Whole pig questions....

Bodacious,

Sorry I can't help with any info but please make sure and post all the particulars of your experience. I have been chomping at the bit to try a whole pig but have no clue how to.

Thanks,
Mark

I'll do just that. My pig roast isn't until September 11th, though.

I checked with my friend, a butcher. He says that size pig can be gotten direct from a farmer for well under $75. Then your butcher needs to kill & clean to your specs. I showed him the pic from the page you posted and he said he would only charge $35-40 to handle that. He is a small town butcher and very well established. You need to find one like him! Head out west of Philly toward the Amish folks towns and look around. They have country butchers that can set you up properly.

bob

Thanks. I have found a source closer to home. A little more expensive. About $1.69 per pound fully dressed and ready to go. So it should cost about $150.

Now, does anybody have any ideas on the best way to season it? I'm thinking it needs something more than just my normal rub / coating for a pork shoulder.

I would allow more time for the cooking than what was indicated on the site you linked to. Traditionally Cubans cook hogs quickly, with good result I might add, but if you haven't done it this way before you might be in for a fire. Slower is safer.

As to seasoning, your taste is the guide. I have cooked hundreds of whole hogs with nothing more than salt, apple cider vinegar, and crushed red pepper flakes mopped on during the cooking. No complaints yet, but that is kind of a "Carolina" thing.

Good luck and have fun.

bbq
since you are doing cuban hog give this site a try www.epicurious.com
look for ethnic recipes or just type hog in search spot. if they don't have it try www.allrecipes.com
both sites have helped me (and you don't even want the mushy pea recipe that i had to find to feed the limey owners of the boy's prison where i work )
jack
2 Greyhounds....SMOKIN!!!!

bbq,
try this
lechon asado
1 whole head of garlic, break into cloves and fine chopped
1 Tbs kosher salt
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 c sour orange juice ( if you can't get that use juice from 18 limes and 3 oranges)
1 Tbs olive oil
whiz all of this in a processor
marinade 12 to 24 hours ahead
or if ya wanna make life really ez just buy mojo which is ez to find in florida
hope this gets ya going in the right direction
jack
p.s. this amount will do about 5 pounds so adjust accordingly. just becareful of the salt when you go up in size as you don't want it too salty

Well, for $150 dollars you should get a mighty fine pig.

First of all, you have to name him. It's a tradition. And for that much money, the IRS should let you take him as a deduction.

You might want to think about cooking times. You can do it several ways. In a smoker you can control things. On a pit (the traditional way) it's a little different as it's more direct heat -- but it comes out great.

Comp cooks will inject the hog (with what is the secret)

The hams/shoulders will take longer to cook than the bacon/ribs/loins.

Here are some hog sites for info:

Whole Hog Cooking
Ugly Brothers

Good luck and we'll help with the adventure. You WILL be sending me digital pics won't you

Smokin'

Smokin' and all,

Yes, I'll be sending pictures. I'm just hoping I do OK as this is my first attempt.

Here is the thing ( which will be overcome ), my wife is freking out about having a WHOLE pig. Meaning the sight of the head and legs are making her very squeamish! Now she is looking for any way at all not to have this party.

We're having it; I've already "laid down the law"...LOL.

Actually I just said that if she doesn't want to eat it or look at it, then don't. I don't have any real hobbies other than cooking and playing fantasy football, so I'm doing it.

I'll check out all listed sites.

But the roasting isn't until September 11th.

Oh, and I even found a farmer closer to home who can supply a "pig roast ready" pig for about $125.

bbq
dont forget the snout and jowls are mity tasty!!!!!
to pretty up the head prop his little mouth open with a stick that matches the diameter of an apple.
it kinda takes the shock off for some people.
i sure hope you send some pics!!!!!
jack

bbq
I've done a few hogs over the years and found my rub was as good as other methods I tried(injecting,marinating etc.)Just rubbed it well and let sit overnight in the cold box.It seems if you like it on shoulders it should do fine for the whole hog
seastalker

quote:

Originally posted by prisonchef313:
[qb] bbq
dont forget the snout and jowls are mity tasty!!!!!
to pretty up the head prop his little mouth open with a stick that matches the diameter of an apple.
it kinda takes the shock off for some people.
i sure hope you send some pics!!!!!
jack [/qb]

Oh, that's all I need to do is eat the jowls and snout... I'll be sleeping somewhere else for a week.

Funny thing.... my wife loves SCRAPPLE.

OK, this brings up memories of my brother's wild boar in the sink. YUK.

