looking for help on a pig on a spit

A whole Pig will yield about 35% lean Meat, 40% if you are going to shread and mix everything. I'm figuring ladies want lean and there are not too many folks going to want all the goodies in the Head, my fav from whole Hog, and not a lot of Skin eaters either. So at 35% you are looking at around 14Lbs of meat from a 40Lb Pig. That is enough for 30 people easily and if mostly ladies, double that many. That size pig should fit, though you may have to remove the feet. Height over the Coals I will leave for others. Luau pig seasoning is Salt maybe some Pepper. You can use any rub you like and I would suggest a Mop/Baste to keep the meat moist and give a nice Lacquer Finish to the Skin.Take pics, good luck...JJ

Chickenman,

Sounds like you are going to have some fun with this. When you make a mop sauce for the pig as JJ recommended, I would mix in some pineapple juice to make it "real Hawaiian for the Luau" <tongue-in-cheek>. Keep mopping every 1/2 hour or more to get that nice crisp skin with a dark golden color.

A 30-40 pounder is on the large size of a suckling but will be nice and tender and will provide plenty of meat for your crowd with some leftovers to reward you for your work as well. The length may be tight in your spit depending on how big it is so make sure to draw the feet in under the pig and not stretched out.

If you plan on an apple in the mouth (of course you will!), before cooking pry the mouth open and cram a chunk of wood or other suitable object in the mouth to prop it open wider than the apple. Otherwise you won't be able to open it after cooking.

Go to your local Asian store and pick up a few banana leaves to place it on for serving it. And be sure to wear a grass skirt to mortify "the girls" who corralled you into this adventure :) .

Good luck!

Jim

Hey Jim, I love the Grass Skirt idea. For the Mop I would think 2Qt Pineapple juice, 2-14oz can Coconut Milk and 2C Soy sauce should do nicely for that Piggy...JJ

Throw a couple sticks of melted butter in that mop too.

It sounds like you are going to have fun. I say the grass skirt and coconuts are a must.

Hawaiian pork is usually only done with very simple flavors or tea/banana leaves, local sea salt and (dare I say it) liquid smoke. They then do a pit or Kalua method.

I would just season the cavity with sea salt and put some banana or tea leaves inside as well. You can season the outside, but that is not going to get much inside. For a mop I would use a tea made from the tea leaves or banana leaves, towards the end maybe add a little soy or ponzu sauce to it.

After the cook and it has rested. Pull it and mix with a finishing sauce with a bit of soy, brown sugar, pineapple and S&P. You could go crazy and make some other dipping sauces with a Hawiian flare to it for your guest to try..... But that is me. You have been given several great methods and ideas. Have fun with it..