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Q-talk *ON TOPIC ONLY* QUALITY ON TOPIC discussion of Backyard BBQ, grilling, equipment and outdoor cookin' . ** Other cooking techniques are welcomed for when your cookin' in the kitchen. Post your hints, tips, tricks & techniques, success, failures, but stay on topic and watch for that hijacking.


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Old 09-04-2011, 11:04 PM   #1
DirtyDirty00
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Default HELP! Roasting a pig underground next weekend! need lots of__ help!

Alright. Its time for my 3rd annual pig roast. first year i butterflied the pig and basically grilled it. baaaddd. 2nd year i rented a spit. the spit stunk, had to rig it, barely worked and the skin charred and bubbled and was baaadd.

This year i want to do the underground method. Ive done a ton of research. Ive found primarily one way that most places have said to do it, but some others have gave me variations.

Ill list the details of the roast and then the method i plan to take. then ill list a few questions.

A) The pig i ordered is 80-85 pounds.
B) i plan to season and stuff the pig with yams and pineapple. (maybe some other fruits as well)

Method i plan:
1) Digging a hole 2 1/2 feet deep. 5 feet long, 30inches wide
2) Burning a ton of hardwood in the hole until it is glowing with coals.
3) stuffing the pig and wrapping him in leaves
4) wrapping the leaved pig in burlap
5) wrapping the burlap in chicken wire and making wire handles to lift the pig in and out
6) lowering the pig in and covering him with wet burlap sacks
7) covering the hole with dirt until no steam is leaking out


Questions:
1) MOST methods have called for rocks to also be put in the fire. i understand what they are for however i dont have access to volcanic rocks. i can just use regular rocks (with the risk of them exploding) or i did find one page with directions that did not include rocks. what other kind of rocks can i use? Is there really a HUGE risk in using any rocks? Would i be ok to do it without rocks?

2) I also would not be putting rocks into the pigs cavity. Im assuming this would lengthen the time of the cook (which would be good for me so i can put him in the night before and let him cook until we are ready to eat the next day)

3) 100 lb pig. Stuffed. No rocks in cavity. How long to cook it to ensure its done? 10 hrs? 12? 14? ive seen wild things that say anywhere from 4hrs - 24hrs. most falling in the 10-12 range.

4) not quite sure i have access to Banana leaves. im going to try and go with either corn husks. lettuce leaves, or some other big leaves i can find. maybe ti leaves, im gonna make some calls tomorrow. any suggestions?



any help would be greatly appreciated! and believe me... lots of Pron next weekend!
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Old 09-04-2011, 11:12 PM   #2
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Good luck, bro. I can't help with cooking a pig underground but butcher paper or even parchment paper might do just as well as banana leaves.
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Old 09-04-2011, 11:14 PM   #3
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How about you line the pit with bricks, they hold the heat great, and well - you're not putting your pig in DIRT. Same with the cover, even a good board would work, metal plate would be better - make the hole just big enough, lined with brick - cover with board/plate and then bury that with dirt so no steam/heat is escaping.

Can't claim credit - watched it on Rick Bayless. I'm an open spit kinda guy.
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Old 09-05-2011, 12:05 AM   #4
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www.lacajachina.com

and you can order then from Sears!!!
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Old 09-05-2011, 12:14 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by Parruthead View Post
www.lacajachina.com

and you can order then from Sears!!!
One of those does make it easy and tasty.
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Old 09-05-2011, 12:34 AM   #6
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This is how we've seen it done out here. You'd just need a bigger hole.

http://www.primitiveways.com/Imu1.html

I've never personally done it, too much work for me....but to see it done is pretty amazing.

Best of luck.
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Old 09-05-2011, 12:46 AM   #7
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one thing is to make sure dirt don't get on the pig. most times i've seen the pit covered by tin roof material and then the dirt. you are best off using banana leaf that can be had at most asian/mexican stores.
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Old 09-05-2011, 02:03 AM   #8
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You don't need rocks at all. Make sure you have a deep bed of hot coals and use hardwood. http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/...derground.html
Don't let any air get into the pit.. check for smoke and throw more dirt on if it smoke is seeping out. Oxygen in the pit will cause flair ups.
No need for banana leaves or corn husks. Foil works fine also a layer of wet burlap.
It takes 3 or 4 hours to burn enough wood to get a deep bed of coals so either start very early in the morning OR (what I like to do) Burn the wood the night before, bury the pig and let it cook overnight.
Plan on at least 12 hours in the pit.

