Makin' Bacon, Home Smoking Class and a big pitted pig


 
C

C. Howlett

TVWBB Super Fan
I was looking for some inspiration and googled up some excellent bbq resources. I found a vibrant community of foodies, gourmands, gourmets and chefs at egullet.org

Egullet presented an excellent online class: Smoking Meat at Home. Check out the pictures; this guy REALLY (ab)used his WSM!

Looking around the egullet boards, I was frozen in my seat by the pictures in this thread. Wenatchee Pit Roasted Pig. Check it out!

I've sometimes thought about doing a whole pig. I checked out the La Cajachina Pig Roaster Box, but if I ever undertake this project, it's going to have to be in a pit. It's just so ~ primordial.

The Smoking course also led me to a passionate discussion thread about this book, Charcuterie. I checked out the book and was very impressed. It provides history, craft, science, methodology and recipes for heirloom style, traditional methods of curing, sausage making, and MAPLE BACON! If you've ever read one of the Cook's Illustrated cook books, you'll have some idea how this one is presented. It is deep!

The discussion, 84 pages and over 2400 posts, including pictures and recipes is here: Charcuterie discussion

I'm going out tomorrow to pick up the necessary components for bacon. I'll let everyone know.
 
Wow that WSM looks well 'loved'...
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I've done whole pigs both digging the pit and with La Caja China. I like the La Caja China if you are doing a pig 100 lbs. or less, because any bigger and it won't fit in the biggest La Caja China they make. More than 100lbs. and you'll have to dig a pit. They actually make smoker additions for the La Caja China now although I don't know anyone who has used them. But save yourself the trouble if you plan on doing pigs less than 100lbs. it really works awesome.

Gerry D.
 
You can build a pit rather than dig one. Pretty cheap and easy too. When I lived on Miami Beach I learned to build them out of block--shown here--and to use aluminum fencing materials to build a rack for holding the pig. You can use nothing for a floor, but that last one I built I used a piece of sheet aluminum (an aluminum trailer panel, painted on one side; I put the painted side down) for easier clean-up. Recommended.
 
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