I'm going to cook my first whole pig! Help?

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And now to add to the stress level...

When I went to the town hall to get the permit to close the street for the block party I was asked if a reporter from the Hammond Times (local large paper) could call me & do a story on our block party in the Food section:ohmy:

I spent about 1/2 hour on the phone with the reporter. She asked me all about the food we're cooking as well as the pot-luck sides. We worked it out that even numbered addresses brought side dishes and odd numbered addresses should bring deserts. Then she asked about the :pig: and I really didn't know what to say. I felt the best way to descrobe the pig roast was to say "THis is my first time cooking a whole pig. In fact, no one on the block has attempted this yet. We're all just going to tget together and collectively gring our knowledge and experiences to the grill and go from there. This is more of a socializaton event than a cook-off. If we destroy the pig than at least we'll have fun trying." I think she was impressed with my answer. They will be sending out a photographer for the party. Man, my nerves are already shot!!!
 
When I went to the town hall to get the permit to close the street for the block party I was asked if a reporter from the Hammond Times (local large paper) could call me & do a story on our block party in the Food section:ohmy:

I spent about 1/2 hour on the phone with the reporter. She asked me all about the food we're cooking as well as the pot-luck sides. We worked it out that even numbered addresses brought side dishes and odd numbered addresses should bring deserts. Then she asked about the :pig: and I really didn't know what to say. I felt the best way to descrobe the pig roast was to say "THis is my first time cooking a whole pig. In fact, no one on the block has attempted this yet. We're all just going to tget together and collectively gring our knowledge and experiences to the grill and go from there. This is more of a socializaton event than a cook-off. If we destroy the pig than at least we'll have fun trying." I think she was impressed with my answer. They will be sending out a photographer for the party. Man, my nerves are already shot!!!

What a treat, Christopher! Don't let it jangle your nerves. Just have fun with it and enjoy your few minutes of fame. Think how great it will be to have the event so nicely chronicled. Have fun, fun, fun. Congratulations.
 
Good luck and let us know how it turns out. There are two areas that you need to keep hotter - the shoulder area and the lower (hip) area, for lack of a better description. I'm pretty sure those are the two areas.
 
omg, i love you!!!!!


sorry,that just slipped out.

best of luck, homey. :chef:

it wouldn't have hurt to mention d.c. to the hammond times, ya know. :glare:

I read about the bacon and beer awhile ago and I'm just coming to - I passed out from glee!!!!!!!

VERY good idea about mentioning DC :LOL: ;)
 
I would consider purchasing a good remote thermometer. I just purchased one and takes all the guess work out of the temps. The one I have tells you the temp of the pit and the internal temp of what you are cooking.

Personally I think the cooking temp should be around 220 ish but I have never cooked whole hog on a spit, only burried. I would imagine you are looking at 6-8 hours cooking time.
 
Update #1

OK, I got my 72 pound pig and roaster to the house last night. Everything seemed managable. I put the pig on ice and wrapped it in plastic overnight while I studdied the grill to see how best to mount the pig. This wasn't a typical standard steel rod on which to skewer the pig from ars to snout. It had a T-bar welded at each end with threads to accept a sort of clamp along each side of the pic. These clamps got screwed together to squeeze the pig into submission. The problem is when the pig gets butchered they only gut it from the "junk" to the sternum. The chest cavity remains in tact. The only way I could see installing this pig would be to saws through the breastplate and wrap it around the steel rod, then use the supplied clamps to hold everything tight. In theory, this looks like a great idea. I cut through the breast plate with my trusty recip saw & wrap the pig around the pole. It just didn't look lthe greatest but I pressed on. I had to wrap it several times with butchers twine. I felt safer this way. It's now rotating on the spit with a bag of lomp charcoal off to one side. I'm afraid it's getting a little too hot. I'm off to go check on it now.

I don't normally do this but if anyone wants to call, feel free. I have my cell on me (kitchenelf removed number - people will be calling you to cater their bbq events if you leave it posted :LOL:). It'll be easier to get comments on the phone than on the 'puter.

I forgot to mention that it's raining right now and will probably continue to do so throughout the morning. This should help keep the temp down as well I think.
 
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Wifey knows where the camera is and she just woke up. I'll try to get some pics in an hour. Gotta go do some running around first.
 
Down here in the piedmont of North Carolina, what you are having
is called a PIG PICKIN'!

Enjoy!
 
The quick skinny goes...

It's late. I'm tired. The pig was AWESOME!!!!!!! I don't think I could have cooked it to any better of doneness. I will write a report in greater detail tomorrow after I've had 6 or 7 hours of solid sleep. I've been at it since 5:00a.m. today. I cooked the pig for about 8 hours on a oretty low heat of around 140 give or take.
 
Bravo, Chris! The only way I know to cook a whole pig is to put it flat on the grill (no rotissierie) - drink a keg of beer - flip pig - drink another keg - pig is done.

Would love to see your pics of a more civilized way to do it.
 
Don't Panic

The way I cook my whole hogs is first,heat up the grill then put the pig on skin side down,close the lid and lock if possible! Once temp reaches 225-230 {I have a gas cooker} just let it go for about 5.5-6 hours then open lid take knife and drain juices from cavity and make a couple of cuts into hams,at this point I add some beer, totaly opt. you can add any kind of sauce you want. Check temp of hams should be 170 if not crank up heat to 250 for another hour! you should be fine, at least that is how I cook mine... I never flip mine because someone is going to get burned, your going to loose meat,you will loose heat in your grill and end up mad. Remember the main most things is dont panic and dont look until the end. Please let me know how it turns out, Happy Grilling
 
I need help? I am cooking a pig its about 165 dressed. On a inclosedroasted on a motorized bar. Do you no how long it will take? Plus what temp to use.
 
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