1st underground pig roast

[NewMeatGuy]

I've been doing nonstop research on our 1st underground pig roast, and have hit the point of getting conflicting tips from time to time. So if anyone could help clarify a few things, and/or just critique our strategy you'd be a huge help...

1) 60-lb pig, we're digging about a 3 feet deep hole - 4X5 roughly, and lining the bottom with bricks.
2) Burning a ton of wood in the hole, then putting a grate on 2 cinderblocks.
3) After we season it, wrap it in foil and wet burlap...The 1st issue was the chicken wire wrap on the outside of the burlap. Being galvanized, it seems like a no-no. But I've seen it in several videos and people say with the temp and the lack of skin contact its OK. If not, what's a good substitute?
4) How much space is too much space between the pig and the ground cover (sheet metal/canvas covered in dirt ground level)? Seems we'll have about 8-10 inches between the covered lid and the pig.
5) I've seen people skip the grate/cinderblock route and lay banana leaves/cabbage on top of the coals, and then placed the pig on that. Easier that way?

Again, any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[BigW.]

Never done it but looks awesome. Keep us posted!

 

[Gonna Smoke]

First, I'll say I've never done this before and I like my pork smoked. That being said, even though the pig will be wrapped in wet burlap, that alone would not stop the gases from the galvanizing penetrating to it, if it does get hot enough to gas off. For a non-galvanized suggestion, cold roll expanded metal would be my go-to. Thinnest gage you can get that would be easily bendable. About .12 inches thick is about the thinnest available that I know of.

I think everything else seems ok...

 

[Hockeydudde]

I've never done a pig in the ground and maybe folks more knowledgeable than me, but my understanding of the dangers of galvanized is inhalation of the zinc. Causes SEVERE flu like symptoms. Since you are wrapping in foil, I wouldn't worry about the food and your hole is outside and presumably in a well ventilated area, so unless you are intentionally breathing the fumes, I didn't see much to worry about personally.
Folks have been using chicken wire for hogs for a long time, every day, at restaurants.

Edited to add a source:

Is it Safe for Food to be in Contact with Galvanized Steel?

Department of Health and Human Services' 1997 Food Code, Section 4-101.15 Galvanized Metal, Use Limitation, reads: "Galvanized metal may not be used for utensils or food contact surfaces of equipment that are used in contact with acidic food" [emphasis added]. Therefore, in accordance with the 1997…

galvanizeit.org

Turns out it can cause minor sickness if exposed to acidic foods. But the coating on the pineapple juice can I cut open a few weeks ago was totally eaten away and I'm still kicking.

Edited again to note that a few members have explained it made them VERY sick when welding galvanized. Sounds like if you are welding it, make sure your gave good ventilation.

 

[JIMSMOKES]

Watching! I've never seen it done but interested.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Watching! I've never seen it done but interested.

Think of a luau...

 

[JIMSMOKES]

Think of a luau...

I was thinkin Hank with the pig in ground and beer on ice.
Wanting to see pics.

 

[Buckeyedude]

I was thinkin Hank with the pig in ground and beer on ice.
Wanting to see pics.

EXACTLY!

 

[thirdeye]

At my Grandfather's ranch in the fall they would bury a couple of small pigs but I don't remember the cooking details. I can tell you that they seasoned and wrapped chickens in foil and buried them around the perimeter. These were for cook's snacks, but also as a gage to how the pigs were cooking.

 

[SmokinEdge]

We have done a lot of meat in the ground. It’s always 6-8# pieces of anything from lamb to pork or beef and sometimes venison. The pit always started about 5-6’ deep, we burned rediculous amounts of wood for 14-18 hours then down to a good deep coal bed with hot earth all along the side walls, works like an oven. Meat was seasoned and double wrapped in foil then wet burlap then tied with tie wire like a package with eye loops on the ends of the wires to grab with a hook. The pit was 5-6’ deep by 5-6’ long and 2-3’ wide. We covered the pit with a 4x8’ sheet of 3/16” steel then buried the edges with dirt to seal it and some over top for insulation. Meat cooked about 10 hours.

We never used rocks or bricks, but we didn’t do whole animals either.

As to galvanize and fire, try welding it or torching it sometime without ventilation. They always told me the fumes could kill you. I’ve had the smoke under my welding hood a few times, it made me sick as could be. Bad stuff. If you want to use galvanized wire like chicken wire or chain link, my best advice is to burn it off in the fire first, pull it out to cool then use it to wrap or cradle the meat. I’ve done that successfully.

