We got a barrel BBQ rig on loan and an 85 pig on the hoof we're thinking about cooking the whole hog. The pig sits in a pan and isn't directly over the coals. How long would you guess this might take to cook. We use a meat thermometer so we'll know when it's done but we don't know when to start the BBQ. Have heard that 7-8 hours @ 225-250F. But have also heard 9-10 hours, 11 - 12 hours, etc. . . Any suggestions? What if the pig is stuffed with veggies and kielbasa in the cavitity? How might this affect cooking time?
About 7 hours. Start it in the morning. We do bigger ones and we butterfly them and leave the hooves on so you flip it. It takes two people. You usally get half the weight in meat.
Ours usually takes around 18 hours at 225to 250 degrees. This is for an 80 to 100 lb hog, using an offset, (a horizontal cooker with a separate firebox). Does your barrel cooker have a firebox or are you building the fire directly under the hog? If under the hog, put the majority of the coals under the hams and shoulders. the ribs section will cook fast, even stuffed with veggies, etc.. If you are cooking directly over the heat, you will need to turn the hog from rib side to skin side for even cooking For our offset... We wrap it in chicken wire for easy turning halfway through, we keep it on it's back to hold in moisture and turn it end to end half way through. The meat is pretty tender when it's done and it's easier to remove from the cooker with wire on it. When you leave the skin on the hog, dry rubs don't seem to penetrate the skin while cooking so I find it better to season the inside and add things like you suggested. I like brown sugar, apples and onions. Kielbasa would add a lot of flavor. Also, I find that cooking the hog on it's back holds in more moisture, the skin holds it into the meat. We cook large hogs overnight using hard woods and charcoal. Someone has to stay up and add wood/charcoal to the pit to keep the temperature up, we run in shifts. DH usually stays with it til 3am and I take over til 11 am, then I get a nap! We cook with the hams closest to the fire, they take the longest. Halfway through cooking wrap the ears, ribs and shoulders with foil if they are getting too dark. I guess it really depends on the pit you are using, over direct heat, the hog won't take as long as in an offset. One thing that is worth doing is let your hog sit for at least 30 minutes before pulling apart, this gives the juices time to equalize. It's really worth it! Let us know how it turns out!
Wow this is making me hungry for a whole pig! I've got a great big ice box, the kind in front of convenient store that they keep ice in for customers, it has two big doors on it and stands about 5 1/2 feet high, about 6 feet long, and about 30" deep. I've been considering turning it into a big smoker and would like to try cooking a small pig for family events. I hope to have it up and going this fall so we can use it for thanksgiving and christmas. But I'm not sure if I should use a wood fire as I do have a extra wood stove that I could use for a heat source or if I should rob a couple 220volt grills out of old ovens and add a smoke pan. Maybe I will experment with the wood stove first and if it's too much work I'll convert it over to electric.
