# Whole Hog, baby!



## Captain Morgan (Feb 17, 2005)

My favorite way to bbq.  Just made plans to help a friend in Columbia for his 3rd annual pig picking.  Last year I actually learned a new technique from Minion that I think he learned from Lilly, who is probably considered one of the top 3 whole hoggers in the land.

  Anyway, I'd like to hear any methods you guys use....I never stop with a fabulous product....always more than willing to screw it up by trying something new!


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## Finney (Feb 17, 2005)

Has he got a big cooker, or are you guys digging a hole?
Got a pig turner?

The great debate:
Start skin side up or skin side down?



Damn brother... make me a skin sandwich.


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## K Kruger (Feb 17, 2005)

I've done them on homemade spits (manually turned, every 20 min or so) over a deep open pit (using burned-down-to-embers oak and hickory logs), stuffed with herbs and apples (for flavoring the loin and tenderloin, really) and basted with an apple juice/cider vinegar/herb baste (made in a 5 gal bucket; 4-inch paintbrush tied on to an 8-foot pole). 18 hours. Very, very tasty. Deeper pit than normally dug so a much deeper layer of coals than usual; spits higher than usual since the fire is SO hot.

And I've done them in homemade above-the-ground cement block closed pits, splayed flat, marinated in homemade mojo or a grapefruit/garlic/herb mix, indirect heat with Kingsford or lump (no smokewood if doing them with Cuban friends, fruitwood, usually citrus, otherwise). 5-9 hours depending on the pig. Delicious.

I'm not into injecting though I know many are.

I'd like to try a Caja China.

What's your plan?


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## Woodman1 (Feb 17, 2005)

I'm gonna give some sucklings a chance in the new pit, but can't go "whole hog" ha ha ha ha ha ha!


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## Captain Morgan (Feb 17, 2005)

He has a big cooker (he borrows) with a built in flipper.  First pig he did was great, second was dry enough to be jerky.  Wouldn't listen to me in either case.  I'm just there for the beer and to listen to his massive ego.

He did attend a pig I did last summer that I used a skin side down technique the whole cook.  He loved it and says he'll do it that way this year.  

  My pit doesn't have a flipper, so I was glad to learn the new technique.  Flipped one pig that was way too tender and it fell apart.  Quite the mess.


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## jminion1 (Feb 17, 2005)

Capt
That technique I learned from the Pig Pounda Kappa folks, Gray Kerse (I believe that is how he spells it) also one of the top hog cooks in the country. A Goergia boy that cooks MIM a lot, Lilly and Jack's Old South use same tecniques different recipes.
Jim


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## Finney (Feb 17, 2005)

Well is someone going to say what the damn technique is?  Or is it a secret?  :?


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## Captain Morgan (Feb 17, 2005)

Gray or Gary Kearse sounds like a guy I'd like to hang with, same with Lilly.  Saw Lilly on tv and he seems cool.

Jack's Old South is a different story.  And I've heard the stories, believe me.  Still, got to respect success.


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## K Kruger (Feb 17, 2005)

Captain Morgan said:
			
		

> My pit doesn't have a flipper, so I was glad to learn the new technique.  Flipped one pig that was way too tender and it fell apart.  Quite the mess.



What do you have for a pit?

In a closed pit I do skin down for half the time then skin up till done, then skin down to crisp the skin.  

To contain the pig and make flipping easier, I use aluminum chain link for the pig--like this:


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## Captain Morgan (Feb 17, 2005)

Kevin, I used chicken wire, but on that particular occasion, didn't have any.  The plan was to cook meat side down for a while, then finish skin side up.  However, when I went to flip, the pig was way more done than I expected.

  I reckon this has to do with pigs being so much leaner than they use to be.  Fortunately, it was just a cook with friends, and while it was messy on the grill, the end product was still good.


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## Captain Morgan (Feb 17, 2005)

Basically, split the hog down the backbone and lay him out butterflied skin side down. Split the spares from the babybacks. Inject with whatever you want.

Put blocks (wood or bricks) wrapped in aluminum foil under the four sides of the pig so you form a "bowl". Salt him down and let him go on the heat for an hour or two until the salt sets in. 

Now pour about a gallon of your baste or marinade right into the center of the pig. Every 45 mins or so, take a mop and pull the mop sauce up on the hams and shoulders, and the exposed ribs. Now the mop sauce and natural pig juices don't run out on the fire. You may have to add more mop near the end of the cook. Keeps the thinners parts from drying out.


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## Captain Morgan (Feb 17, 2005)

By the way, visit this page for pics of Big Ugly's pig from last year.  He's my buddy in Columbia who shuns my advice.  These pics are from the cook that was too dry.  Several problems, but I was just drinking beer and pouting.  He had to live with the pig.

http://www.bbqboard.com/photopages/morganbigugly.html


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## K Kruger (Feb 17, 2005)

Me, I split at the belly, clean out the pig well, and crack the backbone in several places. The pit is fairly large so coals are banked in the four corners for the whole cook, for an indirect arrangement. When done, I quickly pull the pig, spread the coals, and put it back on to crisp the skin--about 5-7 min. This is the type of pit I use (the image shows one partially built}. When the pig is on, it gets covered with foil to hold the heat in, with rocks on top of the foil to keep it in place.


