Bob77064
Elite Member
Which half are you roasting?
Cooking a half pig...any advice?
- Thread starter gregfender
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tow653
Gold Member
Do a search for "cajun micro -wave",do a. great job and about 1/3rd time.
PossumHound
Gold Member
I reckon, given your location in NC, you want the local style BBQ? If so, you've got a good start. The charcoal heat will work though it can be a little harder to control the temperature than hot coals from a hardwood. You want to shoot for 180 - 200 F during the entire cooking time, and it may take longer than 10 hours depending on your specific conditions (pit efficiency, wind, etc.). Start the pig skin side down and do not turn it! The crisp skin will hold your final product together if the pig isn't moved during cooking. Don't forget the crispy skin itself is mighty tasty, and I like to chop some up with the BBQ before serving. Salt and pepper the pig liberally on both the skin and cut side before placing on the pit. You can add other dry ingredients to your rub if you like on the cut side (brown sugar, chili powder, cayenne, garlic). Don't baste with your liquid BBQ sauce until the last hour or so of cooking. Are you planning to chop all the meat or will your guests "pick" their meat off the pig? If you're planning on picking you may want to remove the tenderloin and loin before the guests are allowed to dig in as many experienced pig pickers will head straight for these cuts right off and leave none for folks farther back in line. Did I mention, don't move the pig while cooking, just keep that heat low and slow. Good luck and happy party!
PH
PossumHound
Gold Member
I forgot to mention: remove the thin clear membrane from the abdomen and thorax of the cut side before putting on the rub. The seasonings will penetrate much better that way. Just take a knife and pull up an edge of it then use a cloth towel to grab that edge and peel the membrane off. This will take some muscle, but done carefully the membrane will come off in one piece.
PH
PH
OP
gregfender
Gold Member
PossumHound said:
PH,
My wife is from the eastern part of NC so we are doing a vinegar based sauce (she converted me!). I plan on keeping a lid on the cooker to thoroughly smoke the pig as I cook. I will most likely turn the pig once or twice at most and I am going to shred the pig to serve. I'm going to start about 6:00am with the goal of having pig ready to go around 6:00 or so.
I will keep good notes and keep everyone informed. I appreciate the advice and keep it coming!
PossumHound
Gold Member
Greg, I have kin down east that do whole pig (split) and they do turn theirs, but they have a rack (sort of like a fish grilling rack that latches together and supports both sides) big enough to hold the hog together. I've cooked for wedding receptions (300 people) and family reunions for years. If you try to turn that side twice you will have a pig in pieces. Trust me, keep the heat low, pig skin side down and you'll be fine. I have to say also that the eastern style BBQ is my favorite for Carolina que especially the sauce. It just complements the pork rather than overpowering it as so many sauces do.
PH
MotorSeven
Elite Member
10 hrs might be pushing it. No one wants "pink" pig, so start a little earlier and give it more like 12-14 hrs. Any type of heat shield over the pig will keep the heat in....half of a 55 gal drum works well.
OP
gregfender
Gold Member
PossumHound said:
I'm actually using a two piece rack like you described. We are doing a whole side and not the whole pig...and wiring the rack together. I've built a shallow a-frame with plywood lined with foil for the lid...not airtight by any means, but keep the smoke and heat in. I have chunks of apple and cherry wood I will add throughout the day. Like I said earlier, I'm gonna start cooking about 6 or a shade earlier, and my muscle won't show up till around 1:00 so my first turn will be in the 7th hour or so. The plan is to turn and put the meat side down for only a couple of hours then finish with skin side down again.
I'm a middle school teacher and this is the "school's out" party for me and my colleagues...the pig is about the only thing we have been talking about this week...lol!
PossumHound
Gold Member
Hey! It sounds like you really didn't need any advice:laughing: That's a good plan. Hope its great time.:thumbsup:
PH
PH
tpulley
Silver Member
We cook several pigs a year. We use both wood/charcoal/gas or any combination in between. I personally love the gas/with hickory wood chunks soaked for a day or so. We cook at 250- 300 and a 100# pig will be done in 5-5.5 hrs. We have also done halfs. If you want to extend the cooking time to 10 hrs you should drop the heat down to around 200-225.
I wouldn't turn it at all. We never do. What happens is the fat from the pig will render down and the meat sits there and simmers in its own juices. Cooking channel refers to this as confit. The meat will not be dry and will easily pull away from the bones and have a great flavor to boot.
If you are using wood/charcoal, smoke is your best bet to know whats going on. If a fire starts up from dripping fat you can tell it fairly easily. Lots of rolling smoke. Opening up the cooker only excites the fire and you lose valuable heat/smoke.
We serve the sauce on the side. Usually once you put the sauce on the meat it seems to wash away a lot of the goodness the hickory smoke has kissed it with.
All this talk about que is making my mouth water....
If your looking, you ain't cooking.
I wouldn't turn it at all. We never do. What happens is the fat from the pig will render down and the meat sits there and simmers in its own juices. Cooking channel refers to this as confit. The meat will not be dry and will easily pull away from the bones and have a great flavor to boot.
If you are using wood/charcoal, smoke is your best bet to know whats going on. If a fire starts up from dripping fat you can tell it fairly easily. Lots of rolling smoke. Opening up the cooker only excites the fire and you lose valuable heat/smoke.
We serve the sauce on the side. Usually once you put the sauce on the meat it seems to wash away a lot of the goodness the hickory smoke has kissed it with.
All this talk about que is making my mouth water....
If your looking, you ain't cooking.