Pig cooking

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uzj100

uzj100

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Hey guys.

The pig at the Logan's run was some of the best I have ever had. It was incredible.

We are cooking a pig this Saturday and wanted to get some tips, hints, instructions etc.

The pig weights in at about 120 lbs and we need to eat around 5:30 or 6.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Andrew
 
120lbs is about the same as what we had at LR. It really needs to be on and cooking by about 9AM for that schedule. Try and keep it around 250*-275*. Start it meat side down and cook it that way for 5-6 hours and then flip it. Salt the HELL out of it when you put it on the grill. Keep a thermometer in the deepest part of the ham or shoulder and try to get the meat north of 190*. Last thing, if anyone might want to eat any of the skin, I try to crank it pretty hot of 15 mins or so to crisp the skin.

HTH
Ramon
 
Yeah, last thing Andrew. I don't add much sauce while cooking it either, contrary to others' opinions, unless it's a real lean pig and want to get some extra moisture in there (I also crank up the butter in the sauce if that's the case).

One last tip, when you are pulling it, be sure to mix ham/shoulder/bacon/rib meat in each pan - IOW, don't pull one area of the pig and put it in a single pan. That good belly fat meat needs to be equally distributed amongst the balance.
 
Dude. You rock. Growing up in Selma (Johnston County) and NC, I have been to many pig pickings but the one at Logan's run really stood out with the flavor, lack of greasiness and tenderness of the pork. I really appreciate you sharing the secrets.

If you think of anything else, please post it up. I am keeping this in the forever file. These tips are off the chart.

Thanks again.

Andrew
 
GarnerFJ40 said:
Ramon's the master, and I've gleaned all my experience off of him and stil do...
Click to expand...

Agreed 10000%. He's the pork MASTA!

We basically got the club cooker so Ramon could use it for us :D
 
Hahahaha - I learned all my pork cookin' lessons from my in-laws from Eastern NC. Funny, having grown up eating almost exclusively Lexington style, my eyes were really opened when I moved to Raleigh. We cooked a few pigs at my Fraternity over the years, but I don't remember the experience all that much (for reasons other than it being a long time ago now). It's really pretty basic stuff, but as I have been able to cook more and more, I start to notice differences in the pigs that you have to adjust on the fly.

I've cooked a lot of Boston Butts over the years with mixed results - pretty good but missing that "thing" a whole hog brings to the equation. We did shoulders and hams at the first Meet 'n Greet and that was a first for me. What did we learn that day??? A good cooker is ESSENTIAL. Flame outs and inability to control the temperature on a 40* day sucks!! That really was some Q not to brag on :D

I cooked one for a State game last fall that blows everything I've ever eaten off the charts. I had guys from Rocky Mount and other Eastern towns telling me it was the best Q they'd ever had. What had I done differently???? Nothing, it was just the perfect pig with the right amount of fat. Luck of the draw I guess. On the other hand, the one we cooked for Meatball's grad party was really lean. In retrospect, I would have slowed down the cooking on that one and added even more butter and sauce as it cooked.

Who knows, by the time I'm 60 we may be know as Olde Pork State. Forgive my rambling, I'm just blushing a little at the kind words for something that really has been luck for the most part, and is starting to become experience.
 
Pig on



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