I'm not so squeamish now, so would pick away at the pork.

At the NBBQA in Atlanta, Myron Mixon injected his whole hog with apple juice and probably something else. He had a big syringe, like a veterinarian would use, and a big needle or something. I'd think maybe cutting a little pathway would be helpful. Maybe use a knitting needle. Stick a little spice in there with the juice. Good luck on your hog.

My relatives said the wild boar was very good.

The cuban site www.cuban-christmas.com you menitioned above shows how to do it the right way if you dont have a big enough smoker.

Instead of using cement blocks, one cuban guy I know here in Florida made a cuban pig roastbox out of sheets of aluminum with piano hinges on all the 4 corners of the box so it could be folded up. He cut slots for the handles of the frame/mesh (grill) on the ends of the box so that they could just slide the whole thing down.

When you roast in this manner, make sure the charcoal and wood are on the sides and not in the middle so the grease doesnt drip right on the fire and cause a flare up or out and out grease fire. Also the whole point of the grill frame and handles is so that the pig can be flipped.

As a courtesy for your more genteel guests who may be squeamish I wouldnt serve the pig with the feet and head. But if everyone has participated before then just leave them all on.

Nothing like roast pig with a good Mojo sauce. I use Mojo on a lot of things including chicken and grilled fish (like Dorado "Mahi Mahi")

PrestonD

I havent visited the cuban site yet to see how they do it, but spit roasting is a good way and a good time. You and your buddies can stay up all night drinking your fav. beverages and turning the spit every so often.
With the spit you use indirect heat by moving the coals around the outside of the roasting area.That way the pig drips in the center and flare- ups are non-existant.
With that said, I've only ever been a helper at a spit roast, and I so engrossed in my fav. beverage that I never even took my turn to turn the darned thing. But the pig turned out great!
Normally we just do the Midwest thing. We took an old fuel oil tank and cut it in 2 pieces, hinged the top back on,welded some legs to it, burned the oil residue out, found some grates that fit, and we were in business.
We like to inject our hog with a Hawian Punch & pinapple juice mixture.

bbq
she likes scrapple????
well cut off the head get her some cornmeal and let her have at making it
plus ya gotta worry some about those that dont like snouts!!!!!
whats next???
they don't like feet or tails????\
jack

Actually, from the neck up, I didn't know how much was actually edible. And I think I'll pass on the feet nad tail myself...LOL.

Bodacious

After you smoke it, save the jowls for cooking beans. They are awesome! Slice off a few pieces and add them to your dried beans after you presoak them. A little onion, celery, some add bell pepper. Salt, pepper, cook til the beans are tender. I like to saute the veggies separately then add them to the beans. If you like the taste, chop up the jowl and stir it in. This is really good with blackeyed peas.

I also like to use the jowl meat for greens. Collards and mustard greens are favorites.

Some cornbread, pepper sauce, sweet tea, maybe a sliced tomato and you've got a great meal.

Peggy
2 Greyhounds....SMOKIN!!!!

In case you aint checked it out yet go to http://www.lacajachina and see their inexpensive way of cooking a whole pig in just above 3 hours timespan.Looks interresting.Also saw one of the food network shows where they used one of those and looked easy with great results!Hope this helps!Good "q" to ya all!BillyQ

I looked at that site (by the way the link is not good - you left off the .com so the proper link will be: http://www.lacajachina.com) and have seen these roasters.

One modification I would do is add handles (similar to a wheelbarrow) on one end to make it easier to move about.

Pretty slick...

PrestonD

Ran across a thread regarding cooking a whole hog on another sites forum with some interesting tips and cookers. Check out this well constructed cooking shed. It appears to be fairly simple to make and can be easily assembled and broken down for storage after each cook. Another alternative would be a Cajun Microwave..

Finally, check out this pretty funny article on a Redneck Pig Roast. I particularly like the comment that "The best place to have a pig roast is anyplace but your place". Don't miss the link to a review and pictures of the 1999 pig roast at Mom's Biker Bar in Longview, TX.

OK, I'm getting a little worried now. Even though I know which method I am cooking my pig, many sites list wildy different cooking times for the same sized pig.

I'm leaning towards starting cooking earlier so as not to make people wait for the pig. People will start arriving at around 330PM.

So, if the pig gets done early how would you recommend holding it?

Or, like when making pulled pork, do you think it will be ok if it get hotter than 170 degrees? I certainly don't want to go ove 180 degress.

Would you try to reduce the heat in the pit and keep the pig on the pit? Pull it and let it rest?

Thanks.