The ground oven
Ground ovens are traditional throughout the Polynesian Islands. In the early morning hours at the Center a Hawaiian ground oven, or imu, is built and used to dry age and steam a whole roasted pig for 10 hours to ensure the most tender and delicious meat. This practice is common for luaus and has been passed down through the generations. Though it is not without modern influences, the preparation and utilization of the imu is only one of the ways that we honor the long-standing traditions of Polynesian cooking.