who here has cooked a whole hog?


 
S

Steve CT

TVWBB Member
I know we all love our WSM but who here has cooked a whole hog?

I have done a few on our BQGrill and they come out awesome! We butterfly them and it takes roughly 1 hour per every 10 pounds of meat. The skin comes out crispy and the meat juicy and tender. I can add as much or as little smoke flavor I want with our side smoke box and it is an awesome cooker. I can cook up to a 120lbs pig dressed weight.

I was just wondering how many other guys out there go for the gold with whole hogs?
 
I have, tho not lately, but my pit was made of concrete blocks lined with aluminum foil and home made expanded metal turning racks. Also butterflied.
It's been awhile tho. Maybe this summer if the hog prices don't go sky high I'll do one. My neighbors and I have been talking about it quite a lot lately.

Chuck W.
 
Did one at the Ham Jam competetion last year. turned out great. We have a pull behind grill that we cook with charcoal and some wood. We did a 100 pounder last time. Butterfly season start a little hot to sear the outside then cut the temp down We had a great time.
 
I've been present at a couple of hog roasts and I've helped a guy roast, pull, and package a whole hog once. Now even though the WOW factor was there and it was some pretty tasty meat, I'm going to go against the grain here and say that roasting hogs is not my cup o' tea. I've found that they are a huge greasy mess. Lots of work and lots of cleanup. And at the roasts I've attended where people are present and eating, I heard a lot more "ewwwws" than "awwwwws". I think people imagine it's going to be this great "Roman style" feast of sorts, but when they get up close and personal it ain't quite as glamorous as they envisioned. Of course a lot of that depends on your crowd, but the parties I've attended that was my experience.

Maybe someone needs to show me the light?
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I do agree, a lot is dependent on the crowd at the party. If you doing a pig roast for a high falutant crowd I an garrante you a lot of ewwwws. However, if your doing them for family functions or just plain partys they are great and get great ahhhs, however, even there you get some that do the ewwws but mostly those are from the teenage girls or wives; I have yet to hear a youg boy or man say ewww at a pig roast! Not to mention if you cook it right it is some of the best dang meat/skin you will ever have!
 
It's the high falutin' crowds I never have an issue with. These days, it's the younger crowds, raised on processed foods and little real cooking that seem to have problems with everything out of their dietary purview.
 
For about 15 years I helped a friend of mine do one every year for a 4th of July pig roast. Recently, he turned pro with a barbecue catering business, and now he just does butts on his hybrid smoker. Too bad.

Couple of thoughts, for anyone who wants to try it and hasn't.

Done right, it's the best. Lots of contrast among different cuts. Try pulling lean strips out of the side meat (bacon). Pork poached in lard. Can't beat it.

Leave the head on if you have the option. More poached pork in the jaw meat.

It's cheap. Around here you can usually get a 100lb hog for about $100.
 
My wife is cuban and we cook a whole pig every year for christmas eve (cuban tradition). My father-in-law taught me how to cook the pig and I have been cooking it for the last 10 years. I totally agree with Kevin. My kids and all the kids in our extended family have been raised around pig roasts and they don't have any problem with it. They usually all fight over the ribs and pull them right off the pig themselves. I mention the pig roast to some of my "southbeach" friends and they think it is gross and nasty. Go figure.
 
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