A couple years ago, I learned of the "Three Guys From Miami" style of roasting a pig and decided to give it a try. With a few adjustments here and there, it's worked out for us and should for a long time to come.
I won't go into a lot of detail here, since the web site is chock full of step-by-step instruction and helpful tips. Site URL:
http://cuban-christmas.com/pigroast.htmlWe started off by locating a pig rancher that had smaller butcher pigs from 50 to 100 pounds that hadn't been given worming medication within the past 2 weeks.
Dispatch: A ball bat and a boning knife later...
Hair removal: They've got a lot more hair than you might think. You'll want to burn it off. A little propane torch worked well.
Cutting: After a good cool down, it's ready to be split
The site has good information about splitting to butterfly, but here are some detail shots to help clarify.
Just some gently tapping on the sharp clever with the wood mallot was perfect.
Just cut through everything but a little flesh and the skin on the bottom side.
Seasoning: Here's where I got creative and rolled with my own spices and herbs. Mostly gobs of garlic cloves, olive oil, Cavender's, Johnny's, Sea salt, and prime rib rub.
I made a rub out of the mix and a thinner injectable version.
After injecting the marinade and rubbing it down, we wired the pig between the two grids. As they mention, this is so that you can flip the pig afer about 2-3 hours. Also, prior to placing the pig on the pit, the coals should be ready and moved into the corners.
Oven prep: Here we are following their recommendations and covering with aluminum foil. We were really trying to seal it up good, since one of the alterations I made was to add alder chips for a bit more of a smokey flavoring.
Let's Eat! It's hard to describe how tender the meat was. Too tender might be one way. It was awesome, but we probably could have cooked it hotter and longer to let more of the moisture out - a bit.
Overall, this was a great way to cook a pig. It's something we can re-use again and again, and continue to modify for other meats and cooking methods. I've even been thinking of turninig it into a large smoker. The bricks are cheap and you can use so many things as the cooking surface.
Take a read through their site. I'm sure you'll appreciate their cooking style and have fun with it on your own.
