I was asked to smoke a pig for a cigar event at my local cigar club. This was only my second pig smoke on the reverse flow so I figured I would document it for the brethren. Here we go...
Picked up the pig at 1900 and from the joint there were "issues". I was suppose to get a 80 pound pig dress. Unfortunately, the farmer conveyed the message to his help and the help picked an 80 pound piggy to slaughter, leaving me with a ~55 pound pig.
Here is piggy on the smoker. I went light with him, EVO on the skin and salt in the cavity. The wood is hickory...
Piggy was so fresh he still had mud on his nose. Two hours in and getting a little color.
Six hours in and the mahogany color is starting to show.
It's 0400 and I'm about to hit the course for some Tiger Woods 2014 and grab a good cigar.
Learned some valuable lessons...(1) 0400 is not a good time to try to learn a new Xbox game, (2) there is never a bad time for a good cigar and (3) this pig is looking and smelling good.
I covered the face, it was placed closet to the reverse flow opening, with foil and she went to sleep. This was at the 8 hour mark. The entire time I was keeping the temp low because I wanted her to be done at noon. I had planned for a 12 hour smoke for an 80 pound pig, so this is getting interesting. The hams are at 168, shoulders at 171 and 174.
Good color at the 10 hour mark. Temps are ~188 at the hams and shoulders. I need to stretch this for another 2 hours. Skin is really taut.
The pig has become a razor back. At 13 hours, the spine and knees broke through the skin. All major areas were between 202 and 210. Time to pull.
Pull, chopped and ready to serve. I was surprised at how lean this pig was. The next time I will definitely put a drip pan under the loins to protect them. The leans all but dried up and disappeared. The rest of the meat was moist and with good flavor. I must say it was the first time I ever tried smoked jowls, they were tasty.
