▁inches ▁deep ▁ens uring ▁that ▁no ▁steam ▁esc apes . ▁The ▁layers ▁of ▁veget ation ▁covering ▁the ▁food ▁must ▁extend ▁past ▁the ▁edges ▁of ▁the ▁pit ▁to ▁ensure ▁the ▁food ▁is ▁not ▁cont amin ated ▁by ▁the ▁soil ▁it ▁is ▁buried ▁under . ▁The ▁meat ▁is ▁then ▁left ▁to ▁cook ▁in ▁the ▁pit ▁for ▁several ▁hours . ▁When ▁the ▁meat ▁is ▁fully ▁cook ed , ▁it ▁is ▁removed ▁from ▁the ▁im u ▁and ▁sh red ded . ▁Modern ▁adapt ations ▁to ▁the ▁traditional ▁cook ing ▁method ▁include ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁wet ▁bur lap ▁material ▁as ▁a ▁substitute ▁for ▁the ▁veget ation ▁or ▁to ▁reduce ▁the ▁amount ▁of ▁veget ation ▁needed , ▁and ▁also ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁non - gal van ized ▁steel ▁ch icken ▁wire ▁or ▁mesh ▁wrapped ▁around ▁the ▁food ▁to ▁aid ▁in ▁its ▁removal ▁when ▁cook ed . ▁The ▁characteristic ▁flav or ▁of ▁k ā lua ▁p ig ▁is ▁im part ed ▁by ▁the ▁smoke ▁from ▁the ▁hard wood ▁but ▁more ▁important ly ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁ti ▁leaves ▁to ▁wrap ▁the ▁meat . ▁The ▁flav or ▁of ▁the ▁ti ▁leaf ▁is ▁what ▁differenti ates ▁k ā lua ▁p ig ▁from ▁other ▁methods ▁of ▁cook ing ▁a ▁whole ▁h og ▁slowly ▁using ▁a ▁hard wood ▁fire . ▁ ▁K ā lua ▁p ig ▁is ▁a ▁main ▁tour ist ▁att raction ▁at ▁many ▁l ū ʻ au , ▁though ▁it ▁is ▁sometimes ▁made ▁using ▁a ▁gas ▁or ▁electric ▁st ove ▁with ▁artificial ▁mes qu ite ▁or ▁k ia we ▁liquid ▁smoke . ▁Other