Whole Hog Horror ... mistakes not to repeat?
- Thread starter Jennifer K
- Start date
Rick Moore
TVWBB Super Fan
Not to be late to the party or contradict, but La Caja China isn't exactly what I think of in terms of eastern NC barbecue. From what I have heard it turns out a good product but I have not taste tested that myself. I traditionally cook on an old fuel-oil drum converted into a charcoal/wood fired cooker with the grate about 15-18" above the coals.
A couple items of note based on your questions:
1- no, never skin the pig. This is where you get some good cracklin'. It also serves as a protective/insulating layer while cooking. As the fat melts, it bastes the meat, keeping the meat from drying out too much/too soon. You will hear 100's of reasons for different ways to do this - my approach is, I cook lean side down (skin side up) for the first 3-4 hours. This lets the smoke hit the meat directly and the excess fat drip off - then I flip to skin side down for the last half of the cook. This allows the meat to cook in it's juices and crisp the skin at the same time.
2- time is going to depend on temp and whether it is covered or not. I cover mine, cook at about 250 and it takes about 8-10 hours. For a 75# pig, closer to 8 hours.
3- I usually go through about 40-50 pounds plus wood. I add lit coals through the process - not all the coals at one time.
4- no problems with this. I would make sure to keep it covered - your notes don't say whether covered or not.
5- see above.
6- personal preference. I never could tell much difference in a whole hog with injected or not. From my experience, if the meat tends to dry out, it will benefit from an injection. Pork, and all the connective tissue, is not one that tends to dry out unless WAY over done.
If intent on trying a whole hog cook on a cinder block style cooker, check this out - a great read from NC Pork Council - short but a good read. I cook at higher temps - like I said earlier, closer to 250 the whole time, but I'm sure this will work as well. However, I would go much closer to 190 than 170 for a good tender finished hog.
http://www.ibiblio.org/lineback/bbq/hog.htm
Best of luck to you - there is really nothing better than carving up a well cooked whole hog in front of all your friends. Most would not dream of attempting such a cook! Look forward to hearing how good it is!
For more general info on NC barbecue, check this out - this link includes the link I provided above.
http://www.ibiblio.org/lineback/lex.htm
A couple items of note based on your questions:
1- no, never skin the pig. This is where you get some good cracklin'. It also serves as a protective/insulating layer while cooking. As the fat melts, it bastes the meat, keeping the meat from drying out too much/too soon. You will hear 100's of reasons for different ways to do this - my approach is, I cook lean side down (skin side up) for the first 3-4 hours. This lets the smoke hit the meat directly and the excess fat drip off - then I flip to skin side down for the last half of the cook. This allows the meat to cook in it's juices and crisp the skin at the same time.
2- time is going to depend on temp and whether it is covered or not. I cover mine, cook at about 250 and it takes about 8-10 hours. For a 75# pig, closer to 8 hours.
3- I usually go through about 40-50 pounds plus wood. I add lit coals through the process - not all the coals at one time.
4- no problems with this. I would make sure to keep it covered - your notes don't say whether covered or not.
5- see above.
6- personal preference. I never could tell much difference in a whole hog with injected or not. From my experience, if the meat tends to dry out, it will benefit from an injection. Pork, and all the connective tissue, is not one that tends to dry out unless WAY over done.
If intent on trying a whole hog cook on a cinder block style cooker, check this out - a great read from NC Pork Council - short but a good read. I cook at higher temps - like I said earlier, closer to 250 the whole time, but I'm sure this will work as well. However, I would go much closer to 190 than 170 for a good tender finished hog.
http://www.ibiblio.org/lineback/bbq/hog.htm
Best of luck to you - there is really nothing better than carving up a well cooked whole hog in front of all your friends. Most would not dream of attempting such a cook! Look forward to hearing how good it is!
For more general info on NC barbecue, check this out - this link includes the link I provided above.
http://www.ibiblio.org/lineback/lex.htm
Hey Brian or anyone in the neighborhood, I will be roasting 4 hogs for benefit golf tournament here in the Kirkland, WA area on August 3rd. Two will be done on spits and two will be done in an "imu", the traditional Hawaiian pit dug in the ground. I plan to put the pigs in the pit first, around 8:30 am and by 10:30 I shall start the rotissing. I will post additional details next week.
joe
joe
Ernest Buckley
TVWBB Fan
Thats awesome! Please start a thread with this info and pix!
