Huli Huli Chicken

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Huli Huli Chicken is a Saturday morning tradition in Hawaii. Men's clubs around the islands set up shop in gas station parking lots, strip malls, and school parking lots. While you're out running weekend errands you'll see the smoke billowing ahead and know there is someone grilling Huli chickens.

In my case, on Saturdays I was on my way to work driving along Kam Highway when I would be on the lookout for the smoke on the horizon. I'd stop and grab some Huli chicken for my work lunch. If I was lucky, there was a spot still open when I went home from work in the afternoon and I'd pick up another bird for dinner.
 
Huli Huli Chicken Saturdays are so popular the Barefoot Natives recorded a song known throughout the islands. Click the link and sing along...It will make you want to get up and dance around the room.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66gqHe562Dw

In 1954, Ernest Morgado founded the Pacific Poultry Company. A year later, using his mother's recipe, he's credited with creating Huli Huli Chicken. Ernest was born in 1917 in Hilo, Hawaii, a second-generation Portuguese American. He graduated from Saint Louis School in Kaimuki, Hawaii, and served as a chief petty officer in naval intelligence during World War II.

Morgado's BBQ chicken was so popular he began cooking chickens all over the island at fundraisers. The chicken can be cooked on a grill, or a rotisserie. Flipping on a grill or a sandwhich grate was how Ernest started, so I prefer this method over rotisseries. While cooking, the chickens are basted over and over with the glaze, and continuously turned over ("huli-ed").  Mesquite (kiawe) wood chips are traditionally used to add a smoky flavor. In those early years Morgado and his workers would yell out Huli from one side of the chicken grates and the then "Huli" again from the other side of the grate as they flipped over the chickens moving to the next grate. "Huli" "Huli" sounded out over and over as each grate was flipped in tun. 

Today there are bottled versions of Huli Huli Chicken BBQ sold in stores. Most have their own recipes they have developed over the years like a family BBQ sauce recipe may be done. When Huli Huli done right it's like nothing you have had before. It's more than just BBQ chicken. Is it the best chicken you have ever had? You'll have to be the judge of that, but it's certainly unique and delicious. If you're looking for a new taste it will certainly blow your mind.

Buzz's Huli process includes brining the chickens, lightly applying a house made dry rub, and then basting the chickens with a house made Huli BBQ sauce. One key point though is the dry rub and sauce are NOT intended over power the flavor of juicy chicken cooked over Kiawe wood. This three step process provides the most flavorful chicken we know how to. When we have a Huli Huli Saturday pre-order to ensure you get a bird, or two, before they run out. We usually conduct our Huli Huli Saturdays during the summer months when it's BBQ season and our food truck is put to rest due to the heat. 

We're proud of the treat our Huli Huli chicken provides, but the real reason we go to great lengths to offer Hulu Huli is to share a favorite Hawaiian tradition with St. Louis. The days prior to Saturday we begin taking pre-orders online for whole birds. Don't be afraid to over purchase. Any leftover chicken may be used to create other dishes such as stir fry, noodle bowls or additions to ramen. Don't be surprised though if there isn't any leftover. Customers have admitted to picking at the chicken on the drive home until there wasn't any left. In addition to whole birds, we grill up dozens of leg quarters to make up Huli Huli plates, served with white rice and Mac Salad. Yum Yum Yum!


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