Hāngī

Method

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1. Heat the oven to 160°C / 320°F. Rub the pork with 2 teaspoons of the salt, the pepper, the garlic and the liquid smoke, if using.

   Mark done

2. Drop the cabbage leaves into a large pan of boiling water for 2 minutes, until pliable, then lift out and drain. Keep 250 ml of the cooking water.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

3. Line a deep roasting tin, about 30 x 40 cm and at least 7 cm deep, with half of the largest cabbage leaves, letting them hang over the sides. Pack the pork on top, pour in the reserved cooking water and fold the leaves over the pork.

   Mark done

4. Lay a clean, wet cotton tea towel over the pork and cover the tin tightly with two layers of heavy-duty foil, crimping the edges so no steam escapes. Roast for 90 minutes.

   Mark done Start 90 min timer

5. Lift the foil and cloth away from you, since the steam is hot. Tuck the kūmara, potatoes and pumpkin in around and over the pork, sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of salt and cover with the remaining cabbage leaves.

   Mark done

6. Wet the tea towel again if it has dried, lay it over the top and seal the tin with fresh foil. Roast for another 90 minutes, until the pork pulls apart easily with a fork and the vegetables are soft.

   Mark done

7. Rest the tin, still covered, for 15 minutes. Break the pork into large pieces and serve it with the vegetables and cabbage and the juices from the tin spooned over.

   Mark done Start 15 min timer

Chef’s Tips

• Seal the tin as tightly as you can. The steam does the cooking, and a tin that leaks dries the pork out.
• Add the vegetables halfway through. In for the full three hours they fall apart in the juices, and this way they come out soft but still whole.
• Use shoulder rather than loin. The fat and connective tissue in shoulder turn tender and juicy over three hours, and lean loin dries out.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Buttered white bread
• Coleslaw
• Bread stuffing

Storage & Reheating

Keep in the fridge up to 3 days and reheat covered in a 160°C oven with a splash of water for 20 minutes. Freeze the pork alone for 2 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.