How to Roast a Hog in a Pit
Begin the process of preparing your hog one to two days before you plan to serve it. You might even want to make the work part of the party. You will need helping hands, patience and flexibility. Cooking time can vary depending on the heat of your coals, the thickness of the meat and the air temperature. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- 75 lb. suckling pig, dressed-out and butterflied
- 2 large sections chicken wire
- Carving knife
- Garlic cloves
- Marinade
- Ice chest or large pan
- Shovel
- Concrete blocks or bricks
- Sheet metal
- 1/2 cord oak logs
- Lighter fluid
- Wire
- Metal rack or swing set
- Two 8-foot chains
- 4 S-shaped metal hooks
- Fireproof oven mitts
- Cooking thermometer
Instructions
-
Preparing the Hog
-
1
Order a dressed-out hog with head and legs removed from a butcher or specialty meat packer a week in advance. Ask the butcher to split and butterfly it for you so it lays flat.
-
2
Lay the butterflied hog skin-side up on a section of chicken wire. The wire should be large enough to contain the entire hog with no part of it extending past the wire. With a sharp knife, cut slits in the skin approximately 1 inch long, 1-½ inches deep and 3 to 5 inches apart. Insert peeled garlic cloves into the slits.
-
-
3
Lower the chicken wire holding the hog into an ice chest or pan large enough to hold it. Pour your choice of marinade over the hog to fully cover it. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
Preparing the Pit
-
4
Dig the pit while the hog is marinating. It should be 2 to 3 feet deep and approximately 5 feet across for a 75 lb. hog.
-
5
Circle the pit with concrete blocks or bricks to form a low wall around it as a precaution against anyone inadvertently stepping into the pit. Line the inside of the bricks and the sides of the pit with sheet metal. Fill the pit with the logs to within 6 inches of the top.
-
6
Place a metal rack over the pit to hold the hog. Use an old metal swing set with the seats removed, suggests the AskTheMeatman website. Hang the chains over the crossbar.
-
7
Ignite the wood. Allow it to burn down until the pit is approximately half full of hot coals. This will take four to six hours. Add more wood as needed to prevent the pit from falling lower than half full.
Roasting the Hog
-
8
Remove the hog from the marinade and lay the second section of chicken wire on top of it. Fasten the upper and lower sections of chicken wire firmly together with strong wire on all sides. Place the S-shaped metal hooks through the chicken wire at each corner.
-
9
Hang the rack containing the hog rotisserie-style over the hot pit so that it is even with the top of the pit. Use the S hooks to attach it to the chains. This will require the participation of at least two people, one on each end.
-
10
Roast the hog, removing it from the S hooks to turn it over approximately every 30 minutes. You will need the assistance of at least one other person to do this safely. A 75 lb. hog will require 8 to 9 hours of roasting time. The hog is done when grease stops dripping from it. Insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat. Roasting is complete when the internal temperature of the hog reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
A 75 lb. hog will feed two dozen people. A smaller pig will have more bone and consequently less meat. If you use a 75 lb. hog and have more meat than guests, the leftovers can be safely stored.
Always use fireproof oven mitts and heavy tongs when turning the hog and when fastening it to the chains to roast. All parts of the rack will become extremely hot.
