Kukui Sausage Company

July 27, 1:04 PMHonolulu Cooking ExaminerAshley Brooks

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Portuguese Sausage, Chicken and Spicy Portuguese

After 911 hit the country and the travel industry in Hawaii started to decline, Steve Horio found himself without a job.  His brother owned a Manapua shop and tried to convince him to join the family business by opening up a shop of his own.  Then Steve saw an add in the newspaper that Kukui Sausage Company was for sale.  He jumped on the chance, even though he didn't know anything about making sausages.  He learned everything he needed to and has been making the BEST Portuguese sausages on the island since then.  He also makes a Spicy Portuguese, Pineapple Portuguese (see my recipe for Portuguese White Bean Soup) and my favorite Kimchee Portuguese sausages. Other than the Portuguese sausages Steve makes Chorizo, Pastele, Chicken and even Italian sausages.

Steve Horio, doing his thing

Ask Steve what’s different about them and he'll tell you "They're made the old fashioned way, they just taste better". He's right, they really are the best I've had anywhere on the island!

KCC Market

You can find them at the KCC farmers market on Saturdays from 7:30am-11:00am.  Here you can sample all the sausages being served that day before you decide on which one to get. You can watch Steve, putting a mean grilling down on those bad boys.  His wife, son, sister and other family and friends are also there slinging dogs with him. Grilled onions and other condiments are available, but you don't need much. Make sure not to cover up the flavor. After you enjoy grinding them at the market, take a pound or two home to throw into your favorite recipes.

Besides the KCC market you can buy them retail at Don Quijote, Marukai, and Tamuras Wahiawa. Some of the best restaurants in Honolulu are also cooking up Kukui sausages including Hank's Haute Dogs who serve the Portuguese, Chorizo and Chicken. Look for them at Top of Waikiki, Side Street Inn, Chart House, Aeia Manapua, Cook Street Diner, Byron's Drive In, Tanaka Market and Matsumoto Okazuya.

 Some of the ways Steve cooks up the dogs are to sauté up the Chorizo with some potato, or any of them with fried rice, but his favorite is the Spicy Portuguese on a bun. Keep it simple Steve, that's how we like them too!