Quote:
Originally Posted by Williefb
I'm planning to cook a hog using a cooker constructed out of concrete blocks.
Based on my search here I understand that there is a lively debate over the safety of cooking a whole hog using galvanized wire fencing.
My question is, if I need to use something other than galvanized material, what is it? I really need something that I can pick up at Lowes or Home Depot that doesn't require fabrication.
The other question is, does the hog even need to be wrapped? Can I just take a cable or something similar and wrap it around the feet and slide him over to one side and roll him over? Will this work or will the hams and shoulders pull loose?
Thanks!
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Willie you can use expanded metal for a grate and use rebar to support it beneath the middle if needed.
The rack in my block pit is expanded metal.. it's heavy duty enough that I don't have to have extra support.
I do not wrap pigs on the block pit. I only turn them one time..half way through the cook. I start them on their backs and turn them onto their belly side half way through the cook. The pig still holds together well at this point. It takes a couple of people (on bigger hogs) on each end, holding the feet, lifting the pig and turning it over.
You can do it the other way too.. cook half way on it's belly and turn the pig onto it's back for the finish but people like to see the pig back side up (looks prettier :))
When the pig is finished it takes at least 4 people to lift it onto a sheet of wrapped plywood or a table. The meat is so tender...
I smoke pigs on my horizontal wood burner up to 75lbs.. pigs on my block pit are up to 175lbs.. anything bigger gets cooked in the underground pit overnight.
Hope you have great luck with it Willie!
The more of them you smoke the easier they are. It's the not knowing on the first one that makes people hesitate to try it.
Good luck.
