Christmas Hāngī Feast
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Mixed meat (pork, chicken and lamb), in large pieces — 3 kg (6.6 lb)
- Kumara, whole or halved — 1.5 kg (3.3 lb)
- Potatoes, whole — 1.5 kg (3.3 lb)
- Whole pumpkin, cut into large pieces — 1
- Salt, to season
- River stones, for heating
- Wire baskets or wrapped cloth/foil
- Wet sacking or leaves, for covering
Method
- Dig a pit large enough for the larger festive quantity of food and heat a generous layer of stones over a large fire until glowing hot, several hours in advance.
- Season the meat with salt.
- Place the meat in wire baskets or wrap securely in cloth, positioning it at the bottom of the pit closest to the heat.
- Layer the kumara, potato and pumpkin above the meat.
- Cover everything with wet sacking or leaves to create steam.
- Cover the entire pit with earth to seal in the heat and steam completely.
- Leave to cook undisturbed for 3.5–4.5 hours, depending on the larger quantity of food.
- Carefully uncover, remove the food, and serve generously to the gathered family for Christmas Day.
Introduction: A generous hāngī feast of meat and vegetables prepared for Christmas Day, a distinctly New Zealand way of celebrating the holiday in the summer season.
Cultural Background: With Christmas falling in the height of New Zealand's summer, many families opt for an outdoor hāngī feast rather than a traditional cold-weather roast, bringing together Māori earth-oven tradition with the country's festive Christmas gathering.
Tips: Scale up the stone quantity and pit size proportionally for the larger festive batch. Enlist extra help for digging, heating stones and serving, as is traditional for a bigger celebratory hāngī.
Variations: Add extra vegetables like carrots or corn for a fuller festive spread. Serve alongside a simple green salad to balance the rich, hearty hāngī.
Storage: Refrigerate leftover meat and vegetables in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat gently, covered, in an oven at 150°C (300°F) with a splash of water, until warmed through.
FAQs:
Q: Why do some New Zealand families do a hāngī for Christmas instead of a roast?
A: Christmas falls in summer in New Zealand, making an outdoor hāngī feast a popular, seasonally fitting alternative to a traditional cold-weather roast dinner.
Q: How many does this festive quantity serve?
A: This larger batch comfortably serves 15–20 people as part of a family Christmas gathering.
- Mixed meat (pork, chicken and lamb), in large pieces — 3 kg (6.6 lb)
- Kumara, whole or halved — 1.5 kg (3.3 lb)
- Potatoes, whole — 1.5 kg (3.3 lb)
- Whole pumpkin, cut into large pieces — 1
- Salt, to season
- River stones, for heating
- Wire baskets or wrapped cloth/foil
- Wet sacking or leaves, for covering
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