# going whole hog



## smokinbobo (May 17, 2011)

On May 28th we're throwing a 30th birthday party for myself and wife and we'll be roasting a whole pig.  I'm renting the pig roaster and the last time we did this was my fathers retirement party, but wasn't too happy with how it came out, but I wasn't the one doing the cooking that day.  It took like 4-5 hours and came out very tender and was good, but my father didn't put anything on it.  I'm thinking Jeff's rub?  I use his rub on everything I smoke and swab it down with yellow mustard before smoking my pulled pork for example.  Now I know from experience that the mustard taste is gone when smoking, but do I use the mustard and rub the same way when just roasting a pig for 4-5 hours?  Will it be the same concept as the 15 hours I smoke my pulled pork?  Any other advice would be great, this will be my first time attempting this, second time being present.  I'm having about 60 people and certainly do not want to disappoint.  Thanks


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## smokinbobo (May 17, 2011)

should add its a big roaster with a lid, with a grate as the cook platform fueled by charcoal.  Someone told me to use the rub on the inside of the pig and baste the outside with pinapple juice and leave the skin on.  Last time i left the skin on and never flipped it or anything.  Any input?


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## michael ark (May 17, 2011)

Look at cowgirls threads on whole hog or her website.


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## raptor700 (May 17, 2011)

Whole hog can be done several ways, I cook mine on its back(skin down) to help keep the moisture in the meat,

Not the classic apple in the mouth.

I also inject heavily, Trim the ribs from the back so they can be removed easily, lots of rub.....etc


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## SmokinAl (May 18, 2011)

Looking forward to seeing how you do this one. Don't forget the Q-view.


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## hogsmoker (May 18, 2011)

smokin, how big of a hog are we talking here?  done several of these!!  never with charcoal though.I usually use green hickory!  butter s&p w/ a little cayenne.  ribs down first the key to fall of the bone goodness is to get the bone hot first to cook it inside out! I usually try to flip it half way through, however the last three I have done have been to tender halfway that they are falling apart and I can't flip. still turns out great! looking forward to seeing it and best of luck!


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## Bearcarver (May 18, 2011)

My son did a few whole hogs with his 275 gallon hog smoker. He did them belly down.

They were fine, but it has become our mutual opinion that doing a whole hog seems to be more for aesthetics than anything else.

We changed to doing as many Fresh Hams (uncured), Briskets, Shoulders, etc as needed instead.

That way you get all good meat, and none of the "garbage". Plus you can regulate each piece of meat, instead of the whole thing getting the same heat, no matter how thick it is. Plus you can use lower heat than you need to get a whole hog through the Danger Zone.

The kids love seeing that big old Hog in there though!

Just my 2 cents.

Bear

BTW: What temp did they use to do a whole hog in 4 or 5 hours?


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## alelover (May 18, 2011)

Pork butt in 12 hours. Whole hog in 5. Something don't add up.


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## tshine (May 18, 2011)

I think more info is going to be needed, some questions i would have are as follows

Similar to alelover the time seems way short for a whole hog. Obviously this depends on size but a group that big I would assume 85-100lbs?

-So the question is how big? I would think it is a minimum 8-10 hrs depending on size, temp, prep etc...

-Are you able to splay the pig open in the cooker or is it not that big?

-Have you thought about stuffing it? It adds time but also adds flavor (and a side dish of stuffing. (never done this myself but seen it done)

-is the pig skinned? if so the use of mop sauce or spray becomes much more important to avoid drying out.

Skin on not so much but you might want to make some slits to release grease build up (beware of grease fire!) Also if the skin is on best to remove hair as that ruins any chance at cracklin (crispy pork skin...)

Good luck, don't forget the pictures too!


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## smokinbobo (May 18, 2011)

i havent go the final number of people yet so i'm not 100% sure on exactly what size pig yet.  I'm figuring about 1.25 lb per person, so somewhere around 75 lb pig.  It takes less time than a pork butt because at least for me I pull my pulled pork at between 190-205 and cook it at 200 - 250 degrees.  When I make pulled pork I actually smoke it for closer to around 16 hours, but I aim for 200 deg to 220 degrees.  The last time my father did the whole hog, he just cooked it to normal temp for pork, belly down with skin still on, splayed out on the grate.  It's the same roaster I'm getting that he used and it took 5 hours.  I didn't believe it was going to work myself that time and we started it 2 hours earlier than needed and it was done in the 5 hours we were told it would take.  I believe it was a 80lb pig if I'm not mistaken.  I think I'm going to cook it the same exact way except put a rub on it, skin on  and belly down splayed out.  I guess the only question I have really would be if roasting a pig smothered in yellow mustard and the rub applied like I normally do, does the roaster get rid of the mustard taste, and give you that good bark like the smoker does?


