Huli-huli chicken facts for kids
Huli-huli chicken roasting on spits
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| Course | entrée |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Hawaii |
| Created by | Ernest Morgado Mike Asagi |
| Invented | 1955 |
| Main ingredients | chicken, pineapple, ginger, soy sauce |
| Ingredients generally used | ketchup, sugar, sesame oil, garlic |
Huli-huli chicken is a delicious grilled chicken dish from Hawaii. It's made by cooking chicken over wood, often mesquite wood, and brushing it with a sweet and savory sauce. This special sauce is called huli-huli sauce.
Contents
The Story of Huli-Huli Chicken
How Huli-Huli Chicken Started
In 1954, a man named Ernest Morgado and a chicken farmer named Mike Asagi started a company called Pacific Poultry. The next year, they cooked chicken at a meeting for farmers. They used a special sauce that was similar to teriyaki, based on Morgado's mother's recipe.
People loved the chicken so much! Morgado then started cooking huli-huli chicken at events to raise money. Over the years, millions of dollars were raised for charities by selling this popular chicken. Selling huli-huli chicken at churches and schools was a common way to raise money all over Hawaii for many years.
What "Huli" Means
The word Huli comes from the Hawaiian language. It means "turn." When the chicken was first made, it was cooked on a grill with a simple spit. People watching would shout "huli!" when it was time to turn the chickens over. This made sure both sides cooked evenly and got plenty of sauce.
Ernest Morgado made the name "huli-huli" official in 1967. He did this through his company, Pacific Poultry.
Ernest Morgado's Fame
Ernest Morgado became very well-known because of his huli-huli chicken recipe. He even served on the Hawaii Board of Agriculture. He was also given an award called the "Council's Cup" in 1981. Later, starting in 1986, Morgado began to bottle and sell his huli-huli sauce in stores.
Today, you can find huli-huli chicken all over Hawaii. It's sold in restaurants, at roadside stands, in mini-marts, and at drive-ins. Many places cook large amounts of chicken on racks to sell to hungry customers.
Making Huli-Huli Chicken
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The Secret Sauce
Ernest Morgado never shared his exact huli-huli sauce recipe. However, other chefs have tried to make their own versions that taste similar.
Most recipes for the sauce or glaze include ingredients like pineapple juice, ketchup, soy sauce, and a sweetener like honey or brown sugar. They also often have sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Some recipes might add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, or even a little spice like Sriracha.
Cooking the Chicken
Before cooking, some recipes suggest soaking the chicken in a salty water mix called a brine. This can make the chicken extra juicy and flavorful. The brine might include kosher salt, sugar, bay leaves, garlic, or thyme. After brining, the chicken is marinated in the huli-huli sauce.
The chicken can be cooked on a grill or a rotisserie. A rotisserie is a special cooking tool that slowly turns the chicken. While it cooks, the chicken is regularly brushed with the huli-huli sauce. It's also turned over often, just like the original "huli" shouts suggested! Traditionally, Mesquite wood chips are used to give the chicken a delicious smoky flavor.
