BBQ Half hog anyone?

[Jolten]

What's your favorite way to cook half or whole hogs?

[jrebel]

That looks really good.  Tagging along to learn!!   

[Timberstalker]

That looks awesome. I’ve been thinking of doing one on my pellet grill. About a 100# hog, just a half.

[boneaddict]

I've never done it.  I've seen a pit method before where they bury it.  How many people does that feed?   Dang!

[boneaddict]

It looks like you built your set up just for that.  Do you do this often?  How much different is it doing now versus summer, (timecook, bugs, temp, etc?)

[KFhunter]

My daughter wants a whole hog Hawaiian style for her senior graduation party, I'm thinking of butterflying it and cooking it that way.   

I'll have a coal maker set away from the hog and just shovel coals into the hog pit.   


As far as how many it feeds, depends on the size of the hog.   Hogs are wonderful in that it doesn't matter how little or big they are,  you can BBQ a 30lb weaner pig, or a 300lb market hog. 

[Buckjunkie]

I rented a bbq on a trailer many years ago. Stayed up all night basting the pig. It turned out good.

10 years ago I bought a pre cooked pig from Stewart’s Meats in McKenna for my daughter’s graduation. It was pretty good, but nothing like the Luau pigs in Hawaii. They have that process dialed in.

Tagging along to see how this turns out.

[bornhunter]

When you cook a hog like this, how do you know when it is done?

[Brushcrawler]

Check out the “Caja China” roasting box. I was a skeptic, but the pig doesn’t dry out. Have done about 10 pigs up to 90 lbs.

[Caseyd]

Check out the “Caja China” roasting box. I was a skeptic, but the pig doesn’t dry out. Have done about 10 pigs up to 90 lbs.

Have a buddy who’s done an annual summer pig roast for awhile now.

We use the box mentioned above and it’s great.

[Blacklab]

Great pic Jolten🤑.

[boneaddict]

That La Cajachina looks awesome.  I just watched a couple videos on youtube.   Dang!

[Jolten]

I've never done it.  I've seen a pit method before where they bury it.  How many people does that feed?   Dang!

We fed roughly 50 people and sent people home with leftovers.

It looks like you built your set up just for that.  Do you do this often?  How much different is it doing now versus summer, (timecook, bugs, temp, etc?)

I do it every 1-2 years. With the heat shield it it takes about 7-8 hours. Summer time about 5-6 depending on outside temps. Bugs generally aren't an issue with the high heat and smoke. I've done the Hawaiian method as well. That takes about 10-12 hours to finish.
 

When you cook a hog like this, how do you know when it is done?

Meat thermometers are your friend. Test each area and if one section getting closer to temp then another you simply redistribute the heat source.

[bornhunter]

I've never done it.  I've seen a pit method before where they bury it.  How many people does that feed?   Dang!

We fed roughly 50 people and sent people home with leftovers.

It looks like you built your set up just for that.  Do you do this often?  How much different is it doing now versus summer, (timecook, bugs, temp, etc?)

I do it every 1-2 years. With the heat shield it it takes about 7-8 hours. Summer time about 5-6 depending on outside temps. Bugs generally aren't an issue with the high heat and smoke. I've done the Hawaiian method as well. That takes about 10-12 hours to finish.
 

When you cook a hog like this, how do you know when it is done?

Meat thermometers are your friend. Test each area and if one section getting closer to temp then another you simply redistribute the heat source.

[funkster]

Jolten, nice set up! I’m liking the heat shield, great idea. We do whole animals regularly, it’s definitely a lot of work but the outcome is always delicious, plus like you said, you can feed an army of people.

Here’s my big pit and a pic of a whole lamb.

[Whitpirate]

Check out the “Caja China” roasting box. I was a skeptic, but the pig doesn’t dry out. Have done about 10 pigs up to 90 lbs.

American made and better than a Caja.  I've done a 150lb pig with crispy skin in 4.5 hours.

https://americanhotbox.com/

[Jolten]

I've done full beef. I had a steering wheel attached to the spit rod and the family took turns turning it. The old timers in the family got a kick out of it. I'm going to convert it to an self turning mechanism for next time.

[Jolten]

Check out the “Caja China” roasting box. I was a skeptic, but the pig doesn’t dry out. Have done about 10 pigs up to 90 lbs.

American made and better than a Caja.  I've done a 150lb pig with crispy skin in 4.5 hours.

https://americanhotbox.com/

Those are nice. But I'm cheap

[Angry Perch]

Check out the “Caja China” roasting box. I was a skeptic, but the pig doesn’t dry out. Have done about 10 pigs up to 90 lbs.

American made and better than a Caja.  I've done a 150lb pig with crispy skin in 4.5 hours.

https://americanhotbox.com/

Those are nice. But I'm cheap

Make one!
https://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Caja-China-Roast-a-Pig-in-a-Box/

[wadu1]

Helped do a whole pig a few years back for a nephews b-day. His dad made a roaster out of 1 and a half 55gal drums welded together. It was cut open length ways about 20+ inches to allow the hot coals to be shoveled in. He added a one inch steel rod to skewer the pig, welded a bicycle chain sprocket (large) and then used the smaller sprocket on an old chevey starter and ran it off a 12 charger. They used a wireless meat thermometer to keep track of internal temp's 14 hours later it was done to perfection. I wish I took photos. 

[Jolten]

When I get around to it I planned on doing something similar with the bike spokes and old lawnmower motor.

[DOUBLELUNG]

That looks fantastic!

I've helped do several, mostly on a similar setup but with gas in a converted 500 gallon tank and a closable lid.  We wrapped them in a layer of chicken wire to keep meat from falling off.  Did one on a rack split down to the skin like the Cuban style over coals in a cinder block rectangle about 3' high, that was good too.  Went to a party once where 6 halves of 90-110lb CA feral hogs were done between expanded metal "stretchers", those were excellent.

[grimace]

Jolten, nice set up! I’m liking the heat shield, great idea. We do whole animals regularly, it’s definitely a lot of work but the outcome is always delicious, plus like you said, you can feed an army of people.

Here’s my big pit and a pic of a whole lamb.

Funkster, can you share some  details on your pit. I'm interested in building something like that.

G

[Jolten]

That looks fantastic!

I've helped do several, mostly on a similar setup but with gas in a converted 500 gallon tank and a closable lid.  We wrapped them in a layer of chicken wire to keep meat from falling off.  Did one on a rack split down to the skin like the Cuban style over coals in a cinder block rectangle about 3' high, that was good too.  Went to a party once where 6 halves of 90-110lb CA feral hogs were done between expanded metal "stretchers", those were excellent.

Haven't had an issue with meat falling off... Knock on wood of course now. It's hand pullable thou