns? They’re absolutely delicious I just have no clue how to make any of these dishes.
Would you pls guide me with some tips on how to make these recipes?
Thank you so much
Aloha Lorena. Pork in taro leaves is called laulau. This is that recipe. You can use beef, pork, chicken, or fish. Traditionally its steamed, but this is an alternative way to cook it. Buns filled with char siu is called manapua. I don’t have a recipe on my site. . .yet. I’m working on getting that up. Thank you for stopping by. Have a great day.
Try put in manapua and the recipes going pull up, Aloha
Yes, manapua’s are awesome. On the list of things for me to make.
U like try try use Swiss chard leaves
It broke da moth good …
Hi. Yes, swiss chard, collard greens, spinach, etc are possible alternatives for the lu’au leaves.
I stay on the mainland and no can find the luau and kalo leaves. What can I replace them with? Also, what kind fish do you recommend to go in the laulau? They no get buttahfish ovah where I’m at. Mahalo nui! 🤙🤙🤙
Aloha Aiko. Collard greens and spinach are alternatives for lu’au leaves. The taste will be different, but can work. Also any flaky white fish will work as a replacement for butterfish. Mahalo for stopping by.
Aloha Relle ~ Thanks so much for the recipe. Just found a source for lu’au leaves in so cal, so making this soon. Sounds so ono!!
Ooh nice. Hope you enjoy! Have a nice day.
I live in El Cajon in socal. Where did you find taro leaves? I like pick some up!!
Mahalo!
Leon
Aloha Leon. There are a couple of companies online that sell the leaves if that’s something you’re interested in.
Hi Relle,
If I just wanted to make Chicken thighs for this Lau Lau recipe, how much would I need? With bone & skin or without?
Mahalo, 🌺
Aloha. You can use any protein you’d like to make laulau. You can use chicken with or without the skin or bones. It’s really a forgiving recipe.
Aloha! I’m wanting to make this, as I’ve been craving beef lau lau since my visit to Kaneohe. Unfortunately, I can only find dried taro. Can I use this? Mahalo.
Dried taro leaves? I have not used dry leaves before. If you try it please let me know. Mahalo.
Can I make pan laulau using instant pot and sub spinach for luau leaf?
Sure. The cook time of spinach is much less than lu’au leaf though. So adjust accordingly.