Thanks,
EB
Hey Joe,
With the ones on the spits, do you use something like this from Kanes. I like the idea of roasting meat over a charcoal where everybody can see it.
but like others, I don't want to mess it up (pretty costly mistake) or get people sick (from food, getting sick from too much liquor is pretty funny)
Hi Thom... My set-up is basically the same however not as fancy. Mine is made from salvage parts except for the pie, rollers, pulleys and belt. The gear reducer is a worm gear drive off a food conveyer belt and the motor is off of a ceiling fan. I forwarded my reply to Jennifer's questions and Bob Sample (on this thread) said he would post it here since I have troubles posting pics. As of thei moment Bob hasn't posted anything. Send me your e-mail address and I will forward it to you.
joe
joe
Bob Sample
TVWBB Diamond Member
Sorry for the delay. I can't seem to copy and post Joe's pics but I'll try to link them. Thats a nice rig Joe.
Below is a copy of Jennifer"s mail and Joe's response.
Hi Joe,
Thanks so much for being willing to give me some advice. Sounds like you sure know how to roast a whole pig!!
I'm excited to be in charge of making a pig roast for our neighborhood party, but after seeing everything that went wrong over the weekend, I started to get worried. The questions I posted on the site are these:
1. Should the pig have been skinned first?
2. Obviously 7-8 hours wasn't long enough for this cook - what is the norm for a 75 pounder?
3. About 30 lbs of briquettes were used, and they looked to be burning okay. Was this enough?
4. I looked closely at the pit. The coals were on a sheet of expanded metal over an area of dug up grass. Then the concrete bricks were built up around it. Drip trays went in a line down the middle. Is there anything else that could have improved this pit?
5. The pig was cooked facing down - skin on top. Is this the best way?
6. Is it a good idea to inject a pig with brine for a whole hog cook? This one wasn't injected or rubbed.
Our neighborhood party usually kicks off pretty early and the babysitters take the little kids to bed around 7pm. So, my pig will need to be ready to eat some time between 5-6pm. I'm assuming it'll take a while to rest it and cut it up. I'll be doing the cutting and chopping myself, too, so any tips about that would also be welcome. I have a good set of sharp knives - do I need anything else?
One thing I thought about was cutting off some skin to make crackling. I usually make that in my oven. But if the skin should stay on the pig for best results, it's easy to buy a separate skin roll from the local butcher.
Thanks for your help!
Jennifer
________________________________________________
Hi...
First of all I use a large rotisserie, homemade from salvaged material. I find that rotissing the hog keeps it moister since the pig is sewn "shut" and the internal juices remain within the hog. It takes about 5-1/2 hours to cook the hog over coals. The placement of the fire is very improtant since the hog has thicker regions, shoulders and hind quarters as opposed to the belly portons.
In regards to your questions:
1.) The hog is scalded and the hair is scraped off mechanically or hand.
2.) Using a rotisserie and with good fire management I do a 120 pounder in under 6 hours to cook the hog completely.
3.) I use seasoned wood; alder, maple or mesquite. For "fine tuning" the coals I will use about 20 lbs of charcoal.
4.) The pit you described would work provided if proper fire management itakes place. The set-up you described is very similar to the Cuban way of roasting a whole hog.
5.) I would cook the hog skin up for at least 2/3 of the time then turn it over.
6.) I don't inject the hogs, I just use table or sea salt and sometimes stuff with "lemon grass", a very fragrant asian spice.
The method I use is very different from the method used in the roast that "did not turn out". You can make a simple rotisserie from 1-1/4" diameter galvanized pipe and use a scrapped steering wheel as the "turner."
I am sending you several pics of my set-up. There are several manufacturers of hog rotisseries but in my opinion they seem to be over priced. You can "Google" for info also some one replied to you re: "LaCajaChina" website. It is a good system that works and the method you describe replicates somewhat this method.
