Roasted Pig

[Markian]

We've got a 30 pound pig that we need to roast for a wedding sweets table....any helpful hints about how we should prepare it, roast it, glaze it, serve it....?

[Mallet]

I definitely think that spit-roasting is the way to go.

The River Cottage Meat Book has a big section devoted to this very topic. I don't have it in front of me right now, but I believe it was roasted with two fires on either side of the animal (no fire below) on a rotating spit for several hours. I'll report back when I have more info.

when's the wedding?

Edited August 10, 2005 by Mallet (log)

[Daniel Rogov]

Following is the traditional Greek way for spit roasting either a whole pig or lamb. Let's put it this way - taste this and you'll know why the gods were Greek!

Whole Pig on the Spit

1 whole pig, 14 - 22 kilos, trimmed, gutted and cleaned

6 lemons

salt and pepper as required

8 sprigs each fresh thyme, oregano and rosemary

2 cups olive oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

With a damp cloth wipe the pig inside and out. Rub the cavity

well with a cut lemon and then rub well with salt and pepper. Into

the cavity place the all of the rosemary and 6 sprigs each of the

thyme and oregano. Close the cavity with metal clips or skewers.

Rub the outer surface with lemon, salt and pepper and then brush

with olive oil.

To place the pig on the spit place the carcass on the stomach

and starting from the back legs, push the spit through the center,

towards and through the neck. Pull the forelegs forward and tie to

the spit with wire. Pull the back legs along the spit, cross them

above it and secure with wire.

In a large jar combine the juice from 4 lemons with the olive

oil, garlic and 1 tsp. each of salt and pepper. To this add the

remaining oregano and thyme. Into this mixture drop a muslin

cloth and allow it to soak.

Place the spitted pig in position over a bed of hot charcoals.

Turn the pig over the fire slowly, wiping occasionally with the

cloth that has been soaked in the oil mixture. As cooking

progresses the pig may be moved closer to the fire. Roast until the

meat is cooked through (about 6 - 7 hours), adding more charcoals

if necessary. The meat should be carved with a very sharp knife.

Although it may be eaten with knife and fork, many will find that

the Greeks are correct in assuming that the meat always tastes

best when eaten only with the fingers. (Serves 20 - 40).

[Markian]

I definitely think that spit-roasting is the way to go.

The River Cottage Meat Book has a big section devoted to this very topic. I don't have it in front of me right now, but I believe it was roasted with two fires on either side of the animal (no fire below) on a rotating spit for several hours. I'll report back when I have more info.

when's the wedding?

←

the wedding is august 27th...the pig is arriving 2 days before...could this be done in a large enough BBQ with a rotisserie?

[Markian]

Following is the traditional Greek way for spit roasting either a whole pig or lamb.  Let's put it this way - taste this and you'll know why the gods were Greek!

Whole Pig on the Spit

1 whole pig, 14 - 22 kilos, trimmed, gutted and cleaned

6 lemons

salt and pepper as required

8 sprigs each fresh thyme, oregano and rosemary

2 cups olive oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

With a damp cloth wipe the pig inside and out. Rub the cavity

well with a cut lemon and then rub well with salt and pepper. Into

the cavity place the all of the rosemary and 6 sprigs each of the

thyme and oregano. Close the cavity with metal clips or skewers.

Rub the outer surface with lemon, salt and pepper and then brush

with olive oil.

To place the pig on the spit place the carcass on the stomach

and starting from the back legs, push the spit through the center,

towards and through the neck. Pull the forelegs forward and tie to

the spit with wire. Pull the back legs along the spit, cross them

above it and secure with wire.

In a large jar combine the juice from 4 lemons with the olive

oil, garlic and 1 tsp. each of salt and pepper. To this add the

remaining oregano and thyme. Into this mixture drop a muslin

cloth and allow it to soak.

Place the spitted pig in position over a bed of hot charcoals.