 

[Old'N'Slow]

May i suggest rather than a cage, a pole from hole to hole? Then you can rope each end of the poles to lift and drop said hog....just a thought

 

[chopsaw]

, but my understanding of the dangers of galvanized is inhalation of the zinc. Causes flu like symptoms

Times 1000 . I've had it from welding slide clips on commercial buildings . As sick as I've ever been , and never want to be again . Damn green and orange flames coming off that stuff . Nasty .
That being said ,

. Being galvanized, it seems like a no-no.

You have no worries doing it as you lay out above . It will never get hot enough to off gas any harmful toxins .

 

[NewMeatGuy]

Thanks for the replies. I wasn't sure how hot these pits get, but seemed way less than the normal risk for those fumes.

Also, I've seen a few videos where the pig is wraped the same way (foil-burlap-wire) but it's just laid on the bed of coals rather than sitting up on something. Are there any benefits to one over the other?

 

[Filipino-Boy]

In Hawaii call it I’m or Kalua pig dig a hole knee deep then put your stack of wood then on top of your wood you put on your Imu rocks then light your fire when coals are burnt down you cover the heat source with your banana stumps that has been smashed with a sledge hammer then you throw your pig that has been wrapped in chicken wire on the banana stumps then you cover the pig first with banana leaves then wet burlap bags then you cover the she bang with some

I've been doing nonstop research on our 1st underground pig roast, and have hit the point of getting conflicting tips from time to time. So if anyone could help clarify a few things, and/or just critique our strategy you'd be a huge help...

1) 60-lb pig, we're digging about a 3 feet deep hole - 4X5 roughly, and lining the bottom with bricks.
2) Burning a ton of wood in the hole, then putting a grate on 2 cinderblocks.
3) After we season it, wrap it in foil and wet burlap...The 1st issue was the chicken wire wrap on the outside of the burlap. Being galvanized, it seems like a no-no. But I've seen it in several videos and people say with the temp and the lack of skin contact its OK. If not, what's a good substitute?
4) How much space is too much space between the pig and the ground cover (sheet metal/canvas covered in dirt ground level)? Seems we'll have about 8-10 inches between the covered lid and the pig.
5) I've seen people skip the grate/cinderblock route and lay banana leaves/cabbage on top of the coals, and then placed the pig on that. Easier that way?

Again, any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Filipino-Boy]

In Hawaii call it I’m or Kalua pig dig a hole knee deep then put your stack of wood then on top of your wood you put on your Imu rocks then light your fire when coals are burnt down you cover the heat source with your banana stumps that has been smashed with a sledge hammer then you throw your pig that has been wrapped in chicken wire on the banana stumps then you cover the pig first with banana leaves then wet burlap bags then you cover the she bang with some

Kind of tarp or plastic sheeting and seal edges with dirt or sand or heavy bricks cooking time is around 12 hours depends how hot fire was

 

[slavikborisov]

Don’t weld galvanized metal or put it around heat where there is food period. zinc poisoning is no joke. Ive seen plenty of guys get sick from it ….anytime I had to weld it I had a 100% respirator on there’s no way I’d let any of that garbage around my food

 

[geek with fire]

Side observation: Any cook recipe that requires a backhoe is definitely on my yet to be completed bucket list. Pomaika'i!

 

[Filipino-Boy]

Don’t weld galvanized metal or put it around heat where there is food period. zinc poisoning is no joke. Ive seen plenty of guys get sick from it ….anytime I had to weld it I had a 100% respirator on there’s no way I’d let any of that garbage around my food

The locals throw the wire on the started fire to burn off the galvanize

 

[slavikborisov]

The locals throw the wire on the started fire to burn off the galvanize

personally i wouldn't as i'd have no guarantee it all completely burned off and doesnt produce an off taste or and invisible toxin but its not my food so anyone is free to do as they wish

 

[NewMeatGuy]

How important is the tin/metal sheet covering over the hole?

Our first thought was a piece of metal over the hole, and then covered with a big piece of canvas over that, and then dirt over the canvas to block any steam from escaping. Having trouble finding a good piece to cover it, and now wondering if just the canvas would work? Stretched out tightly with dirt on top. TIA.