# Hog roast question please help!!!



## maperry2125 (Jun 15, 2007)

I am roasting a hog tomorrow for the 2nd time and I have a coupple questions. 
1.What is the best way to pull the pork 
2What is the best way to position the hog on the grill skin side down, open cavity and feet down?

I am cooking a 125 # hog on a cooker without a Rotisserie and I am using charcoal. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks


----------



## bluezebra (May 19, 2007)

I don't understand how you are saying the hog will be positioned? Is it a whole hog that is completely flattened? Or is it as "whole sides"? Either way, I would start with it cut side down on a higher level of heat to "sear the open meat side shut" then would "flip it" to be skin side down and cook it looooooowwwww and slow. I'm talking this could take 16 or more hours on 250 or 300 max. Then I would not be the pulling "all" the meat. I would take some of it and slice it and other parts would section it and chunk it, then pull it with two forks or with the rubber heat proof gloves which would be much quicker. I do think that you will need to flip the hog a couple of times before it gets too done. I've never done a whole hog or side of a hog myself on a regular pit. I had pig roasters that did it but they "sandwiched" the hog between 2 steel grates kinda like a huge "fish or burger basket" and then cooked it over a fire pit and it got turned regularly. It wasn't a rotisserie but it allowed the pig to be cooked fairly evenly between the two sides. It was specially built for them and was really cool. It made pretty terrific pork!


----------



## castironchef (Oct 10, 2005)

I'd wrap my hog in "poultry wire" to ease the turning process.


----------



## cat man (May 7, 2007)

BleuZebra is on target, however the rendered fat might pool in the cavity (assuming split carcass), so you would want to either BASTE the lard over the hide side, or drain every 20 minutes or so.

As far as pulling the pork, I'm not really sure if you're asking how to CARVE the hog, or if you specifically desire to serve pulled pork from the whole carcass.

Certain muscles are better served in a carving or steak style. Tenderloin, Pork Loin etc.

So I guess the question remains....
"what is the specific raw material you bought?"

Cat Man


----------



## even stephen (Oct 10, 2005)

With a pig that size, you will probably want to butterfly it open. Spread the
body cavity open and with a small ax or butcher knife......strike the rib bones
at the spine on both sides, cutting them through. Do this from top to bottem.
This will open the pig up. I am also used to cooking on an open cinderblock pit. We cook real slow. You could finish it in 8 hours, but, 10 or 12 will make
it better. I also use steal grate on both sides. I start with the skin side down
with low heat for 3 or 4 hours then flip and cook the rest of the way on the other side. With the open pit we cover it with a refrigerator box. We use oak
coals from a 50 gallon drum and put an amazingly small amount of coals under the grill. My marinade is OJ, Garlic, Brandy, Onion, and dried Avocado leaves.
Good luck.


----------



## scarecrobot (Jun 15, 2007)

I think the only way you can get really good quality pulled meat from a pig that large is to beer braise it. Now how you'd do that is a whole nother question. Slow rotisserie with a lot of basting would be another solution to keep the meat from drying out. Tied between two sections of chain link fence over an open pit?


----------



## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Good pig has alot of fat....125 pounder is still small but there should be about 1/2" of fat between the sking and the meat.
Shoulders are great pulled, hams are sorta chunked/pulled.....loins are sliced most of the time.
Garlic and Tony Chacere.

* Avacado leaves? that's a new one......where are you? and what cuisine are they used in?


----------



## even stephen (Oct 10, 2005)

I am from rural Georgia. Imagine that a Georgia Cracker. My wife of 12
years, is Mexican. From Guerrero to be exact. Her father helped me do a
Pig roast about 8 years ago. He is from a small coastal town south of Acapulco and north of Puerto Escondito(Poor spelling I think). The avocado 
leaves are just what he uses. It definitely imparts a little flavor. I think 
a great deal of seasonings also are naturally antibiotic, bacteria killers. Lime
Chili, garlic to some extent. I have been fortunate enough to learn all the
home style dishes from and around Acapulco. My wife says its almost like
her Mother is here cooking for the family. Pretty big stretch for a boy who
spent most of his time in rural northeast Georgia.


----------

