How to Build a Charcoal Pig Roaster
Many different cultures have been roasting pigs using traditional methods for hundreds of years. Noche Buena, or Christmas Eve, is normally celebrated with a large family gathering and a traditional pig roast. Pioneer men and women, while out on the trail, would roast pigs as they hunted them. Building a charcoal pig roaster back then was as simple as digging a small pit and filling it with firewood. Now with modern technology, the method for building a pig roaster has changed very little, though roasters are available to buy. Building your own charcoal pig roaster can be accomplished easily and in less than an hour. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Choose an area in the yard that is free of grass or has little grass to remove. Make sure this area is away from combustible items such as gas or propane containers. The area should be as long and as wide as the pig that you'll be roasting. Typically an area about 6 feet long and 3 feet wide is ideal for larger pigs. Rake the area free of any grass and debris.
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Lay out your cinder blocks lengthwise in a pattern of four blocks long, four blocks high, and two blocks wide at the ends. The end blocks should be inset to the outer walls.
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3
Place aluminum foil along the bottom of the roaster and let it crawl up the sides to a height of two blocks. Ensure that the bottom is flat and even all around for maximum heat dispersion.
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Place charcoal inside the roaster. Adjust the amount of charcoal to the weight of the pig to be roasted. An 85- to 100-pound pig will easily feed 80 to 100 people, for this size pig you would need at least 70 to 80 pounds of charcoal.
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Cover nine pieces of steel re-bar with aluminum foil and place them across the top of the roaster. Tie wire onto both ends of each piece of re-bar and stake them into the ground. This will hold them in place.
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Light the charcoal and allow it to burn for at least 20 minutes or until it is white hot and begins to ash over. Use a long stick and push the charcoals into the corners away from the center of the roaster. Place the pig on top of the rebar and cover with aluminum foil.
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Tips & Warnings
You can use many methods for cooking your pig in this type of roaster. You can simply place it inside the roaster and cover it if you wish, or you can stake the pig down onto a rebar frame so you can flip it as it cooks.
Thoroughly cook pork to avoid contracting any food-born illness.
Use caution while cooking in a large roaster. These roasters can put out an enormous amount of heat.
