Spit-roasted pig 2

100 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
100 pounds Pig

Directions

You need time, friends, and funds to spit-roast a pig. Find a source and order the pig, rent a spit from the yellow pages of your telephone book. Select your site out of the wind and rain and prepare the firebed, after you have picked up the spit and before you pick up the pig. When you pick up the pig, secure it on the spit, allowing at least 2 hours for this job. More on that later.

THE PIG. Order a pig weighing 100 pounds or less. a 100 pound pig makes 100 servings. You may have to wait up to one month to get the size pig you want. Shop around for the best prices. If the pig arrives a day or so ahead, have it held for you in the market's refrigerator. After spitting the pig, you can keep it cold for up to 14 hours. Place pig on a plastic sheet in a cool place; drape it with sealed plastic bags filled with ice. Cover with another sheet of plastic; protect from animals and insects. Replace ice as it melts.

PREPARING THE FIRE BED: You'll need a shovel, the spit-roasting equipment, 20 pounds of sand, 14 concrete blocks (6- by 6- by 12 inch size) about 120 pounds of long burning charcoal briquets, fire starter and matches, a garden rake long handled tongs, potholder mitts and a large box of baking soda. Clear a level 3- by 5-foot area down to the soil. Down the center, spread sand in a 1½- by 3-foot rectangle. Set spit supports at 3-foot ends of rectangle and put spit in position. Adjust supports so that spit is 20 to 24 inches above ground and centered. Line perimeter of area with concrete blocks (open sides up) to make a solid wall.

SPIT ROASTING EQUIPMENT. You need a spit at least 7 feet long and forks to keep the pig from slipping.

SPITTING & TYING THE PIG: A TEAM OPERATION. Allow at least 2 hours for spitting and tying. first, insert spit through mouth and out tail of pig; one person pushes spit, the other guides it along backbone. Spit should not pierce any bone or meat. Make sure pig is centered on spit. Next, wire spin to spit. You'll need three 24-inch lengths of heavy wire, an ice pick, and pliers. At mid back, make a hole on each side of spine with an ice pick, poking from rib side out through the skin. Working from skin side, force the 2 ends of 1 wire through holes in pig cavity. With pliers, twist wire ends together over spit, securely uniting spit and spine (spine curves and may actually not touch spit). Position remaining 2 wires about 12" away from center wire on either side. Force metal spit forks firmly and securely into thickest parts of hind and shoulder ends; clap or wire spit forks tightly to secure spit. Use double strands of heavy cotton string to tie front and rear legs to spit. Because legs are stiff, this task may require brute strength. To hold skin in place as it cooks, make a string net over rib loin sections. Suspend spit between 2 counters, so you can pass string under and around pig. First tie string tightly at 3" intervals around body between front and rear legs. Then wrap strings at right angles to make 3" squares. Once pig is spitted and tied, position it on spit supports and rotate to make sure the equipment works and that pig is balanced. A well-balanced pig that doesn't shift its weight on the spit is essential. Remove pig and keep cool while you start the fire.

ROASTING THE PIG. Pile ten pounds of charcoal briquets at each end of firebed and ignite. When coals are ash-covered and glowing hot (about 1 hour) set spitted pig on supports. Rake coals into even layer underneath pig. Begin rotating pig. Continue rotating throughout cooking. After about 1 hour, when fat begins to drip, rake briquets from directly beneath pit to expose sand. Arrange coals so most are underneath thickest parts of pig, with 6"-8"-wide band of coals along sides of pig. To keep skin from charring, sprinkle any grease fires with baking soda to smother flames. About every 30 minutes, rake briquets to knock off ash. Add 10 pounds of briquets about every hour to maintain heat. After about 10 hours, fat will cease dripping excessively; at this point, rake hot coals back beneath pig, concentrating heat under thighs and shoulders. Internal temperature in thickest part of animal at bone should be 140F on a rapid-reading thermometer. Check temperature in several places. A spit-roasted pig exposed to the air often reaches only 140-150, but if cooking continues at this temperature for at least 1 hour, the meat is both safe and very palatable to eat. Cooking typically takes 10-12 hours, though breezy or cool weather will slow it down. If the pig is ready before the rest of the meal, rake coals from beneath pig so it will cease cooking but stay hot; keep hot on spit for up to 1 hour.

To serve, transfer spitted pig to a large table topped with a pig-size tray of heavy foil, pull out spit and cut off strings.

Garnish pig with parsley. Pull off skin; tear or carve meat from bones. Season to taste.

Posted on GEnie Food & Wine RT Feb 28, 1994 by COOKIE-LADY [FW-COOKIE] Brought to you by MMCONV and Sylvia Steiger, GEnie THE.STEIGERS, CI$ 71511,2253, Internet sylvia.steiger@..., moderator of GT Cookbook and PlanoNet Lowfat & Luscious echoes From: Sylvia Steiger Date: 09-27-94 Submitted By GAIL SHIPP On 06-12-95

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