advice on how to cook a hog under ground

I went to a Luau in Hawaii and they did a great job ...so I googled it: http://www.primitiveways.com/Imu1.html  Looks like all you need to know.

I would also look up cowgirl if you get a chance, I haven't spoken with her myself but she has some excellent tutorials in her blog both on whole hog underground and whole hog in a cinderblock pit. I have them saved in my favorites and here are the links if you'd like(I hope she doesn"t mind!)  http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/2009/12/cooking-whole-hog-underground.html http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/2007/03/cooking-whole-hog-on-cinder-block-pit_19.html . Also, definitely use the search bar for this one, there are many ways to do this and you should be able to find something to fit your needs here. and dont forget the Qview when you cook that piggy!

I would also look up cowgirl if you get a chance, I haven't spoken with her myself but she has some excellent tutorials in her blog both on whole hog underground and whole hog in a cinderblock pit. I have them saved in my favorites and here are the links if you'd like(I hope she doesn"t mind!)  http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/2009/12/cooking-whole-hog-underground.html http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/2007/03/cooking-whole-hog-on-cinder-block-pit_19.html . Also, definitely use the search bar for this one, there are many ways to do this and you should be able to find something to fit your needs here. and dont forget the Qview when you cook that piggy!

my browser is acting up, sorry about the multiple posts

OK there is obvious expertise in cowgirls method,looks like it is the business,however... there is a pretty long tradition amongst the Pacific Islands be it Polynesian or Melanisian of cooking food underground.

Might not be what you are looking for but there are a few members here from New Zealand where it called a hangi in maori but thats hot rocks or in some cases steel then leaves/burlap then food in big wire cages covered over with teatowels ,burlap then the dirt.

There is a real art to it.I am a bystander only & not from NZ but I  have been to a few.

Its all about the rock selection,dont hit the dirt with the shovel or pat it down,when stopping leaks & a few other things that they arent about to show you until they like you enough or maybe not ever. Umu in samoan.

Maybe there will be a kiwi only shortly.

Sorry along shortly.

Make sure you have lots of beer.....dig a pit, start a fire with some hard wood, get that thing really hot and burn lots of wood, make sure you have a good bed of hot coals. Throw in some river rocks....lots of them (be careful for exploding rock)...when the rocks are hot and the coals are completely out you are ready to add the pig.

The pig....Season with your favorite rub, inject with our favorite injectable maranade, that is up to you. Wrap in Banana leaves (we use green leaf lettuce cuz there are no banana trees in Montana) wrap in a wet burlap sack, then wrap in some chicken wire and wire shut to keep things together. Place in the pit of hot rocks and no red hot coals, cover with dirt, cover pit with a blue tarp, cover tarp with more dirt. Now somebody watch the pit for escaping steam, cover escape holes with dirt, drink beer, sleep, take turns watching and drinking beer. The pig should be in the ground and covered at about 4:00am the morning of the feast, that way you have about 12-14 hours of cook time.

That is how I cook a pig in the ground....

Your a long way from New Zealand coffee junkie but thats pretty much the moari way +guitars singing lots of talk about rugby. Big bits of railway line ,chain,brakes of railway cars can be substituted for rocks. 

Basalt or granite the pick of rocks, rocks with sand content water retention most likely to explode followed by lots of cursing about the rocks not being as good as the ones back in New Zealand.

Cooking a pig in the ground is awesome. I have been lucky to be part of it a few times and we always did it just a little different but its basically the same. Here is the way me and my Georgia redneck buddies do it.

Start with about a 40-50lb dressed pig and marinate, rub and inject with everything that catches your attention, let that soak in while you get your pit ready.

The pit: about 2 to 2 1/2 ft deep and plenty of space around the sides. Start a nice big fire in the pit with some good seasoned Georgia red oak, then start another good fire next to the pit. The fire in the pit dries out the dirt and gets the pit good and warm to get started. Make the fire big enough to spread out a bed of coals about 8" deep.The fire up top should be about the same.

We always stuffed the inside of the pig with chickens and andoulie sausage, rubbed down as well and stitch up the belly as best as you can.

If you cant get enough burlap we have used bed sheets. soak the first sheet in a bucket of water and wrap up the pig. Do the same with the second sheet just wring it out a bit. The first sheet will basically burn away and the second will protect your meat from the ashes.

Once you have the fire in the pit smoldering with a good 8" bed of nice coals place your wrapped pig on top of the coals. With the second fire on top shovel about 6" of coals over the top completely covering the pig. Then, about 6-8" of dirt, and finally top it off with the rest of your coals.

its been a while since we have done one (before wireless thermometers were around) so for a 40+/- lb pig we left it in the ground for 24 hrs. When it is time to dig it up and you find it needs a little more cooking we have cut it in big chunks place in a foil pan and finish off with a splash of beer and Q sauce right on the same coals.

This has always been the best pig I have ever ate and the chicken was even better!

Hope this gives you some ideas. and be prepared, it is a 3 day drunk... i mean 3 day process. so have fun and keep us posted

Instead of doing the whole under ground thing which is really cool we use what's called a roasting box. It's the same basic principle as doing the underground method. Heat goes on top. We cooked an entire hog we caught and threw him on the table and had our way. Must say it turns out great every time.

This is where we purchased our box.

http://www.lacajachina.com/