Turn the pig over the fire slowly, wiping occasionally with the

cloth that has been soaked in the oil mixture. As cooking

progresses the pig may be moved closer to the fire. Roast until the

meat is cooked through (about 6 - 7 hours), adding more charcoals

if necessary. The meat should be carved with a very sharp knife.

Although it may be eaten with knife and fork, many will find that

the Greeks are correct in assuming that the meat always tastes

best when eaten only with the fingers. (Serves 20 - 40).

←

Thanks for the details....does this technique result in a crispy skin....what accompaniements would you serve with such a dish?

[Daniel Rogov]

[....does this technique result in a crispy skin....what accompaniements would you serve with such a dish?

As my friend Spiros on the Island of Corfu would say, "skin crisp enough to have you drooling and meat as soft as a baby's backside".

As to side dishes, I would suggest an herbed, whipped and very smooth potato puree, for that will absorb enough of the liquids and fat that make the dish so succulent. You might consider that puree as entirely of regular potatoes or a blend of 50% each regular and sweet potatoes. Alongside that something like carrottes Pauline (sweetened stewed carrots), not too soft but still al dente, the sweetness serving as a nice contrast to the flavor of the meat. Also to be served, but not on the same plate, a mixed green salad with a lemon-based vinaigrette.

Damn, I'm hungry!!!!!

[divalasvegas]

It may be too late to order for your upcoming event, but I've seen a contraption called "La Caja China" (pronounced Ka-Ha Cheena) which can be used to roast a whole pig or just about anything else your heart desires. The taste of the roasted pig has been described as "pork candy" which can't be bad. Here's the link.

La Caja China for Porky Heaven

When you enter this site, in addition to a great deal of information provided by this company about their product, there's a great Vogue magazine article by Jeffrey Steingarten detailing his experiences in using this device including assembling and setting up La Caja China and brining, seasoning, cooking and of course eating of the roasted pig. One of the great things about it is that you don't need to cook the pig overnight or all day. The entire cooking process from start to finish can be done in 4 hours or (or less).

Warning: Do not read this article on an empty stomach!

Good luck.

[Mallet]

I checked again for some more info, and don't have much to add to Daniel's comments except that you could cook a much bigger pig (around 40-50 kg) if you expect to serve around 100. In this case the cooking will increase to about 10 hours.

You could have two fires (one on each side of the animal, so as to be cooking with indirect heat) which should be made with either hardwood or charcoal. Try to have the fires hotter at the ends, because the rump and shoulders take a bit longer to cook than the middle. The idea is to not let the skin crackle until the very end of the process, when you increase the fire and start turning more often. When preparing the pig you can slash the skin every 1-2 in. perpendicular to the backbone, which will allow some fat to render and baste the meat as it rotates.

For seasoning, you could also rub olive oil all over the pig and season simply with salt and pepper.

edited: I didn't notice that you already specified the size of the pig.

Edited August 11, 2005 by Mallet (log)

[budrichard]

A large BBQ with rotesserie may work if you cut of the head. I had a 20# and that't what i had to do with a Weber kettle grill and rotesserie. -Dick

[MikeInSacto]

It may be too late to order for your upcoming event, but I've seen a contraption called "La Caja China" (pronounced Ka-Ha Cheena) which can be used to roast a whole pig or just about anything else your heart desires.  The taste of the roasted pig has been described as "pork candy" which can't be bad.  Here's the link.

La Caja China for Porky Heaven

When you enter this site, in addition to a great deal of information provided by this company about their product, there's a great Vogue magazine article by Jeffrey Steingarten detailing his experiences in using this device including assembling and setting up La Caja China and brining, seasoning, cooking and of course eating of the roasted pig.  One of the great things about it is that you don't need to cook the pig overnight or all day.  The entire cooking process from start to finish can be done in 4 hours or (or less).

Warning:  Do not read this article on an empty stomach!

Good luck.

