In the mood to try something different on your grill? Do you want something that is fun to cook, delicious to eat, and that impresses you, your family, and your friends? Well then we have something for you. Don’t look now, but straight from the islands, comes the Huli Huli chicken!
“Huli” is the Hawaiian word for “spin.” Ernest Morgado “invented” Huli Huli chicken in 1955 when he was roasting a batch of chicken for some farmers using his mother’s marinade recipe. It became such a success that he registered the trademark in the Territory of Hawaii in 1958 and with the United States Government in 1965. Morgado cooked the chicken between two grills and when one side was done someone would yell “Huli” and the grills they turned around. upon.
The dish has become a legend in Hawaii, where it is often sold at charity fundraisers. He has also launched many commercial salsa brands and has even inspired a song called Huli Huli Chicken by the group The Barefoot Natives.
Fortunately, you don’t need to use two grills to make your own backyard version of this great-tasting dish (although we recommend yelling “huli huli” when flipping the chicken). Instead, a charcoal barbecue will work quite well; we use a Big Green Egg, for example. You will need to get some mesquite chips, if you don’t already have them, and then the ingredients for the following recipe:
A cut chicken
1/2 cup frozen pineapple concentrate
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 piece of ginger finely grated
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
Mix the ingredients together and use about half to marinate the chicken for at least an hour. Reserve the rest for basting the chicken when it is grilled. Meanwhile, soak the mesquite chips in water for about 20 minutes. Heat your barbecue to a range of 300 to 350 degrees, apply your pre-soaked mesquite chips and proceed to turn and baste the chicken every 5 minutes until done, about an hour. Oh, and don’t forget to yell “huli huli” when you flip the chicken!
Once you taste the Huli Huli Chicken, you will understand what all the fuss is about. The chicken is tender, succulent, and flavorful without being overpowering. When we have it, the chicken is eaten clean to the bone. It’s really that good! It also lends itself well to entertaining, for example you can use it as a centerpiece for your own Luau. Don’t you feel like entertaining? Then use it to treat yourself or your family to an evening of fantasy and fun. Dial a Don Ho on your iPod, pop that Elvis DVD in Blue Hawaii, mix in a Mai Tai or other suitable beverage and voila, you have a made-to-order Hawaiian vacation without the expense or hassle of travel. !