Kevin's Banana Leaf Kalua Pork Sliders with Bourbon-Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Kevin the Bacon wrapped a bone-in pork butt in banana leaves for a low-and-slow kalua roast, then piled it onto toasted King's Hawaiian buns with a bourbon-marinated grilled pineapple salsa for an island-inspired slider night.

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Ingredients

• •Bone-in pork butt (about 2½–3 lbs)
• •Better Than Bouillon chicken base (for rubbing the pork)
• •Hawaiian red alaea salt — this exact salt, no substitutes
• •1 banana leaf
• •Liquid smoke (1½–2 tbsp)
• •Kewpie mayo, hoisin sauce, and sriracha (2:1:1 ratio, for the sauce)
• •1 can pineapple, juice reserved (for the salsa)
• •1½ tbsp brown sugar (for the salsa marinade)
• •¼ cup bourbon (for the salsa marinade)
• •1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced (for the salsa)
• •¾ jalapeño, seeded and minced (for the salsa)
• •¼ red onion, minced (for the salsa)
• •¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped (for the salsa)
• •1 tsp agave (for the salsa)
• •½ red bell pepper, minced (for the salsa)
• •Salt and pepper, to taste (for the salsa)
• •King's Hawaiian slider buns and butter (for toasting)

Steps

1. Season the pork: Rub the bone-in pork butt all over with Better Than Bouillon chicken base, then coat it generously with Hawaiian red alaea salt — this exact salt matters, don't substitute anything else.
2. Set up the wrap: In a deep, oven-safe dish, lay down a banana leaf and set the seasoned pork on top.
3. Add the liquid smoke: Drizzle 1½ to 2 tablespoons of liquid smoke over the pork.
4. Wrap it tight: Fold the banana leaf over the pork one direction, then the opposite direction, then back and forth, tucking the ends underneath each time to seal it in completely. Finish by wrapping tightly in parchment paper, then foil, with no gaps.
5. Roast: Bake at 325°F for 3½ to 4 hours, until the pork shreds easily with a fork.
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6. Mix the sauce: Whisk together Kewpie mayo, hoisin, and sriracha in a 2:1:1 ratio. Set aside for assembly.
7. Marinate the pineapple: Combine the reserved pineapple juice from the can with 1½ tablespoons brown sugar and ¼ cup bourbon in a container. Mix everybody up, arrange the pineapple in a single layer so it soaks evenly, and let it marinate for about 4 hours.
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8. Grill the pineapple: Grill the marinated pineapple until it's nicely charred, then let it cool slightly.
9. Build the salsa: Chop the grilled pineapple and toss with the minced ginger, jalapeño, red onion, and cilantro, then stir in the agave and minced red bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
10. Toast the buns: Butter the King's Hawaiian slider buns and toast until golden.
11. Assemble: Spread sauce on the bottom bun, pile on the kalua pork and pineapple salsa, finish with a little more sauce on top, and enjoy.