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View Full Version : Cooking a whole Hog Friday - How to Store Overnight?


Boshizzle
07-20-2011, 06:29 PM
I have the pleasure of cooking a whole hog Friday in the La Caja China my boss gave me in exchange for cooking a whole hog. Now, I won't get into how it is going to be the hottest day of the year around here on Friday or the fact that I'd just as soon sit in my air conditioned office or air conditioned conference rooms meeting with clients than sitting in the 110+ weather with high humidity cooking a hog over a La Caja China that emits extreme temps from the top due to the pounds and pounds of charcoal it takes.

Anyway, I only have a large cooler to store the 100 pound hog in overnight while it marinates. I went by the butcher's shop today to take a look at how large the hog is. If we remove the head and cut off the trotters it is about 42 inches long.

Would keeping it in a long cooler filled with ice cover with a blanket be enough to keep it cool overnight? I'm not sure that I will be able to close the lid on the cooler.

In Spite of my wife's objections, it will be in the kitchen with some AC running all night too.

aquablue22
07-20-2011, 07:12 PM
When I get them they come in a box and a big are plastic bag, the box is coated with wax. I load the plastic bag full of ice and let it rest in the garage until in the morning, all the time. Just make sure you keep the ICE ICE, meaning do not let it melt and turn to slush.

Boshizzle
07-20-2011, 07:21 PM
Thanks, bro!

jestridge
07-20-2011, 08:01 PM
The large cooler should be ok fill with ice

Boshizzle
07-20-2011, 08:03 PM
Thanks, Jestridge. That's my plan. The hog was just slaughtered yesterday so it's nice and fresh.

El Lobo
07-20-2011, 08:42 PM
I just line my La Caja with poly and wrap the pig up. Cover with ice and it's good as long as you keep the ice up. I held mine in there for two days at 90+ heat, no problemo. If you wanna be even more sure, get some white styrofoam and line the sides and top.

Boshizzle
07-20-2011, 08:44 PM
I just line my La Caja with poly and wrap the pig up. Cover with ice and it's good as long as you keep the ice up. I held mine in there for two days at 90+ heat, no problemo. If you wanna be even more sure, get some white styrofoam and line the sides and top.

Now, that's an idea, thanks!

CarolinaQue
07-21-2011, 07:54 AM
These guys have you covered with how to hold it. May I suggest taking it out of the ice about 2 hours before cooking it or alloting a couple of extra hours for the cook. I put a hog in one of those boxes right out of the cooler once and it added about 2 to 3 hours of cooking time over all.

---k---
07-21-2011, 08:18 AM
Are you sure your cooler is big enough? I think you need to put the pig in the bath tub full of ice. :razz:

Boshizzle
07-21-2011, 08:35 AM
Are you sure your cooler is big enough? I think you need to put the pig in the bath tub full of ice. :razz:

The entertainment value from my wife's reaction to that would make it worth a try. :-P

Jorge
07-21-2011, 08:42 AM
Get a bag or two of ice into the cavity as well and you should be good.

pperkins
07-21-2011, 02:43 PM
Covered with a sheet of plastic and a towel. One word of advice...warn you wife first. Trust me.

http://cubeville.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/p1010044.jpg?w=300&h=225

-Perry

DC_BBQ
07-21-2011, 02:47 PM
I vote for bathtub

---k---
07-21-2011, 04:43 PM
One word of advice...warn you wife first. Trust me.


-Perry

But that ruins 1/2 the fun. :twisted:

swamprb
07-21-2011, 06:09 PM
I recently cooked an 89lb pig in my LCC#2 and we had to cut the head and trotters off and scrunch it into the rack and wired it together for it to fit.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/swamprb/La%20Caja%20China/IMG_3866.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/swamprb/La%20Caja%20China/IMG_3868.jpg

Luckily my butcher let me inject it and keep it in their walk in overnight. Otherwise it would have spent the night in the bathtub filled with ice! Don't laugh!

BTW- the pig I cooked produced so much fat that it overflowed the drip pan and leaked out the LCC. I sent an e-mail to them and got a response:

Brian,

A 80+ lb pig is a large pig and it will release a lot of grease. If the grease starts to overlap the grease tray it will start to leak little by little.

Thank you,

Avian Guerra | GM | La Caja China

No big deal! Best pig I ever cooked!

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/swamprb/La%20Caja%20China/IMG_3909.jpg

Looking forward to some La Caja pron!

captmoby
07-21-2011, 06:21 PM
I have used a small plastic swimming pool in the past. Just keep it iced down and covered with plastic and blankets.

chicagokp
07-21-2011, 07:14 PM
Definitely want to see all the pron. Don't hold back!

Question, if you take off the head and trotters, what are you gonna do with those? The cheek and some of the neck were always the best part of pig pickin's.