It never fails... the closer you get the pig to the pit, the smaller the pit looks and the bigger the pig gets.



Sometimes you just have to measure and dig some more ....and make sure you have enough room for at least 12" of hot coals, and about a foot of space around the pig.
Good luck!
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Old 09-05-2011, 07:35 AM   #9
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Quote:
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No need for banana leaves or corn husks. Foil works fine also a layer of wet burlap
Thanks! So if I do foil should I wrap the pig directly in foil? Then I can put him in chicken wire and lower him in? Cover in burlap and cover with dirt?

I've just read that the greenery helps steam the meat bc the moisture. I figured I needed something green in there.

I'll be digging the hole today. I'll be burning the wood Friday night and sticking the pig in around 1-2am and ill let it cook till bout 4pm
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Old 09-05-2011, 08:22 AM   #10
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I have only done a couple hogs in the ground, but I wrapped mine in marinated cheese cloth and wrapped with chicken wire used moist burlap on the bottom and covered with a piece of tin then covered with dirt, I have never cooked a hog that small mine are always around 250 to 280 hanging and i always allow 24 hrs for the cook time just in case, biggest hog took me 20 hrs cook time but it was 300# hanging
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Old 09-05-2011, 10:19 AM   #11
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I have a La Caja China #2 and I'll take it over the Imu or spit roasted pigs. Granted you won't have the showstopping spectacle of the pigs spinning or the size capacity, but I think the finished product would be better.

You may be able to rent one, or put a shout out to Side, he may want to play with his!
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Old 09-05-2011, 11:43 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DirtyDirty00 View Post
Thanks! So if I do foil should I wrap the pig directly in foil? Then I can put him in chicken wire and lower him in? Cover in burlap and cover with dirt?

I've just read that the greenery helps steam the meat bc the moisture. I figured I needed something green in there.

I'll be digging the hole today. I'll be burning the wood Friday night and sticking the pig in around 1-2am and ill let it cook till bout 4pm
You're welcome!
Greenery does help steam the meat but if you don't have any available the wet burlap does the same thing.
Season and stuff the pig ( if you want ) then wrap in foil... cover in burlap, then the chicken wire. You can either wet the burlap before wrapping or after, either way works fine.







it saves a lot of work if you layer everything out underneath the pig... chicken wire, burlap and foil....Then place the pig on top and season or stuff.
When you're through seasoning just wrap it up..



make sure to attach loooong pieces of wire at each end as handles.... For lifting the pig out of the pit... you don't want to have to bend over into the pit and try to lift or lower the thing.




If you cook the pig on it's back the skin holds in the juices... the meat comes out fall-apart-tender...







The most important things to remember are getting the hot coal bed deep enough to last and keep all air out.

If you have the time, you could practice on a little underground cook...


http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/...liers-and.html

or

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=102034



Good luck with the pig, they are easy to do, the hardest part is digging the hole.
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Old 09-06-2011, 09:08 AM   #13
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I would rub the Original Todd's DIRT all inside the pig. It is amazing on whole hog.
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Old 09-06-2011, 09:14 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thedirtman View Post
I would rub the Original Todd's DIRT all inside the pig. It is amazing on whole hog.
They're gonna need about a 5 gallon bucket of the stuff to make it right.....Maybe you could send it here for inspection and I will try to ensure it makes it to the cook in NY....
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Old 09-06-2011, 10:45 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cowgirl View Post

Good luck with the pig, they are easy to do, the hardest part is digging the hole.

Hole has been dug! took a few hours, but its done. about 5ft x 3ft and a little over 2.5 feet deep. i think its plenty big for the 85 lb pig im gonna roast. might even call up the butcher and ask him to get 100 lb just incase.
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