Pigs on a spit attain a rich, crispy skin.
Whether you are having a Hawaiian-themed luau or a Southern pig roast, the sight and smell of a pig just removed from a spit is a unique experience. Roasting a pig over an open fire has certain challenges -- the temperature of the meat, the rotation of the spit, and maintaining the heat of the fire all contribute to either making or breaking your pig roast.
Instructions
Preparation Steps
1. Mix the brine solution about two days before the pig roast is to begin. The recipe you use is up to you and your tastes, but you will need enough brine to completely cover the pig. Brine infuses the meat with flavor and moisture so that the meat won't become too dry during the open-flame cooking process. You need one cup of salt and one cup of brown sugar for each gallon of liquid used. Some people prefer a mixture of water and apple juice or cider. Some add pepper, sage, pieces of apples and onions to the mix.
2. Submerge the pig in the brine completely, and refrigerate it for at least 24 hours and no longer than 48 hours.
3. Remove the pig from the brine on the day of cooking and pat it dry with cloth towels. Paper towels will rip and stick to the pig.
4. Cut one long slit down the center of the pig's back and two more above and below the pig's ribs on both sides.
5. Rub the pig all over with olive or peanut oil, paying special attention to the ears, as these will dry out first during cooking. If desired, fill the body cavities with chopped apples, onions and stuffing, and sew the cavities shut with twine.
Cooking Steps
6. Spread charcoal or firewood in the pit, and spray a generous amount of lighter fluid on the pieces. Light the fire and wait until the coals are glowing red before placing the pig over the fire. Ideally, your pig-roasting pit will have a walled structure around it so that no dirt or sand blows onto the animal during cooking. A walled structure can be as simple as a series of concrete blocks surrounding the pit on three sides. These will help keep the heat around the pig even and reduce the chance of an undercooked pig.
7. Check the heat from the fire using a grill thermometer. When the heat is holding steady at 250 to 350 degrees about three feet above the fire, the fire is ready for the pig. Set a metal container or pot of pork fat close to the fire so that it melts.
8. Insert spit rods through the rear of pig and out the other end and insert the rods into the spit pole to keep the animal off the ground. The pig should be about three feet from the top of the coals.
9. Baste the pig with the melted fat from the container after the first 30 minutes of cooking. Turn the spit and baste the other side. Continue basting every 15 minutes, turning the spit each time. Monitor the temperature of the fire and add firewood or charcoal when needed to maintain a steady temperature.
10. Continue cooking in this way until the internal meat temperature of your pig is at 160 degrees. The cooking time varies based on the size of the pig and the temperature of the fire. Trust the temperature, not the appearance of the meat. Remove the pig from the fire and let the meat rest for a half hour. Remove the spit and the twine and serve your pig on a platter.
Tags: roast, open, fire, about three, about three feet, apples onions, brine completely, during cooking, from fire, Remove from, temperature fire, three feet, walled structure