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## hardslicer (May 18, 2011)

interesting...mmmmm......well, happy birthday and have a great party!


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## tshine (May 27, 2011)

Hope you have a great party, and holiday weekend. Remember to take pics!


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## Bearcarver (May 27, 2011)

Don't forget the Qview!

Don't tease us this time.

 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Bear


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## roller (May 27, 2011)

Yea gotta have Qview of a shindig like that..Just doing whole hog takes it to a whole different level...


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## lucky13 (May 27, 2011)

The only whole hogs i have done has been 200lbs + or - and on a spit.  Fill the cavity with Vidalia onions, butter, and Caraway seeds, sew shut with aluminum wire...mmm need to do that again one of these days.  Any way I digress.  I doubt if the mustard flavor would be completely gone in 4-5 hours and i doubt if the bark would be very thick but, i think with the amount of mustard you use the flavor will not be that noticable and although it might not be thick there should still be some bark on the swine in that amount of time.  Like I said, I have never done it your way so take it with a grain of (seasoned) salt.  Good luck with the project!


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## Bearcarver (Jun 1, 2011)

Hey BoBo, 

How'd the Whole Hog turn out Last Saturday???







    
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





We're running out of Popcorn!!!  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Bear


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## roller (Jun 1, 2011)

X2....


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## smokinbobo (Jun 1, 2011)

The whole hog came out great last Saturday.  It took 4 hours at around 275-300  degrees  for a 70lb pig.  I swabbed it down in mustard and then put on Jeff's rub and it was quite succulant!  It supprisingly to me had a decent bark on it, I didn't think such a short time was going to produce a good bark.  The best part was that I left the head and neck section on all night and 5 of us devoured the meat the next morning.  You talk about slow cooked goodness, that was the best.  The coals were actually still a little hot in the morning.  It was a complete success..... I'm sure it not only was because of good pig, but the 1/2 keg kicked and a 5 - 12 pack beer run and people singing around the bonfire till 3 a.m.  It was a blast!   I'll post some pics tonight for sure, been so busy couldn't get them on yet.


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## Bearcarver (Jun 1, 2011)

Sounds Great !

I never used this one on any other thread, but it's really needed here:







I'm also out of popcorn!!!

Thanks,

Bear


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## smokinbobo (Jun 1, 2011)




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## smokinbobo (Jun 1, 2011)

ok, so how do you post pics on here, this is my first time trying to do so. I actually remember trying once and it was such a pain i gave up.  I see QView mentioned above.  I'd love to learn how to post the pics if anyone could help me out.  Thanks


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## Bearcarver (Jun 2, 2011)

smokinBoBo said:


> ok, so how do you post pics on here, this is my first time trying to do so. I actually remember trying once and it was such a pain i gave up.  I see QView mentioned above.  I'd love to learn how to post the pics if anyone could help me out.  Thanks


At the top of the reply box, click on the icon that says "Insert Image" when you put the cursor over it.

It's about the 8th one from the right.

Then follow the directions it gives you.

If that doesn't work, somebody else can show you better.

Bear


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## raptor700 (Jun 2, 2011)

In the Reply box, click on the "insert image" icon, as Bear said. 8th from the right.

When the window opens, click on "browse"

It should look like this

*File *  

This will open another window.....find the image you want and click on it.

Then click the "open" button in the bottom right.

Your image file will be shown in the box above.

Then click "submit" in the bottom right corner,

and your pic should be posted in the reply box.

That's the way mine works, I'm using Windows Vista[emoji]8482[/emoji]

Hope this helps; I really want to see those pics


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## raptor700 (Jun 2, 2011)

Maybe this a better explanation

In the Reply box, click the "insert image" icon.

This will open the add image window.

Click the "browse" button.

Then click on the image you want to add from your computer and click "open"

Your image location should be seen in the File-"browse" bar.

Click "submit" and your image should appear in the reply box.

Hope this helps


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## raptor700 (Jun 2, 2011)

Hope that  works..


