Pig Roaster

MarkV · May 28, 2007

Saturday we roasted a 48lbs. half hog in a Cajun Microwave and had some mighty fine eating. A friend has a good size metal fabrication business and had his people build one out of Stainless Steel. We cooked the hog for about 6 hours, turning it one time, until a digital thermometer gave us a reading of 170 degrees in the main ham. The last 1 ½ hours we added sweet corn in the husks and also grilled us some other stuff on the fire tray with a grill he made to fit over it.

Hogslayer, I thought our weekend cooking might give you some base line to start from when you do your fist cook. My friend is a true Cajun and has used this type of cooker most of his life. On the one he built the cooking box is double walled with a layer of insulation between the walls. What he used for insulation is duct board, not sure of the proper name, that HVAC contractors use by scoring, folding and taping into parts for heating duct systems. I am not sure how much the insulation affects the cooking time so I would depend on a meat thermometer until you get a feel the one you have made. It would also seem to me that you could insulate your cooking box in a similar way with the duct board even without the outer layer of metal he had if you find it needed.

Let us know how it works when you give it a try.

MarkV

Knotbored · May 28, 2007

This thread is just too interesting to not have an opinion. If I was to try roasting a whole pig I would get an old freezer, remove the liner and insulation and lay it on its back.
Line that with firebricks top and sides, cut a hole for air intake and chimney and a vent on both to control heat and smoke.
For the spit I would use 3/4" rebar ground round there it contacts the metal for support (It would sqeek but that adds flavor doesn't it? For the motor I would borrow the motor from my BBQ and just make sure the load is balanced by tying on weights (bricks?) to the spit.
I would fill that with cordwood about 4 hours before loading the pig and have some store-bought charcoal handy just in case. Open and prop up the door if it get burning too hot, maybe have an upper spit location too.
Now I hope the wife doesn't see this before she invites her quilters club over for dinner.

Captinjack · May 28, 2007

I can't believe all the work that y'all are spending just to cook a pig. I've cooked at least one 150 to 225 pig for the last 23 yrs. and we do it underground as we don't know anyone trustfull enough to stay sober during the cooking process. Ha Ha, but it is true!

We get a live hog and butcher it about 5PM. We skin it as it is less of a pain and we remove a lot of the fat that way.

We insert garlic cloves into the meat every 4", wrap with 7 layers of aluminum foil and add a small pitcher of beer. Wire mesh must be wrapped around the entombed pig as the meat is falling off the bone when done and you'll have a heck of a time getting it out of the pit.

The pit has already been dug to 4x8x2'deep and a good fire is liked by all. The coals should be all burned down about 11 PM. Rake a divot for the pig and throw it in. Wait for 25 minutes till you hear it sizzling and then cover with dirt and go to bed about midnight. Preparing the pig for the fire is actually the best part of the party.

Regardless of pig size, the meat is always about 180 t0 190 at 7AM the next day. It takes about 10 minutes to remove the pig and remember to use gloves when removing the foil as the steam escaping will burn you.

We have left the pig buried as late as 8PM the day of the roast with no loss of quality.

The ground is a great protector and neither torential rains nor snow will bother the cooking process. Remember to stick a shovel showing the location of the pig as snow will cover the pit area just as deep as the surrounding area.

No muss and no fuss and the pig is falling off the bone. We only use tongs to remove the meat and place it into pans for a self serve meal. The bones are simply removed and thrown in a bucket.

The foil, bones and leftovers can be wrapped and thrown into the pit and burned down to nothing afterwards.

BTDT · May 28, 2007

Captinjack said:
I can't believe all the work that y'all are spending just to cook a pig. I've cooked at least one 150 to 225 pig for the last 23 yrs. and we do it underground as we don't know anyone trustfull enough to stay sober during the cooking process. Ha Ha, but it is true!

We get a live hog and butcher it about 5PM. We skin it as it is less of a pain and we remove a lot of the fat that way.

We insert garlic cloves into the meat every 4", wrap with 7 layers of aluminum foil and add a small pitcher of beer. Wire mesh must be wrapped around the entombed pig as the meat is falling off the bone when done and you'll have a heck of a time getting it out of the pit.

The pit has already been dug to 4x8x2'deep and a good fire is liked by all. The coals should be all burned down about 11 PM. Rake a divot for the pig and throw it in. Wait for 25 minutes till you hear it sizzling and then cover with dirt and go to bed about midnight. Preparing the pig for the fire is actually the best part of the party.

Regardless of pig size, the meat is always about 180 t0 190 at 7AM the next day. It takes about 10 minutes to remove the pig and remember to use gloves when removing the foil as the steam escaping will burn you.

We have left the pig buried as late as 8PM the day of the roast with no loss of quality.

The ground is a great protector and neither torential rains nor snow will bother the cooking process. Remember to stick a shovel showing the location of the pig as snow will cover the pit area just as deep as the surrounding area.

No muss and no fuss and the pig is falling off the bone. We only use tongs to remove the meat and place it into pans for a self serve meal. The bones are simply removed and thrown in a bucket.

The foil, bones and leftovers can be wrapped and thrown into the pit and burned down to nothing afterwards.

Thanks for the memories. We cooked a goat that way several years ago at church. People are amazed when you do something like this and they have no idea that it can be done that way.