This dish is often served with sweet potatoes and poi (mashed taro root). It’s also great on a sandwich with coleslaw and barbecue sauce.

5 to 5¼-pound boneless pork butt roast
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Hawaiian alaea sea salt or coarse sea salt
3 fresh banana leaves or 3 frozen banana leaves, thawed
6 cups water, divided

½ teaspoon liquid smoke

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using small sharp knife, cut ¼-inch deep slits 1 inch apart all over pork roast. Rub 2 tablespoons seal salt allover pork. Unfold 1 banana leaf on work surface and place pork roast atop leaf. Fold up leaf around pork, enclosing completely. Repeat wrapping pork in remaining 2 banana leaves, 1 at a time.

Tie with kitchen string to secure, then wrap roast in foil. Place pork in roasting pan; pour 4 cups of water into pan.

Roast pork in oven until very tender when pierced with fork, about 5 hours. Unwrap pork and cool slightly. Shred pork and place in large bowl. Bring remaining 2 cups water and remaining 2 teaspoons salt to boil in small saucepan. Add liquid smoke; pour over pork and stir to blend. Let stand 10 minutes to allow liquid to flavor pork. Serve.

Rick’s ingredient tip: Hawaiian alaea sea salt in available at specialty food stores and online from Hawaii Specialty Salt Company at hawaiisalt.com. Banana leaves are available at Asian and Latin markets. Liquid smoke is a smoke-flavored liquid seasoning available at many supermarkets and specialty foods stores.