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## Bearcarver (Jun 2, 2011)

BoBo,













Bear In Waiting


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## smokinbobo (Jun 2, 2011)




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## smokinbobo (Jun 2, 2011)

sorry to keep everyone waiting,  thanks a lot for the help on pics i'll be doing a lot more of it now


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## smokinbobo (Jun 2, 2011)




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## smokinbobo (Jun 2, 2011)




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## smokinbobo (Jun 2, 2011)




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## smokinbobo (Jun 2, 2011)

the finished pics are on my buddies camera i'll try to get the other ones from him tonight


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## exhaustedspark (Jun 2, 2011)

Love the idea of whole hog cook out. I got a couple of pbp and i am ready to do a whole pig cook out.

I know the secret is always the red pepper ( cayenne) . Yep pig is the way to go. 

by the way a pig is a pig is a pig. Pbp are great

PS.  PBP = Pot belly pig


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## roller (Jun 2, 2011)

Looking good so far Bobo....keep them coming...need the money shot....


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## exhaustedspark (Jun 2, 2011)

Sure makes one hungry


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## Bearcarver (Jun 3, 2011)

Great Pics Bobo!!!

Keep 'em coming!

Can't wait to see the finished pics!!!

Thanks,

Bear


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## smokinbobo (Jun 3, 2011)




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## smokinbobo (Jun 3, 2011)




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## smokinbobo (Jun 3, 2011)

theres the money shot.  I was actually nervous on how it came out it almost looked over done to me, but it was just a nice dark bark on it and it was great


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## Bearcarver (Jun 4, 2011)

Outstanding looking Piggy !!!

And a Great Picture !

Thanks Bobo,

Bear


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## fishwrestler (Jun 4, 2011)

Bearcarver said:


> They were fine, but it has become our mutual opinion that doing a whole hog seems to be more for aesthetics than anything else.
> 
> We changed to doing as many Fresh Hams (uncured), Briskets, Shoulders, etc as needed instead.
> 
> ...


I agree Bear, we have been doing whole hogs 15+ year we even have a *whole hog trailer Rotisserie* . But we now prefer just doing pork shoulders . Like bear said better meat and a lot less waste. BUt the cool factor of a whole hog sometimes out ways the it makes sense.

We use newmans italian dressing and inject about 4-5 bottles into a 200-25- hog.

Robert


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## raptor700 (Jun 4, 2011)

Great job on the pig Bobo,

Looks like it had some awesome bark.

Thanks for sharing


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## shooterrick (Jun 4, 2011)

oink oink yummmmm


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## fishwrestler (Jun 4, 2011)

smokinBoBo said:


>




That looks fantastic.

 Might have to try a small piggy like this.

 Robert


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## smokinbobo (Jun 4, 2011)

thanks bear.  I think I'm going to try to make one of those cookers so I dont have to rent it everytime, I've been researching it on here and there are a lot of people with great ideas on this site


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## cowgirl (Jun 4, 2011)

Great looking pig BoBo... Nice job.


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## exhaustedspark (Jun 5, 2011)

Looks Good


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## joeschmoker (Jun 11, 2011)

I've been involved in a couple of pig roasts.  One was buried and the other was a skewer job cooked over hot coals.  Both took a lot longer than 5 hours.  The one over hot coals was when I was in the military in Okinawa Japan and it was actually a stolen pig.  Hey, I was drunk and there was a lot of peer pressure involved.  But yeah, me and a buddy snuck into a pig farm, picked out a good one, shot it with a compound bow from 4 feet away and carried it out.  My buddy did the deed and it was a perfect kill shot as it fell instantly and even bounce.  The only problem was shooing away the other pigs that were trying to lap up the blood.  I should probably say drug it out as this sucker was about a 300 to 350 pounder.

Anyway, we  cooked the pig on the hill where my shop was (which was a former gun placement during WWII (that some previous US military personnel had turned into a BBC pit) for a lot longer than 5 hours and there were still parts that weren't done, although we did cut enough off to feed the crowd we had for our 4th of July party.  The worst part was that we threw the head into one of the garbage cans at my shop and the following week the Chief informed me that I had something to take care of in one of the garbage cans.  When I went out there and looked in the can, there was a pig's head floating in a sea of maggots.  To this day one of my favorite people on Earth is Staff Sgt John Phillips who held the garbage bag for me as I dumped the maggot soup into it.  I had never before or since seen so many maggots in one place.


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