Beef Luau Recipe
Ahhhh beef luau. One of my favorite dishes ever! Beef, luau leaves, water, salt… maybe an onion… and that’s it. Aren’t the simplest dishes always the best?
This weekend I had a mean craving for this (it might’ve been because of all the Hilo rain). The problem was that I never really made this myself before and searching the google internet machine resulted in no success either. 
Why is it so hard to find a recipe for this? Luckily, the helpful guys at the HawaiiThreads.com KauKau Corner were nice to help me out. *s*
I used some of the tips they gave me and adapted it for the pressure cooker. Normally this dish would take 3-4 hours, but with a pressure cooker, only 1-1.5 hours.
Ingredients:
- 1lb Luau Leaves
- 2lb Beef Brisket
- Water
- Good handful of Hawaiian Salt
- 1 Large Onion sliced thinly
First step is to prepare the luau leaves.
Just make sure to cut out the big vein section that connects to the stem. Some people take all the veins out, but it’s really not necessary.
Next, pressure cook the leaves in water for 5-10 minutes (boil ~15-20 minutes if no pressure cooker). I’m not too sure how much this helps, but it is supposed to make the dish “cleaner tasting”.
Then drain out the brownish water which has all that itchy-mouth stuff.
For the beef I used bone-in brisket because it’s a great stewing meat with good fat content which enhances this dish. Having the bone still on creates a richer broth. Cost-U-Less in Hilo has good deals on this. If you don’t have brisket, any good stewing beef would work just as good. Note: You may want to trim some of the fat if your cut is very fatty.
Brown the brisket.
Throw in a large chopped onion sliced thinly.
Saute for a few minutes.
Next, add some water and scrape all the brown yum-yums off the bottom of the pot. Then mix in the luau leaves and add enough water to cover. Yeah, my pressure cooker was too small for this. 
Pressure cook for about 50 minutes. 3 hours if no pressure cooker.
The kitchen should now smell onolicious! Open up the pressure cooker and taste test the luau leaves. Are they still a little tough? Do they make your mouth itchy? If so, you need to cook it some more until it’s tender, moist and clean-tasting.
Once the leaves are all tender, add hawaiian salt to taste.
I added more water since I wanted it a more soupy consistency…
Grindage time!!!
Serve with rice or poi, raw maui onions and chili peppa water on da side. I think I going eat some more now…
Much mahalos to da guys at HawaiiThreads.com!
February 3rd, 2008 at 6:17 pm
James,
I’m glad you were able to satisfy your beef lu’au craving. Usually when I feel like eating this, I use a crock pot. I put it in the pot at night and wake up to some onolicious smells…otherwise, I put it on before going to work, and when I get home, the neighbors are waiting for me at the door!
Great job!
February 4th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Nice photos James! Very professional looking : )
February 4th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
You know, I think I’ve made every other kind of luau you can think of, but never beef. Thanks for the recipe, eh.
February 4th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
looks ono brah…….ono
February 7th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Hi James,
Thanks for sharing this recipe, it looks really ono…especially in that last picture!
February 12th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Can’t wait to try this recipe…thanks for sharing! Gonna try it the crock-pot way Reid suggested…love coming home to good smells
:)
February 13th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Used your recipe loved it! Had to cook a little longer as I doubled the recipe….and added Veg Oil..TURNED OUT FABULOUS! Thanks!
May 16th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
Been craving for this for a long time. Couldnt believe I went to a Hawaiian Food Restaurant and they never had it on their menu. I was so sad. I still need to satisfy my cravings. Mahalo for the recipe. Gonna try it this weekend.
May 29th, 2008 at 8:49 am
Thanks for the recipe…I haven’t used a pressure cooker before, besides, the one I have is too small. However, I would like to try using a crock pot…haven’t used that before either. So…can anyone help me with instructions on doing this recipe using a crock pot?….Do I cook the taro leaf before putting it in the crock pot?. Do I brown my brisket before putting it in the crock as well?…Please help asap!!!!…I’m drooling just looking at your pics…well done James…Mahalo
August 4th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Thanks for the recipe I was ono for this all week…mahalo!!
August 12th, 2008 at 2:36 am
We would like to feature this recipe on our blog. Please email sophiekiblogger@gmail.com if interested. Thanks
August 20th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Mahalo for the recipe!
September 14th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
I was looking everywhere for this recipe! It’s almost ready and we can’t wait to dig in.
Mahalo!
January 29th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
A famous hawaii chef says to add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to kill the itch..thanks for the recipe..I also add diced carrots…ONOLICIOUS..I really love the visuals also..it helped me..
February 23rd, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Nice entry. Love those dark earthy greens.
March 4th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
I made this a month ago, and it was so ono. I had never had it before, but my dad said it was perfect. Thanks for posting this recipe! I am about to make it again:)
October 10th, 2009 at 8:48 am
can the recipe be made with coconut milk as well? has anyone tried it that way? let me know……
January 8th, 2010 at 11:31 pm
I tried this recipe today and am satisfied. I don’t cook much and maybe it’s a little salty but it sure hit the spot.
Thank-you for this simple recipe.
Aloha,
Kathy
January 16th, 2010 at 9:41 am
This is the exact recipe that I was going to try except with corned beef but I just needed to find out how to clean the leaves, glad I googled it, now I really know that the recipe will be worth doing. Thanks for all the info!