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2005)

Here's a link to the page Kevin hot-linked a pic from.  Good reading!  8)


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## K Kruger (Feb 19, 2005)

Thanks Bill. It dawned on me yesterday to post that link then I spaced it out. I'd never even thought of this type of pit till I moved to Miami. I went to a roast in Little Havana-- 2 of the '3 Guys from Miami' were there doing the food. My first introduction to homemade mojo as well. Built my first pit in the alley behind the first place I cheffed at in Miami Beach.  

It was weird finding their site last year. That party was in 1985 and the picture I had of them in my head was like the 1984 pic they've got at the top of the page. Obviously, they don't look the same anymore, nor do I.

Anyway, these pits are as easy to build as they look. I've always used their 'Plan A' with aluminum chain link.  I use HD foil as a cover and highly recommend sheet aluminum on the ground. Cubans do not use smokewood when cooking which is why you won't see it mentioned on the site. I use it, of course.


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2005)

I look at that site every month or 2 and keep thinking about doing a whole pig... Maybe this year?


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## K Kruger (Feb 19, 2005)

Why not? It's a great summertime cook up north. I usually do them in the late winter/early spring down here. I disassembled my pit pre-Frances--I needed some blocks to shore up the chicken and turkey houses. Might just get a Caja China though.


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## Captain Morgan (Feb 19, 2005)

Indeed, October is hog killin time for a reason.  I did a whole hog 2 years ago in July and it dang near killed me.  Spring and fall are the best times.  Lots of time over the hot pig and pit.


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2005)

I might just do it this year...I have a great spot for it!!  BUTT!  I won't put in a foil barrier to block the smoke.  That's the biggest issue (with me) with the La Caja China.. No smoke gets to the meat.  And it gets cooked faster and at a higher temp than I like.  Butt, that's me...... 8)  Hmmmmm..... Independence Day...Labor Day...


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## Captain Morgan (Feb 20, 2005)

Brilliant!!!!! Similar to what I did with my big gasser.


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## K Kruger (Feb 20, 2005)

Niagara River Smoker said:
			
		

> ...barrier to block the smoke.  That's the biggest issue (with me) with the La Caja China..



Me too, though I like Glenn's idea. As of this morning I'm leaning back toward re-building my CBS pit. I was talking to my neighbors down the road--they're Cuban but have only been there sine last summer so I've never done a pig with them there. We discussed maybe re-building my pit on their property and doing joint cooks. I like the idea, though I'd really want to see if I could get them into smoked pig. I've used smokewood in a CBS pit before, putting it just in the 2 coal piles on one end and exhausting it on the other. Works okay but I'd really like a solid mod.


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## Captain Morgan (Feb 20, 2005)

Susan and I discussed the Caja on another board.  I said I didn't consider it bbq because there was no smoke.  Not to say it wasn't good, in fact the concept seems excellent.  Just a small pit that keeps most of the space full of meat.  Seems like it would create lots of steam in what I assume is an airtight container.  Now, if this smoke mod works, I might be interested in.  

  I think she also said it uses a butt load of charcoal.  

 How is the skin?  Soft, crispy, leathery tough?


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## Guest (Feb 20, 2005)

Captain Morgan said:
			
		

> I think she also said it uses a butt load of charcoal.


Yeah, I remember her saying that but I also remember she bought like a hundered bags of Kingsford ! She ain't hurtin!  :-D 

The only other thing that bothered me about that pit was that the meat cooks in it's rendered fat...Susan, what did you think about that after your cook?

Kevin, you got me on the CBS pit..... :? I'm thinking back about the damage you mentioned after the hurricanes blew through but I just can't put my finger on it.....


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## Guest (Feb 20, 2005)

Damn!  You been cookin' girl!    Thanks for additional info. I'm gonna look into it..  8)


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## K Kruger (Feb 20, 2005)

Bill--

The pit is (or would've been) fine through the hurricanes. Needing block to help me firm up a few things, I disassembled much of it. The blocks helped the chicken and turkey houses (lost a couple chickens and ducks but no turkeys), but didn't help the roof on the horse's pole barn. I really should have done something different there--was a last minute attempt. The blocks are still all there, I have the sheet aluminum, and the aluminum chain link pig cage. Just haven't put it together. They're easy to do; at first I didn't want to take the time, then I was thinking of moving it to a location 20 yds away, then I was thinking of the Caja, now I'm thinking the neighbors---you get the idea. I bought cork flooring for the master bedroom--in November. I got the closet done--that's it--this past Friday. Prioritizing when I'm gone so much is a bitch. I would stop driving tomorrow if I could immediately replace the $.


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