Pig roast

I never cooked a whole hog, but whole on the rotisserie sounds intriguing to me and so would be my choice.

How do you keep the probe cable from getting all twisted ?

Some top hog teams like to split the hog and go skin side up,for better presentation.

Other top teams like skin side down,as it forms a bowl for all the marinades,injections,juices,etc.

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How do you keep the probe cable from getting all twisted ?

Use a wireless remote thermometer. Put the probe in the meat. Run the probe wire along the spit rod toward the handle end attaching it to the spit rod every so often by wrapping it with a hunk of wire. Run the probe wire out the slot in the lid and connect the probe wire to the transmitter and the transmitter to the spit handle. The only catch is that you'll have to wallow out the bearing on the handle end so the wire will fit between the spit rod and the bearing. This can be done with a rattail file.

So should I or should I not rotisserie the pig using the indirect heat of an offset with the firebox in the back????

Also when using this unique pit should I turn the pig half way if I roast it flat?

Should I use direct heat instead of this offest?

Thanks again, Bubba

I have just laid the split pig skin side down on a Oklahoma Joe offset smoker. The pit was 9' long by 36" and we just laid it flat on the grill. Did this 3 times and it worked out just fine each time.
Use the offset!

Out here we used to have a person who split a whole hog and laid it flat on a rotisserie. The rotisserie was on a timer and would rotate 180 degrees, skin side up then skin down at the end of each cycle. I don't know how long each cycle was but the pork turned out very good and juicy. His pit was about 2 ½ feet under the hog and he used charcoal and added apple wood.

Gene

Most pigs I've seen in smokers are just laid out, not rotisserie. With a 38" chamber, your rotisserie shelves would be 17" or so and I think you'd have to split the hog to do it.

Not sure why for the rotisserie, but go for it if that's what you want.

I've cooked whole hog on an FE750 with FE and that's what we did.

I've also seen Stuart cook a whole hog on an FE300 but with a stable shelf.

I like whole hog to be whole.

I'd go for the standard racks for the hog.

Both methods will work with the indirect, just make sure you use tuning plates if you're putthe the firebox in the back (how will you distribute the heat?)

Both will work, it's your call.

These guys do good columns about cooking a number of items,and have been known to cook on Cookshacks.

They do hog roasts ,with pix for rotis,commercial pits,and ground pits.

Might be some ideas for you.

3 Men With nothing Better To do

I want to thank everyone for their help and ideas.
Tom, I came across that site yesterday, great information. Thanks for sharing.

Okie, you are correct my shelves will be 16" but I have designed my rotisserie to have removable shelves/racks and replace them with a single spit rod in the center of the chamber. This way I can do double duty with my pit. either shelf rotisserie butts/ribs/other or one single hog. I have all the components and drawn plans to build and should start the build Fri.

My reason for the rotisserie is in hopes to cook more evenly than a flat grille.


What are "tuning plates" are these the baffles that regulate the heat between the firebox and cooking chamber?

Here is my plan for the august cook.
1. 200lb on the hoof hog, skinned, head and feet off.
2. truss to spit rod and season
3. wrap with mesh wire
4. cook at 250degf offset firebox on back of pit
5. rotisserie speed of 1.5rpm
6. remove at 180degf internal

Does any of this sound flawed?????
Thanks again for all the help, Bubba

I'm from whole hog country and I've cooked many split and laying flat. Start with skin side up and flip about 8 hours into the cook would be my suggestion. Hog would be wrapped between two pieces of hog fence. I have seen people try the rotiserie with mixed results. As the hog gets more tender it tends to want to come off the spit unless you wrap it with wire fence. And you'll still need to foil the faster cooking parts to prevent them from drying.

You say cook to 180*, but where? That's always the question with a whole hog. The shoulders need 190* IMO, but that's going to put your mid section over the top as far as doneness. Better use the foil.

Here they would just put it in the ground over coals with sheet metal over the top and cover it all up with dirt and leave it for 24 hours.

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Originally posted by GLH:
Here they would just put it in the ground over coals with sheet metal over the top and cover it all up with dirt and leave it for 24 hours.

I think that is actually the best way to do a whole hog. Nothing beats simple, and let's face it, folks were cooking hogs/goats/deer in a hole long before anyone ever thought of a mobile rig.....or a house, etc. But it is kind of hard to load up the hole on a trailer and take it with you to the next gig.

I agree. Sometimes a backhoe is required.