Roast pig on a spit?

[atgcpaul]

For our Labor Day party, I want to roast a pig on a spit. It's a Hawaiian luaua theme. No, I'm not going to dig a pit.

Local party rental place has an electric rotisserie spit roaster for $95 a day. I basically need to get the pig. What's the price per pound for a pig--50-75lbs? Does that include shaving the hairs off and getting it spit ready?

I've also seen 2 variations on the charcoal--directly below and off to the side. The rental spit has it set up below but off to the side seems less prone to burning. I guess I could scrape the coals to one side of the rental.

How do you gauge how many coals you need to keep feeding it? Most of my charcoal use is for high heat grilling and have only done a few low and slow.

Thanks,
Paul

[LCHIEN]

never even comptemplated doing it but there's a whole body of knowledge on the 'net

http://www.ask.com/web?l=sem&ifr=1&qsrc=999&q=how%20do%20you%20roast%20a%20pig%20on%20a%20spit&siteid=14222&o=14222&ar_uid=6D6BFECD-D60A-4990-8A93-A4E6CF7FF02A&click_id=D8AAB890-43E6-48AA-BF4A-D14BF6F1987E

or google how do i roast a pig on a spit

[cabinetman]

It doesn't sound all that difficult.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/06/how-to-roast-a-pig-on-a-spit.html

.

[dbhost]

Never paid for a pig. Ferel hogs are so rampant all I have to do is call a buddy of mine with some property in Santa Fe and offer to remove a few for him. All it costs me is a little time, a couple of .270 hollow points, and a little celebratory beer during the barbecue... We do ours in a coal bit a-la Mexican Barbacoa (sorry, that's how I learned to cook a whole pig).

For what it's worth, I seem to be losing my taste for pig, and am gaining a BIG taste for lamb... LOML and I found a REALLY nice Greek place on Galveston Island when we were dating, and ever since then, I just can't get enough herb roasted lamb... Mmmmmm Gyros! Seriously, I have had Greek food before, but these guys are the best! For those in the Houston / Galveston metropolitan area, I am talking about Olympia Grill on Seawall... You have GOT to try that place!

[RAFlorida]

Here in the swamps of Florida,

we have hundreds of wild hogs and a 7.62mm brings us pork for a month or two. AND wild hogs have a much better taste than any store bought pork! We've never did a spit before, so cann't really help in that, other than as suggested do a search on the web.

[cabinetman]

we have hundreds of wild hogs and a 7.62mm brings us pork for a month or two. AND wild hogs have a much better taste than any store bought pork! We've never did a spit before, so cann't really help in that, other than as suggested do a search on the web.

I've been up to your neck of the woods and seen some of the wild boar around there. How's that taste?

.

[dbhost]

7.62 x what? I bet a Nagant 7.62x54mm would be a real whopper on one of those hogs! I'm not sure my 7x62x39mm SKS is something I want to shoot a pig with. Just make em mad...

[gsmittle]

Can't help you with the charcoal, but roasting an entire hog sounds like a two- to three-case project.

My first thought is keep the charcoal off to one side a bit; might be easier to regulate the temperature.

Definitely go with the electric rotisserie unless you have a squad of teenagers who can turn the crank for hours on end.

g.

[T...K21]

Alot easier to rent the bbq trailer with rotisserie. Did the roast a pig in a hole once. That was a 24 hour + 2 chords of wood ordeal for me and a friend. I would check local meat cutters for better pricing or see if there is a 4H auction going on around your area. Last time I bought a 90lb pig I think it broke down to approximately $1.70 a lb but that was several years ago. Good luck!

[atgcpaul]

My first thought is keep the charcoal off to one side a bit; might be easier to regulate the temperature.

Definitely go with the electric rotisserie unless you have a squad of teenagers who can turn the crank for hours on end.

g.

Alot easier to rent the bbq trailer with rotisserie. Did the roast a pig in a hole once. That was a 24 hour + 2 chords of wood ordeal for me and a friend. I would check local meat cutters for better pricing or see if there is a 4H auction going on around your area. Last time I bought a 90lb pig I think it broke down to approximately $1.70 a lb but that was several years ago. Good luck!

Got the rotisserie rented--electric. A butcher not too far away will completely dress the pig for $2.49/lb--I'm sure the pricing is also regional since we are in the DC suburbs. We do have a 4H auction in a month at the fair and that was suggested to me but it's too much of unknown to me. A guy my wife knows also suggested this butcher-he roasts pigs as a side job-and uses this guy. As an avid DIYer, though, I would love to say I went out into the bush and killed my own boar but this will have to do.

My big concern now is that I don't burn it to a crisp or not have it ready in time for the party. The pro guy said it takes him 10-12hrs in his gas unit but to expect faster times with a rotisserie. It's going to be a long night. I'm hoping for dry weather.

[RAFlorida]

I use 7.62x39.

That caliber takes them down. The hogs here sometimes get upto 200lbs, with some even more. The ones I've taken were in the 100 to 150 pounders, usually a head shot, once with a heart shot that completely obliverated(?spelling) that organ.
Mike, the taste of wild hogs is great. When you b-q them, you'll exclaim it's the best you've ever tasted. Also I wrecked my Toyota p-u one early morning going to work when I hit a hundred pounder. Two thousand dollar damage, but that hog was great on the grill! Most costly pork I ever had.
I'm sorry Paul for highjacking your thread; got carried away. My applogies sir.

[gsmittle]

As an avid DIYer, though, I would love to say I went out into the bush and killed my own boar but this will have to do.

You can say you went out into the bush and brought it down with your bare hands if you want. Just make sure the boar gets bigger every time you tell the story.

g.

[sailor55330]

I find a 300 Weatherby with a 180gr bullet usually ruins their day. Plus with that gun, I can keep a nice 250 yard cushion......

[chopnhack]

If you even have the threat of rain Paul, you may want to get a high tent or place the spit near a high overhang. We used to do a charcoal rotisserie goat/lamb pretty much each year for easter, 25-40 lbs range. I don't recall the exact time to cook, we just kept basting to keep it moist, olive oil, oregano, salt, pepper, lemon juice, probably about 4-6 hours. We had the area under a tin roof awning a few years because of weather. Wind can also increase your cooking time substantially. Best of luck.

[atgcpaul]

I'm happy to report the roast went off without a hitch. Rented the spit from a local place. Picked up the processed pig from a local-ish butcher on Sat morning. 68lbs dead weight. It just barely fit in my dad's hunting cooler.

Saturday night injected it with a brine solution and rubbed it all over in Kosher salt. Sunday night my dad and Uncle helped me rinse off the pkg, skewer it, and got it started on the spit. It started on the spit at midnight and I watched it all night until they came back and we took it off at 10:15am on Labor Day.

I was exceedingly pleased with how it turned out although I would have liked to have crunched up the skin some more. Well worth the effort!

Paul