Friday, May 23, 2008

Ever tried Huli Huli chicken on your Hawaii Vacation?

Most everybody living in Hawaii knows how to make a tasty banana bread. I have my own recipes too but have you ever tried Huli Huli chicken on your Hawaii vacation or even just heard about it? Huli huli means in Hawaiian 'turn - turn' and that is what the Hawaiians do. The chicken halves are turned repeatedly over the fire from mesquite coals. Just driving by a Huli Huli chicken barbeque stand and smell of the flavorful meat is a mouth watering experience and temptation, which hardly any Hawaii visitor can resist.

Let me tell you what makes the huli huli chicken so special. It's not just the way how it is cooked but more so the very unique BBQ sauce the Hawaiians use for its preparation. Ingredients like pure Hawaiian brown sugar, soy sauce (locally known as "shoyu"), ketchup, garlic and fresh ginger gives it its distinct flavor. When I checked online Huli-Huli Sauce recipes, I noticed they varied quite a bit in addition to the basic ingredients. Some used pine-apple juice or lime juice, sesame oil, Hawaiian sea salt. So don't ask me which recipe is the best. I guess they all taste excellent.

When you are in Hawaii on vacation, ask the locals or the concierge of your hotel where you can find Huli Huli chicken in the area. Locals will know which parking lot the huli huli chickens are prepared and on what days they are served. There is no better way to get a 'bite of Hawaii' than enjoying one of those Hawaiian huli huli chickens after a sightseeing tour, swimming in the ocean or a tough hike through one of our spectacular valleys. Make sure you know where you can find this Hawaiian delicacy after you worked up an appetite.

Your best chances when visiting the Big Island are Church Row parking lot in Waimea, the parking lot in Kawaihae next to the Blue Dolphin Restaurant (there is also a great fruit stand with delicious strawberry papayas and apple-bananas), the Texaco Station parking lot in Honokaa and parking lot in Kealakekua next to Bank of Hawaii.

When visiting the other islands, here is another good tip besides asking the locals. The Hawaiians also use the popular huli huli chickens for fundraising events. Scan the newspaper on weekends for Huli Huli benefits. Otherwise, we invite everybody who knows a place on Kauai, Maui or Oahu where they found Hawaii's own version of barbecued chicken, please, let our Best Hawaii vacation blog visitors know. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
Last but not least, if you can't visit Hawaii sooner or later this year but would like to try to make your own Huli Huli chicken at home, Maui4You sells you the BBQ sauce for it.

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