←

Some friends of mine and I went in together on a La Caja China. The thing works absolutely beautifully. We've done a bunch of different things in it including a 40 pound pig, half of a 120 pound pig, a 20 pound pig leg, and a 40 pound turkey. All have come out of the box with succulent skin, tender meat, and delicious flavor.

One other good thing about the Caja China is that it does require some tending. That means that someone has to sit around, enjoy delicious beverages, and make sure the fire doesn't go out. It can make for a very satisfying day.....

Mike

[divalasvegas]

It may be too late to order for your upcoming event, but I've seen a contraption called "La Caja China" (pronounced Ka-Ha Cheena) which can be used to roast a whole pig or just about anything else your heart desires.  The taste of the roasted pig has been described as "pork candy" which can't be bad.  Here's the link.

La Caja China for Porky Heaven

When you enter this site, in addition to a great deal of information provided by this company about their product, there's a great Vogue magazine article by Jeffrey Steingarten detailing his experiences in using this device including assembling and setting up La Caja China and brining, seasoning, cooking and of course eating of the roasted pig.  One of the great things about it is that you don't need to cook the pig overnight or all day.  The entire cooking process from start to finish can be done in 4 hours or (or less).

Warning:  Do not read this article on an empty stomach!

Good luck.

←

Some friends of mine and I went in together on a La Caja China. The thing works absolutely beautifully. We've done a bunch of different things in it including a 40 pound pig, half of a 120 pound pig, a 20 pound pig leg, and a 40 pound turkey. All have come out of the box with succulent skin, tender meat, and delicious flavor.

One other good thing about the Caja China is that it does require some tending. That means that someone has to sit around, enjoy delicious beverages, and make sure the fire doesn't go out. It can make for a very satisfying day.....

Mike

←

Fantastic, real-world review MikeInSacto. I've never personally used this device or sampled its succulent results, so living vicariously through your experiences will have to, for now, suffice. Please tell us, did the turkey have to be cut in parts or split or was it cooked whole? And where the Hell did you find a 40 lb. turkey? A bit OT, but the last turkey I cooked was in a turkey fryer and was delicious beyond belief. But don't forget to send out an invitation on eG the next time you and your friends decide to Caja China ANYTHING!

[MikeInSacto]

Thanks! The turkey was an odd thing. We have a friend who raises them. He does a very good job but tends to procrastinate a bit when it comes time to end their lives. (I don't think he minds killing them but the cleaning and plucking is a chore.) He's routinely supplied 27 pounders but the 40 pounder topped the charts. It was way too big for any oven that we had available, but it fit very nicely in the Caja China.

The Caja China has sent us in some interesting directions. One of my pals and I ended up doing slaughtering and butchering duty on two pigs all because of it. This was something completely new to us, being your basic suburban non-hunter types, and it was quite the experience.

Mike

[divalasvegas]

Thanks! The turkey was an odd thing. We have a friend who raises them. He does a very good job but tends to procrastinate a bit when it comes time to end their lives. (I don't think he minds killing them but the cleaning and plucking is a chore.) He's routinely supplied 27 pounders but the 40 pounder topped the charts. It was way too big for any oven that we had available, but it fit very nicely in the Caja China.

The Caja China has sent us in some interesting directions. One of my pals and I ended up doing slaughtering and butchering duty on two pigs all because of it.  This was something completely new to us, being your basic suburban non-hunter types, and it was quite the experience.

Mike

←

Okay, so it sounds like you cooked the turkey whole. As for the Caja China sending you and your friends in interesting directions, well, what an understatement! Although both my parents were farm raised and did their fair share of hog butchering in their day, I'm a city-raised girl who is now a fellow basic, suburban non-hunter type and so I'll happily leave the slaughtering and butchering to the experts, like you.

[maher]

i couldnt recommend the caja china more, i have tried it with lamb, pig, chicken, as well as assorted parts like beef short rib and brisket. it does require a bit of care, but i found that by inserting a meat probe with thermometer into whatever is in the caja china i had a pretty good idea of where i was in the cooking process without having to open it all the time.