January 19th, 2010 at 6:46 pm
My mom always added one can of coconut milk. Its not an overpowered coconut taste and its ONO!
January 26th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
Aloha and mahalo Braddah for this ono recipe. Am making it right now and can’t wait to dig in.
August 13th, 2010 at 9:33 pm
Use, if can get, the tahitian luau leaves ~ those work the best!
September 13th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
I want to try the crock pot way too. I guess I should pre-boil the leaf and pre-brown the meat. Leave on low all day while I’m at work. Will it run out of water? Can anyone offer some advise?
November 5th, 2010 at 10:34 pm
I’m doing it with the crock pot as I type this. I’m boiling the leaves now for about 20 min. I wasn’t planning on browing the meat cause I”m sure it’s gonna cook fully after 8 hours in the crockpot. I’m also gonna add a can of coconut milk and substitute the water with beef stock. We’ll find out how it turns out during the Hawaii VS Boise ST. game tomorrow morning. Go Warriors!
November 7th, 2010 at 6:45 am
Turned out onolicious. I also threw a can of cream of mushroom. So yummy.
December 26th, 2010 at 4:48 pm
Just wanted to say, I keep coming back to this recipe. (it’s been at least 1.5 years now) It’s ono. I also add ginger when cooking the final stage. My family loves it.
Mahalo!
April 24th, 2011 at 10:13 pm
Am trying this recipe right now. Added coconut milk, garlic and a dash of ginger.
Didn’t brown the meat though, I hope it comes out ok. The pressure cooker will definitely cook it. Hope it works for microwave pressure cookers! Wonder if it will make much of a difference? Also put some red hawn salt in as it is cooking…well, will know what the outcome is in about 35 min. Better get the rice cooking, it is starting to smell good!
April 24th, 2011 at 10:51 pm
OK guys. This recipe definitely is NOT for microwave pressure cookers! Ho and it was smelling so ono…but not now, its burnt to a crisp. My heart is broken. I’m thinking 15-20 min on the second cooking would suffice. Well I guess I’ll be going to the Taro Patch restaurant tomorrow. Boy the house stinks and I am going to have some fun cleaning the crust off that pressure cooker! Live and learn.
April 26th, 2011 at 7:07 pm
Ho Cuz much mahalo for da receipe, it only took two hours from start to finish with only 50 min cook time using the pressure cooker. When I say two hours from start to finish, I mean one person (first time cook) wash all dishes(from the morning) prep/cook food, make rice, clean the whole kitchen wash all dishes/pots along the way with table settings (bowls and spoons)
And ready fo grind! It all came out great real easy with pressure cooker, next month will taste even better as I will perfect my cooking skills and use a different cut of meat and not brown it as long,
Mahalo
Russell from maui!!!
September 5th, 2011 at 1:49 pm
Bras/Sistah’s…salt & peppah the meat. let set az long az u like. Tro da buggah on the grill til sta brown 2 sides. Simmah dah luau leaf in 1 ahda pot 4 about 1 owha, den drain the luah leaf. Now take u slow kookah. put 1 12oz. can chicken broth inside, add 1 med. onion/sliced, luau leaf, and meat on top. Kavah and let it rip….da longah da bettah(ovahnite)…1 mo ting…get the slo kookah going 1st ting.
September 28th, 2011 at 7:01 am
My dad would make this all the time. This, and watercress stew, amongst a ton of other `ono, local grinds (and even some not so local, like his infamous Italian Soup. Winners!) He was the BEST cook. He cooked with passion and love. I miss his cooking, but miss him more. He passed 5 years ago.
Gonna make this on Saturday and I can’t wait! I knew how to make it, but just needed some inspiration. Your description and pictures did it for me. Mahalo for sharing, James.
FBI (from Big Island), but now call Kaneohe home.
Aloha nui,
Nalei
October 2nd, 2011 at 9:22 am
Thank you very much! My cousins took my family to Ono Hawaiian Foods when we were there in August (best meal I had the whole week), and I’ve been craving their Salted Beef Luau ever since. This recipe is close enough until I make my way back to the islands in a couple of years. Again, mahalo!
November 7th, 2011 at 11:23 pm
Hmm! My dad prepared this dish often, how I long for his mana’o in the kitchen, he was a wonderful cook. I was prepping the ingredients as I read your recipe; I don’t have pressure cooker but I do have a crock-pot, hopefully as James stated: I hope to wake tomorrow morning with the house scented with the delicious smells of chicken Luau…I didn’t have enough beef so I used chicken instead.
November 26th, 2011 at 6:40 am
OMG..I CANT WAIT TO GO HOME AND COOK THIS FOR MY FAMILY, THEY GOING BE IN WHEN I PAU MAHALO
December 14th, 2011 at 12:29 pm
This is looks sooo ONO! Im gonna have to make this tonight! Ill let you know how it comes out!
December 25th, 2011 at 12:24 am
I’ve never made stew luau before, but, I can hardly wait to make it soon.
December 28th, 2011 at 4:27 pm
huuuuuuuuuweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…damm this bagah came out like broke da mouth action, 1st time cooking this recipe. and i love it. im definately making this for my uso family this new years. thanks for the recipe….cheeeeeehuuuuuuuuuu!
December 31st, 2011 at 3:40 pm
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