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Bucknekked
05-28-2020, 10:57 AM
Brethren, I need some help and perhaps a few suggestions for an upcoming suckling pig roast this Saturday.


PROBLEM:
I got the suckling pig from Costco Business center. The SMALLEST one they had was 41 pounds. Frozen: its 31 inches long from butt to snout. My Yoder YS640 grate is 30 inches long. We tried putting it in there, but it won't quite fit. Any ideas? Can it be manipulated when thawed to fit in the space? It won't be thawed out till sometime tomorrow



SUGGESTIONS:
at 41 pounds, what do you think the cook time will be? I can put my Yoder at any temp and it will hold it so that's not an issue. Any ideas on the great temp/time combo for a pig this size? The Yoder will hold any temp.



My son's Traeger is longer than my Yoder (36 inches) so if all else fails we could drag it over to my house for the cook. But if any of y'all know if its possible to cajole that pig in to my Yoder that would be my first choice.

robertm
05-28-2020, 01:17 PM
Off with his head!

If he's only an 1" long you'll be able to get him in there w/o much issue once thawed. Could lay him over something as well to effectively shorten his rooter to tooter length. Just make sure it doesn't allow the juices to run out of the cavity.

jdolor
05-28-2020, 01:32 PM
Off with his head!

If he's only an 1" long you'll be able to get him in there w/o much issue once thawed. Could lay him over something as well to effectively shorten his rooter to tooter length. Just make sure it doesn't allow the juices to run out of the cavity.

With your permission, I'm stealing the "rooter to tooter comment".

:grin:

Bucknekked
05-28-2020, 02:10 PM
Off with his head!

If he's only an 1" long you'll be able to get him in there w/o much issue once thawed. Could lay him over something as well to effectively shorten his rooter to tooter length. Just make sure it doesn't allow the juices to run out of the cavity.


I am also stealing the "rooter to tooter" comment. That's a great use of the language right there I don't care who you are.


That also begs a question: do you sew up the cavity? He's all wide open at the moment. We've only done one other whole suckling pig and we didn't sew it shut. We do plan on injecting this one before putting it in the smoker. I'd be interested in what folks think.

Happy Hapgood
05-28-2020, 11:17 PM
Check this out just for ideas.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSJv_0Liy90

Sid Post
05-28-2020, 11:32 PM
If you arch the thawed pig slightly, it will fit. Frozen stiff is a bit deceiving.

Personally, I'd use a little arch in the back if I didn't have two smokers already that would hold it.

Regarding sewing it up, I don't see that with the few whole hog cooks I've been around. I'm assuming you will lay him on his side. If you do him 'racing style', you will probably want to put him in a pan or lipped 'table' to catch the juices.

In terms of drying out, your pork butts don't dry out, do they? If you can take a naked butt (without skin) and slap it down on a grate and get juicy pulled pork, a suckling pig with skin 'to tent' the meat should come out moist too, especially if you are pumping him full of good stuff beforehand.

Butt (sp?) what do I know?

Sopchoppy
05-29-2020, 06:01 AM
Check this out just for ideas.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSJv_0Liy90

Brother in law trapped one about the size in the video. I smoked it whole just like a pork butt. 5-6 hours with pecan/cherry at 225-250, wrapped the whole thing in hd foil, 5-6 more hours. It started to fall apart when taken off the smoker. Pulled and chopped, it was some of the best pork I have had and family said the same.

Whodat985
05-29-2020, 06:11 AM
Post picture of the cook

Bucknekked
05-29-2020, 09:47 AM
Thank you for the ideas. I will give them a go. Pictures? in the year 2020, if there aint no pictures, did it really happen? My grand kids will tell you if there's no pictures, it aint real !



I plan on racing style for the cook because that's all I know about for suckling pigs.
Last time we didn't do a drip pan probably because we never gave that a thought.
I'll have to think about the pan idea. I have some big ones (restaurant sized).


Keep those ideas coming ! Tomorrow (Saturday) we cook ! (and take pictures)

DanB
05-29-2020, 04:37 PM
Hi You can always cut it in 1/2 or 1/4.:caked:
DanB

Bucknekked
05-30-2020, 11:19 PM
The pig was a wonderful success. Will post pics tomorrow. The ideas were helpful.

Smoke Daddy
06-01-2020, 09:29 AM
The pig was a wonderful success. Will post pics tomorrow. The ideas were helpful.
Am glad you figured it out and can't wait to see! This is a 37lb attempt that JUST fit into my Tejas Smokers 20x 40....wanted to show that it can be done.:thumb: Had the butcher saw off the ham hocks and away I went. Smoked the ham hocks; they added an AMAZING flavor to a big pot of Gumbo a few weeks later:mrgreen:
182184

Eckie
06-01-2020, 12:28 PM
What sizes are typically available for doing a whole pig like this? I mean on the small end of the scale...I know you can get bigguns.

Smoke Daddy
06-01-2020, 01:00 PM
What sizes are typically available for doing a whole pig like this? I mean on the small end of the scale...I know you can get bigguns.
Most suppliers operate in 3 ranges:


20-30lbs
30-40lbs
40-50lbs

The odd thing is the smaller pig you request, the more expensive per lb:confused::confused:

Bucknekked
06-01-2020, 01:35 PM
Typical sizes? I think it varies wildly with your regional area and the vendors available to you. When we did our very first hog last year, we went to a butcher shop and ordered him specifically to be under 30 pounds. We didn't know what to expect but we knew we could ask on a custom order for a specific weight. As Smoke Daddy said, the smaller you get, the more they cost per pound. That little 29 pounder was over $150 bucks.


