Whole piglet in the smoke (about 20lbs), how much is actually meat?

[junkers88]

Read that right folks, after my success with a 12lb beef I'm planning a 20lb piglet for next week. I've read about the internal temps needed for it to be done and how to flip it head-rump half way through, no issues on technique so far. I do have two rather important questions though.

1) Do you put the probe in it's rump or shoulder?

2) About how much actual "pullable" meat is on a piglet of that size?

I want to do a pile of pulled pork for the main course and have some left over for a pulled pig fatty wrapped in bacon for breakfast. Thanks much!!

Oh last one, can I wrap it in butchers twine or something to keep it from falling apart when I move it to the cutting board?

 

[venture]

You are going to tease us with a suckling pig?  What would be next, a baby lamb?

Good luck and good smoking!

 

[pops6927]

skin, fat and bone you'll lose about 60% or greater of the original weight, plus shrinkage from cooking.  You should yield probably 6 - 8 lbs of finished pork from it.

if you purchase an oil change pan, which are relatively cheap and big, and carefully slide that under it you can remove it from the smoker easily and transfer it to a cutting table.

I'd check the internal in both the ham and the shoulder.

 

[hotpockets]

You should yield probably 6 - 8 lbs of finished pork from it.

WOW! 12-14 pounds lost, that seems a bit much doesn't it?

 

[maple sticks]

No, Smaller the pig, higher the loss.