Frank's Recipes! Pig Roast

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Pig Roast

Deep-pit Method
Better yet...how not to.

Rotisseries are great for cooking suckling pig or lamb, but for several reasons they are worthless for roasting anything over 30 pounds.

First, larger beasts shrink more in absolute terms than smaller game, which requires that the positioning rods or prongs be adjusted at some point during the cooking process. This is not easy to do, considering you will need to either remove the spit and half-cooked pig from the rotisserie or adjust the prongs while standing over 200 pounds of white-hot charcoal. Both options suck.

Next, most rotisseries are not constructed soundly enough to accommodate larger animals, despite what the manufacturer claims. Either the electric motor will burn-out from the heat and stress, the mounting rig holding the spit will atrophy and collapse, or the cotter pin holding the spit to the motor will shear.

Third is cost. The rotisserie and fire pan, stand, chain, spit and other assorted crap cost money. When the motor burns-out, good luck finding a replacement. A pit costs nothing to build, and is easily transported from one roast to the next (a shovel will fit in the trunk of your car).

Finally, rotisserie cooking requires constant vigilance on the part of the chef, and constant basting to keep the meat moist. When you cook in a deep-pit, you can get some rest (or have a party) the night before and have ample time to prepare for the party the following day.

If you would like further discussion on any of these points, if you want to know why you shouldn't butterfly the pig, or if you want to argue about it, go here.

Why a deep-pit?
Why the hell not? The Hawaiians and every other culture that has ever kept swine cook in deep- or open-pits. After thousands of years, there is still no better tasting or easier way to cook a whole pig. Deep pit roasting allows the pig to cook slowly and evenly while sealed underground in a shallow grave. Steam from superheated juices remains in the pig instead of escaping into the atmosphere, leaving the pig more tender and juicy than any you will ever have. Ask anyone who's had a deep-pit roasted pig for confirmation. Testimonials available upon request.

How-to prepare.
Preparation is king. Good prep work also allows you more time to enjoy the party.

Procure a pig or two from your butcher. Unless your butcher specializes in pigs for roasts he will think you are insane. Do not take his advice unless he tells you to cook the pig in a deep-pit. If he begins to describe rotisserie cooking techniques, think about baseball while he completes your order. Next year, find another butcher.

Order a pig that is around 200 pounds or less as larger pigs tend to have a fattier flavor. They are also more difficult to handle before and after cooking. If you feel you need more meat, get another pig. The pig is one of the cheapest portions of throwing an all-out roast, and you don't want your guests to go hungry.

Stuff the pig's cavity with whole hot Italian sausage links and whole, cleaned fryer chickens, or whatever else you feel like putting in there. Just remember that you want to use something fatty to act as a larding agent. Also, don't plan on serving the stuffing because it's not pretty when it comes out and most of the flavor will have leached into the pig.

Dig a pit larger than the pig by two feet on each side. That is, if your pig is 3 x 6 feet when laying on it's side (including the legs and feet), then your pit should be 7 x 10 feet. If you are cooking two or more pigs in the same pit, keep them about a foot apart and do the math. Make the pit 4 feet deep. A backhoe speeds the process.

Line the pit with 4-6 inch river rocks, or the largest gravel you can find. The rock lining should be about one foot deep.

Pack the pit with a parquet pattern of well-seasoned hardwood; do not use resinous woods such as pine. You will need about 400 pieces of split wood per pig. Don't run out of wood and keep a water hose handy.

How-to cook the pig.
If you have made it this far without any major catastrophe, you're probably ready for a beer. Have one as the hard work is already done.

Light the fire and stand back because it is going to get hot. You anticipate at least 24 hours of cooking time, and it will take about 4-5 hours to properly develop the fire, so plan appropriately. After the first load of wood has burned-down halfway, rake it into a relatively flat surface and add the rest of the wood. After another 1 to 1.5 hours, rake-out the coals again. By now, the fire should be too hot to approach.

Approach the fire with pre-opened 40-pound bags of charcoal and spread loose charcoal across the hardwood embers. If you do this properly, the heat will subside momentarily. The charcoal should be spread into a layer about 4-5 inches deep. Let the charcoal turn white and add another identical layer of charcoal. If you find it difficult to approach the fire pit, all is well. The fire should be unbearably hot. If it isn't, add more fuel.

Wrap the pig in heavy-duty aluminum foil in a spiral fashion. Some claim this step is optional and untraditional, but if the Hawaiians had access to aluminum foil, they would have used it. Foil keeps the pig much cleaner.

Insert temperature probes and thermocouple wires and secure to muscle (not bone) deep within the pig. Again, maybe non-traditional, but our pigs are ready when we promise. See technical section for more info.

Throw the pig or pigs onto the fire after the second layer of charcoal has turned white. The fire will be almost unapproachable due to the intense heat, so you will be literally throwing the pigs. We recommend a man at each end of the pig doing the heave-ho on the count of one. With very lone poles, arrange the pig or pigs in the center of the pit. Plant stakes outside of the pit to roughly mark the position of the pigs. This will help when un-burying the following day.

Cover the pig or pigs with enough when wet burlap to make two or three complete layers over the pigs. The burlap won't burn and it will make it much easier to unearth the pig when it is done. Soak the burlap in water one hour before application.

Mound more fresh charcoal onto the pig until it is almost covered. The charcoal should make a pyramid around the pig. There's no need to add charcoal near the edges of the pit as there's nothing to cook there. Let the charcoal get halfway toward turning white.

Bury the pigs loosely in dirt. You obviously won't use all of the dirt from the pit. Mound the dirt toward the center of the pit in graveyard style. Walk around on the pit to pack the dirt, but do not pack too tightly.

Wait. About 24 hours for two 200-pound pigs. In-depth cooking time information is available. Have a party while waiting.

Unearth the pigs by gently digging with shovels. It helps to remember where the pigs are in relation to the pit, so use the stakes you planted the day before as your guide. When you can see the burlap, brush it clean with a broom. Peel back the burlap to reveal the pigs. Continue to sweep dirt away from the pigs until they can be removed from the pit unimpeded.

Remove the pig from the pit. See technical for information on removing the pig and cooking rigs.

Carve and serve the pig and enjoy the party. If you don't know how to carve a pig, see the carving section. Better yet, my parents solved the problem of carving by assigning a different guest carver for every roast: a doctor. If the doctor can't figure out how to do it, he probably got his degree in the Bahamas. We also have more info on carving.

Serve the pig with whatever makes you happy. See the recipe page for side-dish and serving suggestions, as well as how to make them in large quantities.

Party on. After all the work, you deserve it.