Roast Suckling Pig

[chris zimmerman]

I picked up a 25lb suckling pig today and I am going to be cooking it in a Charlbroil 1280 offset smoker/grill.  I have a few questions if anyone has the experience and time to want to answer them.

http://www.charbroil.com/smokers-fryers/char-broil-offset-smoker-1280.html

Should I be putting the charcoal in the offset portion to build up the heat?

Should I wrap the pig in tinfoil? Perhaps removing it at the end and turning up the end to crisp up the skin?

If I tinfoil it, how should I turn it and how often? Perhaps some silicon/kevlar gloves and just turning it by hand?

I'm thinking I'm going to go with a Cuban style mojo marinade. With Platanos Fritos, black beans and rice. To keep the Cuban theme going :)

This is my first time doing anything like this and even grilling, so any opinions are welcome. Thanks in advance!

Chris

 

[fwismoker]

Let us know how it turns out!   This is on my list to smoke... i saw a video where someone curled  a 23 lber on a WSM and it turned out awesome, i'll do mine on the drum smoker. 

 

[so ms smoker]

  Wish I could help you but I am in the same camoe as you! I have the opprotunity to get a' whole hog' but not sure how to do it right! Will be watching to see how it comes out. Hopefully someone will be along soon to help us both! Best of luck!

   Mike

 

[chef jimmyj]

I picked up a 25lb suckling pig today and I am going to be cooking it in a Charlbroil 1280 offset smoker/grill.  I have a few questions if anyone has the experience and time to want to answer them.

http://www.charbroil.com/smokers-fryers/char-broil-offset-smoker-1280.html

Should I be putting the charcoal in the offset portion to build up the heat? That would be SOP whether you are smoking a Piggy or a Chicken. The is a little one and will yield about 40% or 10 pounds of Pulled Meat. Don't forget the Head and Neck, best part. If you want crisp skin, treat it like a Chicken. Go 225*F to get the meat cooked then remove the skin and put it on a Hot Grill to crisp the skin up.

Should I wrap the pig in tinfoil? I don't see the point. You want good smoke contact and this little guy will go quick, maybe 4 hours at the low temp. Run the temp at 300-325*F and it will take about 2 hours. Either way add a couple hour to CYA and/or Rest the meat a min of one hour covered in Foil.  Perhaps removing it at the end and turning up the end to crisp up the skin? That is an option. Start at 225*F until the IT hits 140*F then bump the heat and take the temp in the Ham to 200*F then wrap in foil and rest and hour before pulling. 

If I tinfoil it, how should I turn it and how often? Just turn it if you have no Baffles so half the cook the Hams are close to the fire half the time the Head. Cover the nose, ears and feet with foil so the don't burn. Start the cook Hams to the fire. Perhaps some silicon/kevlar gloves and just turning it by hand? Whatever you have to protect your hands.

I'm thinking I'm going to go with a Cuban style mojo marinade. With Platanos Fritos, black beans and rice. To keep the Cuban theme going :) That should be Great!

This is my first time doing anything like this and even grilling, so any opinions are welcome. Thanks in advance! The major risk is the Loins will most likely get Dry before the Hams and Shoulders get cooked. Your best bet it to shred or chop all the meat and mix them together with a Finishing Sauce. Here is Two Recipes, one Sweet, one Tangy. Good Luck...JJ 

Chris

Foiling Juice

1T Pork Rub, yours

1/2 Stick Butter 

1/2C Cane Syrup... Dark Corn Syrup...or Honey

1/4C Apple Cider...or Juice

1T Molasses

Optional, but I added...

2T Vinegar, 1T Mustard and 2T Ketchup to make it slightly more Tart and no further BBQ Sauce was needed.

For a Sweet Finishing Sauce for Pulled Pork:  Make a Double batch, Butter optional or do as I do...Use the Smoked Pork Fat from the drip pan...

At 205* rest or hold the Pig in a cooler wrapped in towels until ready to serve.

Pull the Pork and place it back in the pan and add Foiling Juice to moisten and Serve...OR... Bag and refrigerate until needed.

When re-heating place the Pulled Pork in a Pan or Crockpot and add reserved Foiling Juice or Apple Cider, as needed to make up the Juice that was absorbed while  the pork was refrigerated. Cover and re-heat in a pre-heated 325-350*F oven or on High in the crockpot to 165*F and Serve.

Note: the addition of the reserved Foiling Juice or Apple Cider should make the PP moist but not Swimming.