As Costco Business center they are in stock and in a big freezer and you get to choose from what they have. The SMALLEST suckling pig they had on the day I went there was 41 pounds. So it was bigger than I wanted. On the good side, they were all $3 bucks a pound (screaming good price). So my 41 pounder was just a shade over $120 bucks + taxes. Costco had probably 20 of them in the freezer. The guy we spoke with on the phone said their Business center does about 1,000 a year !

Smoke Daddy
06-01-2020, 02:16 PM
Typical sizes? I think it varies wildly with your regional area and the vendors available to you. When we did our very first hog last year, we went to a butcher shop and ordered him specifically to be under 30 pounds. We didn't know what to expect but we knew we could ask on a custom order for a specific weight. As Smoke Daddy said, the smaller you get, the more they cost per pound. That little 29 pounder was over $150 bucks.


As Costco Business center they are in stock and in a big freezer and you get to choose from what they have. The SMALLEST suckling pig they had on the day I went there was 41 pounds. So it was bigger than I wanted. On the good side, they were all $3 bucks a pound (screaming good price). So my 41 pounder was just a shade over $120 bucks + taxes. Costco had probably 20 of them in the freezer. The guy we spoke with on the phone said their Business center does about 1,000 a year !


Just hung up with the Costco Business Center in Dallas.


2.99 per lb
You can arrange to have it moved to the fridge to thaw prior to pickup:shocked::shocked:

Best deal in the DFW Metroplex that I know of. Now, you'd have to crack the spine and saw off the hocks yourself, but at that price, who cares!:thumb:


Looks like my plans for the 4th just changed:wink:

Bucknekked
06-01-2020, 02:25 PM
If you arch the thawed pig slightly, it will fit. Frozen stiff is a bit deceiving.

Personally, I'd use a little arch in the back if I didn't have two smokers already that would hold it.

I took your advice and got a couple of small concrete bricks. I put them under his stomach so he would have to arch up over them. They are inert so they won't burn or add any flavors. It shortened him up just perfectly to fit.
That advice saved the day!



It took 8 hours at 240 degrees to hit 190 degrees in the shoulders. It was almost a text book cook. The only flaw we made was we wrapped his snout a little tight with the tin foil and it stuck to his face. It sorta peeled off a little of his suntan and his face was a little light compared to the rest of him. Next time, spray his face with oil and don't wrap so tight.


Here's what it looked like from start to finish.
FRESH IN THE SMOKER
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1172&pictureid=13640

5 HOURS IN THE SMOKE
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1172&pictureid=13642

THE STAR OF THE SHOW
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1172&pictureid=13643

ANOTHER HEAD ON BEAUTY SHOT
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1172&pictureid=13646THE BIG REVEAL
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1172&pictureid=13644

THE GRANDKIDS IN GLOVES PICK THE PIG
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1172&pictureid=13647

Eckie
06-01-2020, 02:33 PM
Im not surprised at the higher cost for smaller animal. When we take calves to market, the higher the poundage, the lower the price per pound we get. But dang that's a lot of $$ for 29 pounds of pig...and you can only eat about what percentage...half? Just a guess...

I have ordered the MB 1050, so just thinking, wondering if i could get a small one on there....

Smoke Daddy
06-01-2020, 11:45 PM
Great looking family! Oh yeah...Nice lookin' pig!!!:thumb::thumb:

Sid Post
06-02-2020, 09:25 AM
Awesome pig!

It looks like a smashing success!

Whodat985
06-02-2020, 09:29 AM
That looks awesome

ShadowDriver
06-02-2020, 09:49 AM
Look like a winner from here! Good thing you had family to come help devour that little piggy.

cowgirl
06-02-2020, 11:25 AM
Looks delicious! Great job!

LloydQ
06-02-2020, 12:28 PM
Great looking cook! That pig had a coronavirus tan on his face!

wbratt1
06-02-2020, 02:54 PM
Great job!!!

Happy Hapgood
06-02-2020, 05:46 PM
You Nailed it Sir!

WyattF
06-02-2020, 06:22 PM
Sweet! Once I break-in my new offset my wife who happens to be Filipina has requested one of these. I might wanna hit you up for pointers. Looks tasty. Question why the foil on the snout and ears?

Sid Post
06-02-2020, 06:32 PM
Sweet! Once I break-in my new offset my wife who happens to be Filipina has requested one of these. I might wanna hit you up for pointers. Looks tasty. Question why the foil on the snout and ears?

So they don't shrivel and burn up. Everyone wants a photogenic pig in their smoker so you have to keep them pretty!

Bucknekked
06-02-2020, 06:49 PM
Sweet! Once I break-in my new offset my wife who happens to be Filipina has requested one of these. I might wanna hit you up for pointers. Looks tasty. Question why the foil on the snout and ears?
Wyattf
Foiling the ears and snout is all about the presentation. The ears are really thin and lay flat against the skull. In order for them to standup and look like piggy ears they need some help: tin foil props them up and then they crisp and stay up. The snout tends to burn as well so covering it up keeps it looking good.


My only real "mistake" on this cook was wrapping the snout too tightly with the foil The foil stuck to the snout and we had quite a time getting it off without ruining the face. None of my grand kids cared so it all ended well.



They are still talking about it. If you want a conversation piece to entertain a family group, a suckling pig (or a whole pig) would certainly fit the bill. A whole pig (something > 100lbs) is another kettle of fish. I am happy I got the 41 pounder on the table looking delicious.