Whole Pig?

[nwsolarjohn]

I would like to smoke a whole pig (no head, I do not like looking at the snout).

I have 2 Brinkmann Smoke-N-Pit and normally smoke with cherry, apple, oak or maple.

I have smoked 2 10# briskets and 15# of pork loin in 1-14 hour sitting (snoring).

I need to know some ideas on preparing the pig, temperature, and time.

 

[redneck steve]

How big will the pig be and will you be killing it?

 

[johnnyreb]

well.... i suggest making a homemade block pit with an expanded metal grate to cover it......


you can do only 1 block high and have a burn barrel for coals to shovel into the pit as needed

 

[nwsolarjohn]

I would like to try one about 20 to 30 pounds dressed. :?


Yes I will be killing the little piggy :shock:

 

[prplptcrzr2003]

Hey guys! For grins, check out this awesome website and visit their gallery.

www.lechonasao.com

It's a place in Puerto Rico where they provide whole pigs cooked to order. The gallery or "galeria" is chock full of awesome pics of how they do it. Check it out!

 

[ranger72]

Hi There prplptcrzr2003

You will need to translate this for some of us....My Spanish skills are a little shy of mediocre...:>)


ranger72

 

[ranger72]

Hi There nwsolarjohn

I have never done a piglet but have done several small hogs 130-150 pound range.

Here is my recipe but you will need to reduce the amounts of spices accordingly for the rub as well as the time for smoking but this may help you to get started: :)

RUB:

1 dressed hog

apples and oranges

1 quart extra virgin olive oil

2 cups paprika

1 cup freshly ground black pepper

1 and 1/2 cups garlic salt

1/2 cup chili powder

1/2 cup dried summer savory

1/2 cup dried oregano

1/2 cup onion powder

3 tablespoons cayenne pepper

Mop:

1/2 gallon apple juice or apple cider whichever you prefer

1/2 gallon apple cider vinegar

2 sticks butter

Bring juice, butter and vinegar to a boil and simmer awile to blend flavors then set on smoker to keep warm until you need to use it.


Trim excess fat from body of piggy

Rub piggy's body all over with olive oil inside and out of carcass

mix up all the remaining spices into flesh also inside and out.rub it all in good and hard.

Place piggy in smoker on its back, skin side down with its rear end toward your heat source and cook at 270 degrees for 4 and 1/2 hours.

Damper fire so heat reduces to 220-230 degrees.

Baste well with your mop and pour some into the body cavity and add some apples and oranges quartered right into the body cavity

Mop that baby every hour for another 6 hours. Then rotate piggy so head area is toward heat source. insureing that you keep the piggy on his back.

Piggy safe to eat when internal temperature reaches 170degrees and taking it to 180 degrees won't hurt it at all.

Some people like to wrap chicken wire around the pigs body so that if you cook it to the point of fall-apart tender then it is easy to remove from the smoker to your cutting table without all your piggy falling on the ground before you can get it to the carving block.

This is the type of project that you will only get better at each time you do it but I hope that this is enough information to get you started. :D


Let us know how it turns out for you...a digi pic of the process would be nice if you are set up to do that. 8) :)


ranger72

 

[prplptcrzr2003]

Hey there Ranger...

The site is basically from a company that prepares pigs and sells them either for catering or for selling on the road (mobile diners).

I just wanted you guys to check out the pics in their "galeria" (gallery) to see how they use concrete slabs and concrete blocks to cook the pigs in. Notice how they form a "ring" of charcoal on the slab. Just thought it'd be interesting viewing (and mouth-watering)

 

[ranger72]

Hi there prplptcrzr2003

Understood! :)

And interesting pictures they are.

simply a poor attempt at humor on my part!

ranger72 :oops:

 

[redneck steve]

I'll attempt to describe preparing the pig. Those with a weak stomach may wish to ignore my post.

Shoot the pig on the top of the head with a .22, then immediately hang it by it's hind legs and cut its throat. You'll have about 10 seconds before it starts kicking, so have everything prepared to move quickly. After it's bled out, before gutting it you dip the pig in a scalding water tub, a water trough works well. After scalding the pig, (make sure you roll it over in the water to get all surfaces), pull it out and hang it again.

Now scrape off the scalded skin, the hair will come with it. Rinse it off with the hose and you're ready to gut it. If you've never gutted anything before, be careful you don't puncture the bladder. It's a small opaque pouch toawrds the rear of the pig with fluid in it.

After you've got it cleaned out, from the belly side split the spine. This can be done with a sharp hatchet or a 90° grinder with a saw blade on it. Be careful not to go all the way through, what you are doing is forming a hinge with the back..

After that is done, you should be able to crack the back by spreading the ribs and make the pig flat. We usually cook our pig about an hour belly side down, then flip it to its back for the remainder of the cooking time, following the tips given above.

Good luck!!!

Take pictures for us!

 

[redneck steve]

OK, I'll try this attachment option.

Here's how your pig should look when it's scraped clean. This one is about 120 lbs. We cheated and bought this one dressed. The farmer we used to buy from retired.

 

[redneck steve]

When you split the back, the back becomes a hinge so you can lay the pig flat like this.

 

[redneck steve]

After about 1 1/2 hours, (less for your smaller pig), we turn the pig over to cook the rest of the way. It's continuosly mopped with "secret" sauce. This pig cooked about 8 hours, tender enough to cut with a fork!! Melts in your mouth!! Hungry yet?

My buddy does the cooking, I'm his helper. He calls his contraption a "Carolina Cooker", actually a 275 oil tank cut in half and laid on its side.

His cooking is what sparked my interest in smoking and is what led me to search for this site!!

 

[Dutch]

UHMmm, Redneck Steve? Ahh, I think somebody done forgot the ol' apple in the mouth thing!!! :shock: :D :lol:

Honestly, that does look like some mighty fine pig!!

 

[ranger72]

Redneck Steve

Excellent Piggie :D


ranger72