How to Cook a Pig in a Charcoal Pig Roaster

Roasting a whole pig can provide enough food for large parties or gatherings.

Spit roasting, also called rotisserie, is a style of cooking meat where it is skewered and constantly rotating over a heat source. This is the usual method when cooking entire animals, for it allows large pieces of meat to be self-basting. Roasting a spit pig dates back thousands of years and has been given many different names in a variety of cultures from cochon de lait to smoke jack. With a few steps, time and the right tools, you can roast a whole pig at home.

Things You'll Need

• Charcoal roaster
• 120 pounds charcoal
• 50-pound suckling pig
• Butcher's wire
• Pliers
• Wire cutters
• Trussing needle
• 10 teaspoons salt
• 5 teaspoons pepper, freshly ground
• 15 pounds of stuffing
• Foil
• Drip pan
• Large paintbrush

Instructions

1. Place the charcoal in the bottom of your pig roaster.

2. Put the pig on its side on a large flat surface and push the spit through the mouth, guiding it through the pig until it comes out underneath the tail.

3. Push the pig so that it is situated in the middle of the pole.

4. Pull the front feet up to the mouth of the pig and loop the butcher's wire around the hooves, mouth and spit several times to tie them together. You must create a knot to secure it, cutting off any excess wire.

5. Push the hind legs back so the hooves face away from the pig. Tie the legs to the spit using butcher's wire and loop it several times to secure it. Tie a knot and cut off any excess.

6. Mix together the salt and pepper. Take 1/4 of it and evenly sprinkle it on the inside of the pig. The remaining mix is for basting the pig.

7. Spoon the stuffing into the body cavity until it is full. Sew up the cavity using the trussing needle and butcher's wire, making individual stitches every 3 centimeters.

8. Cover the ears and tail with foil so they don't burn.

9. Place the ends of the spit pig in the two designated spots.

10. Add more coals underneath the haunch and shoulder of the pig and light the charcoal.

11. Place the drip pan underneath the pig and turn on your roaster.

12. Cook for six to seven hours at 350 degrees F, basting every 30 minutes by dipping the paintbrush in the drippings pan and putting it on the pig. If you're unsure about your temperatures, you should be able to hold your hand over the fire for just 12 seconds if it's at 350 F.

13. Two hours before the pig is finished, sprinkle on the remaining salt and pepper mixture.

14. Check to see if the pig is done after six hours by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the haunch. It should read 160 degrees F. If not, continue to roast until that reading is obtained.

Tips & Warnings

• You also can stuff the pig with smaller tenderloins or chicken.

• Do not force too much stuffing into the cavity of the pig as it will expand as it heats and could cause the stomach to explode.

• Use your pig roaster according to the manufacturer's instructions. Trying to make the pig cook faster can end up hardening the skin so that it takes longer to cook in the long run.

References

• The Firepit and Grilling Guru: How to Cook a Full Sized Pig
• What's Cooking America: North Carolina Pig Pickin'
• Big John Grills: How to . . . Rotisserie Cook a Pig
• 3 Men: Spit Roasting
• Texas A&M: Chochon de Lait
• USDA: Safety of Fresh Pork...from Farm to Table