JJ's Finishing Sauce

2C Apple Cider Vinegar

2T Worcestershire Sauce or more to taste

1/4C Brown Sugar

1T Smoked Paprika

2 tsp Granulated Garlic

2 tsp Granulated Onion

2 tsp Fine Grind Black Pepper

1 tsp Celery Salt

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper or Chipotle powder. Add more if you like Heat.

1/2 tsp Grnd Allspice

Combine all and whisk well. Let rest, at room temp, 30 minutes for the flavors to meld together.

Note: Either one can be adjusted to your taste. Add Sugar, Vinegar and/or Cayenne to get what you like...

 

[chris zimmerman]

Thanks Chef JimmyJ :)

I suppose the only confusion/indecision I have is really in regards to the charcoal placement. I don't really want to smoke the pig as much as roast/grill it. Perhaps putting my coals in the top part perhaps in the corners? Then even laying them all along the bottom during the last part to crisp up the skin. Does this sound like a good/bad idea to you guys?

Chris Zimmerman

 

[chef jimmyj]

Chris you can put the Coals in the main chamber but controlling temp will be more difficult. Additionally the Pig will be fairly close to the heat. Putting small piles in the corners will help cook the Shoulders and Hams before the Loins get to over cooked and dry. The benefit will be near the end you can lay a full chimney across the length and crisp the skin. This may help...JJ

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/120064/sundays-guest-of-honor-q-view-whole-hog

 

[chef jimmyj]

DUH!!! I just re-read your post...You are going Cuban so the two Recipes I posted are not going to be of any use. Oh well try them another time on some Butts...JJ

 

[chris zimmerman]

No worries. It looks like a great recipe. :)  I'll defer to your expertise and use the side chamber. Speaking of heat distribution. Perhaps I should throw in some bricks along the bottom?

 

[chef jimmyj]

Bricks are good at holding heat and help recovery if you open to Mop, especially in cold weather. But when you have some time, the Mods in the following Thread are much more useful and will give perfect heat distribution...JJ

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/75110/horizonal-offset-smoker-mods

 

[daveomak]

Chris, morning..... I've roasted a pig before.... About 125#....  I recommend cooking slowly on indirect heat until you get the IT up to 160 ish.... As you are cooking it, the skin will want to pull away from the meat...   Poke holes in the skin to let the fat run out or the skin will completely fall off the pig....   When the pig has made IT, remove and let rest.....   remove the meat and put the skin back on the grill to crisp up...  I have even rolled the pig in butchers twine to hold it together...  Don't worry about the meat drying out.... the skin keeps the fat in and it keeps everything moist....  It was the best pork I ever had....

Oh yeah, if you can, sandwich the pig between two screens for easy turning...  It makes life a lot easier...  better yet, devise a "spit" to turn it on...  then you will need to roll it in butchers twine for sure...  and re tie periodically during cooking... or add more string as the meat shrinks... 

All of this is assuming you are not splitting the pig in 2 halves... 

Dave

 

[chris zimmerman]

Well shoot, He just thawed out in the fridge so I thought I'd give a go at putting him in the oven. Looks like the little guy fits :D Kind of an anti-climatic end to the thread, but Im going to give it a try that way. I'll definitely still post pics as to how it comes out :)

 

[hotpockets]

Awesome!! Very helpful. Thanks JJ

 

[trevor mcinsley]

Stop making me hungry. Alas I only have sausages. Lots of sausages.

 

[daveinflorida]

This is his video. I saw it too and said to myself that if he can smoke a suckling on that small a grill, I surely can do the same size on my offset. The only thing is do I put charcoal in the cooking chamber to cook it or just pile up the firebox real high with charcoal to get the same affect? Thoughts anybody?

 

[gibbocore]

Hey guys, sorry to dig up an old thread, but i have a char griller smokin pro and would love to smoke a suckling pig, i cant see too many issues other than getting the skin crispy, any tips other than removing it and popping it in the oven.

 

[daveomak]

Hey guys, sorry to dig up an old thread, but i have a char griller smokin pro and would love to smoke a suckling pig, i cant see too many issues other than getting the skin crispy, any tips other than removing it and popping it in the oven.

Beware of starting a fire..... I have roasted whole pigs.... once the fat starts melting, if it hits something hot, stand back.....

 

[jbills5]

As chef JJ mentioned, the loins will get done quicker than the shoulder and ham.  One thing you can do is pack some sausage under the loin and that will keep them from cooking too quickly and can help even out the cook.

 

[historic foodie]

Gibbocore, you didn't say whether you have the offset cooker for that CharGriller. If so, keen your fire it it, and the pig in the main chamber.

If not, I'd set it up for indirect cooking by running a row of coals lengthwise along both the upper and lower walls. Then set the piglet in the center, so it isn't directly over the coals. That should do ya.