Cooking a half pig...any advice?

[gregfender]

We are roasting a 100lb half pig next week. I am building a concrete block pit, using charcoal, and smoking/roasting for ~10 hours. Any tips, advice, recipes, etc?

 

[brin]

Someone else will help with the roasting...I have seen it done but having never roasted 1/2 or whole pig I am hesitant to say anything but this....I cook several big pork butts at one time over a 10 hr. period and I always inject them first with my vinegar based BBQ sauce...It is a big syringe and I inject the sauce heavily deep into the meat all over before grilling or smoking...it really makes a difference...We use 1/2 apple cyder vinegar to 1/2 store brand BBQ sauce...

I will add that when I gook the 40 lbs. or so of pork butts.....I keep them off of the coals...to the side and the coals on the other side...then I put the lid down and cover..If you have a digital thermometer to stick in the meat with the wire that comes to the monitor you can watch your temp...I take mine up to 170 deg...

 

[whitedogone]

inject is a good idea. Make yourself a spit from some heavy rebar. make a plate with a bunch of holes spaced around it and weld it to the rebar. that way, you can turn it a little at a time and every 1/2 hour turn it slightly. Cook slow!!

 

[woodlandfarms]

So, not to change your experience but you might want to look into how a pig is roasted for a Hawaiin Luau. A hole is dug, the pig is prepped, hot coals are thrown into the ground and the pig is buried on the coals (I believe it is wrapped but not sure as I saw the process only from a distance).

Pit Cooking - How to cook in a hole in the ground

 

[s219]

Mmm, sounds good. Can you throw some hickory chips or chunks in with the charcoal? It will really add to the flavor and aroma.

Make sure the pig is properly thawed. A lot of them seem to come frozen nowadays, and it can take a while to thaw out. That can really affect your prep and cook time.

The only problem I have heard about is when a friend was mopping with some sort of mix that contained a lot of sugar, and it flamed up real bad (he almost lost the whole pig). I stick with vinegar/cider mixes myself.

Have fun!

 

[Stick895]

When I was in Germany, the guys down at Nelligen Barracks would just dig a big ol' hole in the ground, get a good hot bunch of coals going, then spend the night sitting around, drinking whisky, turning the pig on a spit and throwing more charcoal on when they thought necessary. :licking:

 

[dcnsurvey]

I've cooked quite a few whole pigs ranging from 60 to 125 pounds. The bigger ones are difficult to handle once they're cooked.
The method I use for the pit is described here

3 Guys from Miami roast a pig! How we build hog roasters.

I don't usually butterfly the pig, preferring to have it laying upright.
It looks better for the 'viewing'. Also, better if someone gets challenged to kiss the pig.

The slow indirect heat with a good marinade gives a taste that is hard to beat.

I use a water trough with ice water in it to keep the pig cool during the marinating. The pig and marinade goes in a couple of large plastic bags. For a 80 pound pig I'll make up about 4 gallons of marinade and let him soak for at least 12 hours, turning him over periodically. Prior to cooking I'll stuff garlic cloves into the hams and shoulders and do some injection as well.
If you want to present him with an apple in his mouth when he's cooked, use a baseball during cooking and switch to the apple when complete.
cooking time is dependent on the pig and temperature. With the cinder block pit it's fairly easy to control the temperature once you've got some experience. Just don't expect to have the pig done at 6:00 sharp, relax and enjoy.


However, if folks are going to just show up, eat and leave - throw some pork buts in the oven. This is only worth it if the crowd will be there for a few hours to enjoy the smell and company.

 

[Car Doc]

I have not cooked a pig thought about plenty of times though looking forward to your report! :thumbsup:

I do competition BBQ though and if I was to do a pig it would be just like I do butts-inject with Butcher BBQ pork injection and rub with Smokin Guns hot rub then after 4-6 hours marinating cook @ 250-275 till 160 internal then foil and pull off at 205 rest 1/2 -1 hour pull apart.

Immediately though once its done pour all juices off into a container and put in fridge and once the fat congeals scrape it off and warm back up and pour over pulled meat adding rub also. ( I never ever leave meat in the juices I get rid of the fat right away then juices are great to put back on meat)

I have heard lots of guys will stuff a whole pig with butts and that gives a lot more yield for pig feeds etc fwtw. May check this out will give you ideas. http://seriousbbqs.s3.amazonaws.com/optins/How_to_Cook_a_Whole_Pig.pdf

 

[houstonscott]

We used to roast whole pigs for parties years ago in the USVI. I was in the Coast Guard. We took the pig and wrapped it in SS chicken wire so as to keep it together when its done. We stuffed the pig with quartered apples and oranges and the gut was sewed closed with meat wrap. We put he pig about 3 feet above the coals and it was slow rotated one revolution every 15 minutes. I've got to say it took every bit of 20 hours to cook. We bushed the outside with butter and olive oil to keep it moist. A small tray of water was in the coals that slowly steamed and water and coals had to constantly be added to and monitored. I am 58 now still remember how good it was on the beach at Magens Bay, St. Thomas.

HS

 

[wedge40]

I dont have any advice, but I could use your address..

Wedge