Pig Roast

[36fatfriends]

Hey everyone, I'm planning a little get together in a few weeks and would like to roast a whole pig for the event. I have never done this before and don't want to embarrass myself. Does anyone have any pointers for me considering the following information:

-I will be in the middle of nowhere. I'll be getting a generator as a power source.
-I would like to build a simple open pit and run a spit for roasting.
-I need to figure a way to rig a small slow electric motor to the spit.
-Should be around 30-40 in attendance
-Should I buy Briquettes or make a hardwood fire on the side and just transfer coals under the pig

Any recommendations for spit plans or setups? Sources for whole pigs in Atlanta or Lula? If it's easier (and affordable enough) to rent a spit?

What I've researched so far has led me to the following conclusions:

-Have a way to adjust height of spit
-Assume 1hr 10min per 10 pounds of dead weight
-Assume 2-3lbs of dead weight per person
-Heavily salt rub or soak in brine bath overnight before

Thank you guys!

 

[bensskateshop]

I've always just built a simple "pit" by stacking concrete blocks 3 high (2 full size and 1 half block) about 3' x 5' leaving a couple gaps for air intake and one large opening for throwing in coals. Put a piece of expanded metal (mine happens to be an old trailer ramp) across the top, and another row of blocks to create an oven. I then have a few pieces of tin roofing to cover the meat while cooking. Heat is supplied by a 55 gallon drum hardwood fire, just using the coals shoveled under the meat and a few pieces of soaked wood for smoke. I cut a foot tall hole in the bottom/side of the barrel and welded some rebar above the shovel hole to hold up the wood.

This has worked out well for me and there is always a little room around the pig for the corn etc.

Dam, now I'm hungry!!!

 

[36fatfriends]

I've always just built a simple "pit" by stacking concrete blocks 3 high (2 full size and 1 half block) about 3' x 5' leaving a couple gaps for air intake and one large opening for throwing in coals. Put a piece of expanded metal (mine happens to be an old trailer ramp) across the top, and another row of blocks to create an oven. I then have a few pieces of tin roofing to cover the meat while cooking. Heat is supplied by a 55 gallon drum hardwood fire, just using the coals shoveled under the meat and a few pieces of soaked wood for smoke. I cut a foot tall hole in the bottom/side of the barrel and welded some rebar above the shovel hole to hold up the wood.

This has worked out well for me and there is always a little room around the pig for the corn etc.

Dam, now I'm hungry!!!

Sounds simple enough. I'm having a hard time picturing your description of the barrel fire though. Literally just a fire in a barrel and you pull coals from it or is it attached to the side like a smoker setup?

Do you flip the pig at all? Roast belly up or down? What's your cook time on that?

 

[bensskateshop]

This is a real quick mouse drawing of my barrel. The blacked out areas are where you would be able to see the inside of the barrel. I cut the hole in the side about 3" wider than a shovel and about 10 or 12" tall. The red marks are holes drilled through to slide the re-bar through to hold your burning wood off the floor. It takes a little getting used to to figure out how much coals to leave in the barrel to keep the fire going well and a good length of pipe to shake the fire to get the coals to drop down so you can shovel them under your pig. This could also be accomplished with a ground fire just as easily.

I start the pig belly up / skin down for a few hours until the skin starts to crisp up then flip it for a few more hours. The cook time varies greatly due to inconsistencies in the heat of your fire, wind, thickness of the pig, etc. Stop by the store and pick up a $20 remote electronic thermometer, and cook until the thickest part is at least 170f. I check about a dozen places to make sure it's done. Let it rest a couple hours and start shredding!

As a general rule, I'll start the barrel fire and a good size fire in the "pit" about 4 hours before I start cooking and cook the pig belly up for about 4 to 5 hours, flip and cook another 3 to 4 hours. We always season liberally with salt, pepper, garlic and dry bbq rub.

Hope this helps and what kind of beer should I bring?

 

[JkEnder]

In for info.

 

[LARGO9]

get ya one of these, best thing to cook pigs