Use the proper technique to barbecue a pig for just the right flavor
Barbecue pig serves as the main dish for holiday celebrations like Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) in some Central American countries. Find the best pigs for barbecue from a nearby farm. Contact the local agricultural agency to find a farm that raises pigs. The farmer may butcher the pig for you, or arrange preparation by a local butcher. With advance notice, your local grocery store can order a whole pig. The best pigs for barbecue weigh between 60 and 120 pounds after cleaned and prepped. A pig weighing more than 140 pounds becomes too heavy to handle and may not cook properly. An 80 pound pig will serve 60 to 80 people. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Hawaiian Luau Style
When barbecuing a whole pig Hawaiian Luau style, prepare a hole about three to four feet deep with an opening into which the whole pig will fit, usually about two feet by four feet wide. Over-fill the hole by 20 percent with kindling and mesquite wood pieces, then place stones over the wood. Light the fire and let it burn about two hours allowing the red hot rocks to sink slightly into the pit. Place the salted pig on the rocks in the pit, cover it with banana leaves and wet burlap, seal the pit with plastic bags. In about 12 hours, you will have Hawaiian Luau pig.
Whole Hog in a Smoker
To pull this off you will need a wood-burning smoker large enough to handle a whole pig. Fill the large smoker unit with oak and mesquite wood and light 16 to 17 hours before serving. It takes the smoker about an hour to reach 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Position the pig into place inside the smoker. The pig cooks at this temperature for four hours. Continually add water to the smoker as needed. Drop the temperature to 225 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit for the remaining 12 to 13 hours. The barbecued pig will become very tender and hot so remove it from the smoker carefully.
Philippine Style
The Philippine people will barbecue a pig for special occasions and holidays. With this technique, the pig gets cleaned, shaved and butchered. The whole butchered pig gets stuffed with garlic, lemon grass, salt, crushed black peppercorns, vinegar, soy sauce, thyme, spices and red or green onions. With the stuffed body cavity sewn closed, the whole pig gets fastened to a long bamboo pole. Prepare a pit about 6 to 12 inches deep in the ground, fill with charcoal and light. Turned continually and basted with cola, the pig roasts on a spit over a bed of hot coals. A small pig cooks about 3 to 4 hours, while a larger pig takes about 5 to 6 hours.
Oven
Unlike the other techniques, this one involves the use of the oven on your kitchen at home and uses a much smaller pig, about 12 to 20 pounds. Wash the pig and place in a solution of 15 quarts water, salt and sugar. Combine three large garbage bags for containing this brining solution. Place the pig inside the sealed bags and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours turning once. When ready, remove the pig, pat dry and stuff the body cavity with foil to prevent caving when roasting. In a 250 degree Fahrenheit oven, roast for three hours until interior reaches 130 degree Fahrenheit. Increase oven temp to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, basting with vegetable oil every 15 minutes for about an hour.
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