cooking a pig in the ground

[30pointbuck]

i would like to know how to cook a pig in the ground any information would be greatly appreciated

[schuyler olt]

Here's how I've done it. You will need six cinder blocks, 5 or 6 6' long pieces of rebar and a good sized piece of metal which is going to be the lid.

Dig a pit approximately 8X4' and 18" deep or deeper if it is a big hog. Put three cynder blocks at one end, and the others 5' away, leaving 2 to 3 feet at one end for your fire pit. put the rebar across the cinder blocks to make a rack. Build a good hardwood fire-oak, hickory, ash, apple, and cherry are my personal favorites, and build up a goodly supply of coals.

Line the bottom of the pit with about 2" of charcoal briquets, and shovel coals on top of these about another 2". Put Porky on there spreadeagled, skin side up, and cover with the metal.

You MUST keep somebody with the pig for the 24 hours or so it will take to cook. He is going to drip grease, and flare up from time to time. I have had the unfortunate experience of coming back in the morning to an absolutely cremated pig (truly--only thing left was the skull--bones and all burnt). So you need to have a water source handy.

Keep the fire low and slow. As time wears on, you'll want to rake the coals out from the middle toward the ends under the hams and shoulders, otherwise you'll overcook the loins.

Cook until it reaches an internal temp of about 170 degrees. At this point, the skin will be dry and crackly. Remove the skin, and carefully scrape off as much fat as you can--he'll be falling apart at this point. Pour two pints of molasses over him and let him cook 30 to 60 minutes more to glaze him.

Then you pull him! It's easiest, by the way, to pull big sections, like the whole ham, off and move them to a table with a clean surface. You'll need heavy rubber gloves, because the meat is hotter than you-know-what. I serve mine with BBQ sauces on the side.

Good luck with it. Personally, I like using a cooker, but I'm older and can't carouse all night like I used to!

[schuyler olt]

I probably should have mentioned that you will need to keep adding charcoal and coals from time to time. That's where the art form is--it doesn't take much fire at all, and slow is a good thing. Also, put the pig's head toward the end with the fire, otherwise you'll likely burn the hams. You can also build the fire pit seperately, especially if the weather's hot.

[schuyler olt]

Here's a good side dish.

Cut the top off a pumpkin, and clean out the inside. Put in two cups of cider, a cup of boubon, a cup of brown sugar, and about a teaspoon of allspice, and a tablespoon each of ginger and cinnamon. Put the top back on a secure it with toothpicks, nails, whatever, as long as they are clean. Put the pumpkin beside the pig the last two hours or so of the cooking, but not directly over the coals. Cook until the inside gets soft. When done, scoop out the meat of the pumpkin and the sauce inside, and stir together in a serving dish. Dot it with butter and get out of the way.

[30pointbuck]

thanks me & a friend will try it next weekend

[ksp965]

I use to bake 1/2 pigs and quarters of beef. The carcass was not buried, I made a pit with one roll of cinder blocks, filled it about 1/2 full with carcoal. After the coals got hot , I would cover the pit with a clean shaker screen that had rebar or roof bolts welded on as handles and support, (you will need to set it partially off ever few hours to replenish the charcoal). I would covered the carcass and the screen with heavy aluminum foil. One thing that I did was to turn it from time to time, (every 1/2 to 1 hour), and shake up a beer and squirt it on the carcass whenever I turned it. (Try to get more on the animal than in the cook). The foam stuck with the meat and help keep the meat moist. It imparted a good flavor to the meat, (the alcohol burns off). It took about 14 hours to do a 150 lb animal, the last few hours are critical and come when you are most tired. Don't let the fire die done at this time until the meat is completely done. The use of a meat thermometer is essential, because the meat will look done before it is and if you let the fire burn down, it will not be properly cooked when you need it. If you don't have a meat thermometer, stick a knife into the thickest part of the meat and wiggle it around some then remove it. If only steam or clear juices come out, its done. But if it is red, bloody, or even just tinted, it isn't done yet. Be sure to use rubber gloves. The grease gets hot and it will soak through cloth gloves and burn you. Good eating to you!

[Pooge]

Man!!! That is some pumpkin pie goo!!! I have got to try that! I guess it could be done on a traditional barrel type smoker / grill as well.

[nitrox_28]

If you do a search with Google, there will be TONS of websites that will show you the step-by-step process. There are like eleventybillion ways to have a pigroast but schuyler told you the way most people do it.

Schuyler......HOLY CRAP MAN!!!! That punkin thingie sounds GOOOOOOD!!! Gonna try that on the 30th during my annual ribfest! What size pumpkin? Giant or medium, or what?

[schuyler olt]

Nitrox, a medium sized punkin' is best--especially a pie pumpkin, which is less stringy. You can also use acorn squash--I do those in the oven (400 degrees for about an hour) alot, but it's fun to put them on the pit. The aroma is awesome.

[raktrakr]

just make sure you got some beer on ice:D

[30pointbuck]

boy was it good had a great time. i have to pass on the beer ( i'm diadetic ). but my buddies made up for what i didn't drink. thank you guys again.

[GSP]

I've cooked probably 60+ hogs in the ground.

The way I do it is. Dig hole 4-5' deep, 6' long and about 4' wide.
Start a fire in the bottom (I use oak pallets), then start piling on the hardwood.
Hickory is the better wood. You need about 24" on RED hot coals.

While fire is burning, lay a 4' x 5' piece of woven wire on a table and lay a pice of chicken wire the same size on top of it. Take strips of Alumininum foil and fold egdes together to create on LARGE sheet of foil that is 6' long and 5' wide (You need 2 of these).
Lay the two sheets of foil on wire and then lay hog on top of foil. I have only used scraped hogs, the skin helps protect the meat. Fold the top sheet of foil up around hog and crimp edges until all is sealed but a small opening in the middle, do the same with the bottom sheet.

Pour about 2-3 quarts of water mixed with 2 cups of cider vinegar through the opening. Finish sealing off the foil. The idea it to make the foil air tight.

Wrap the chicken wire tightly around hog and wire together. Do the same with the woven wire.

When the fire has burned down to a bed of coals, place hog down od coals (this is why the woven wire, you can attach cable to it).

Cover hole with some type of metal and then seal ALL openings with dirt. You MUST make your pit air tight.

Let it cook about 24 hours. Pull out and carry to a table. Cut woven wire loose and then you can use the chicken wire as handles to lift onto a table, carefully open the foil and watch out for stem burns!

Scarpe the meat into a pan! It will be laying in piles, no knife necessary!

Add your favorite dipping sauce and roll your sleeves up! :cool: :D

If you want to give a try, I can probaly round up some pix's.

[B.G.O. of Kentucky]

Goodness, that pumpkin deal sounds too good...I need to hook that up!