Look over the pics and I know you will have some other questions. I will be glad to answer them...
joe
Below is a copy of Jennifer"s mail and Joe's response.
Hi Joe,
Thanks so much for being willing to give me some advice. Sounds like you sure know how to roast a whole pig!!
I'm excited to be in charge of making a pig roast for our neighborhood party, but after seeing everything that went wrong over the weekend, I started to get worried. The questions I posted on the site are these:
1. Should the pig have been skinned first?
2. Obviously 7-8 hours wasn't long enough for this cook - what is the norm for a 75 pounder?
3. About 30 lbs of briquettes were used, and they looked to be burning okay. Was this enough?
4. I looked closely at the pit. The coals were on a sheet of expanded metal over an area of dug up grass. Then the concrete bricks were built up around it. Drip trays went in a line down the middle. Is there anything else that could have improved this pit?
5. The pig was cooked facing down - skin on top. Is this the best way?
6. Is it a good idea to inject a pig with brine for a whole hog cook? This one wasn't injected or rubbed.
Our neighborhood party usually kicks off pretty early and the babysitters take the little kids to bed around 7pm. So, my pig will need to be ready to eat some time between 5-6pm. I'm assuming it'll take a while to rest it and cut it up. I'll be doing the cutting and chopping myself, too, so any tips about that would also be welcome. I have a good set of sharp knives - do I need anything else?
One thing I thought about was cutting off some skin to make crackling. I usually make that in my oven. But if the skin should stay on the pig for best results, it's easy to buy a separate skin roll from the local butcher.
Thanks for your help!
Jennifer
________________________________________________
Hi...
First of all I use a large rotisserie, homemade from salvaged material. I find that rotissing the hog keeps it moister since the pig is sewn "shut" and the internal juices remain within the hog. It takes about 5-1/2 hours to cook the hog over coals. The placement of the fire is very improtant since the hog has thicker regions, shoulders and hind quarters as opposed to the belly portons.
In regards to your questions:
1.) The hog is scalded and the hair is scraped off mechanically or hand.
2.) Using a rotisserie and with good fire management I do a 120 pounder in under 6 hours to cook the hog completely.
3.) I use seasoned wood; alder, maple or mesquite. For "fine tuning" the coals I will use about 20 lbs of charcoal.
4.) The pit you described would work provided if proper fire management itakes place. The set-up you described is very similar to the Cuban way of roasting a whole hog.
5.) I would cook the hog skin up for at least 2/3 of the time then turn it over.
6.) I don't inject the hogs, I just use table or sea salt and sometimes stuff with "lemon grass", a very fragrant asian spice.
The method I use is very different from the method used in the roast that "did not turn out". You can make a simple rotisserie from 1-1/4" diameter galvanized pipe and use a scrapped steering wheel as the "turner."
I am sending you several pics of my set-up. There are several manufacturers of hog rotisseries but in my opinion they seem to be over priced. You can "Google" for info also some one replied to you re: "LaCajaChina" website. It is a good system that works and the method you describe replicates somewhat this method.
Look over the pics and I know you will have some other questions. I will be glad to answer them...
joe
Pretty good summary of techniques and experiences in this thread:
http://www.thesmokering.com/fo...iewtopic.php?t=22364
FWIW,
Dave
http://www.thesmokering.com/fo...iewtopic.php?t=22364
FWIW,
Dave
Brian Moriarty
TVWBB All-Star
Thanks Joe! I'd love to check it out and take lots of pics! Which golf course? Inglewood is in Kenmore, not familiar with any in Kirkland.
My e-mail is in my Profile drop me a line and I'll be there.
Richard Diaz
TVWBB Pro
My cousin and I did a 110 lb hog a couple of weeks ago in the caja china. We actually have two caja china's. The one in the picture we just got, the other we built. This hog took 7 hours and it was good. He was a little big, his head came in contact with the lid. You don't measure temperature with this you just keep adding charcoal to the lid. It works great, cooks quick but you have no smoke flavor. We season it spanish style, lots of garlic, onions, sour orange, mojo, adobo and a bunch of other stuff I can't remember right now.
