80lb feral hog, need some advice!

Jonnyrod · Posted: Nov 11 2010 Post subject: 80lb feral hog, need some advice!

My neighbor dropped off this hog today for me to cook. He heard I was building a smoker and wanted to contribute. The problem is I have no idea how to to cook it and my pit isn't finished. I have two small units I can cook it on for now but I don't know what temp, how long, or how to prep the meat. I sure would be grateful for some advice. I don't want to see this go to waste because of my ignorance. Embarassed

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k.a.m. · Posted: Nov 11 2010 Post subject:

Jonny, keeping the hog moist is the secret. A wild hog has very little fat so I always cook mine with foil
under them to help reflect the immediate heat. Cooking at 225� I mop them with a 2 part Apple juice one
part Apple cider about every hour. I like to cook them butterflied but you might have a time with one that
size so I would suggest cooking it in halves, rib down on each. When the hog reaches 165� I give them a
good mop and wrap them to finish off to 200� The last one I did we actually quartered it and wrapped it
after it reached 165�. Use what ever rub you like on pork, I never inject or marinaded them. Here are some
pics that might help and if you need some more help feel free to ask.
Labor Day 09

Labor Day 2010.

This pic is just before quartering and wrapping.

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Jonnyrod · Posted: Nov 11 2010 Post subject:

Thanks Kevin, I at least have some palce to start. So I should go by internal temps to know when it's done? How long you reckon I'll be smokin' this lttle piggie?
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Soapm · Posted: Nov 11 2010 Post subject:

k.a.m. · Posted: Nov 11 2010 Post subject:

Jonny, those pigs were between 20lb and 30 lbs. they took around 6hrs. to cook. Yes you will go by the internal temp. for doneness. Yours of course being a larger pig could run into 10 to 12 hrs. If your hog is still intact you can go racing style on it and actually place a couple of small pork Butts in the cavity and lay thick bacon across the top to help keep the loins,shoulders, hind quarters and tenders moist. The only hog I have ever done that size was skin on, they are totally different as they have the skin to help keep them moist. Just remember there is a lot of bone and lean meat. They do not cook like a regular store fed pig more like deer to me. I have never tried to bring one to pulling temp without foil, I think it might dry out before reaching that temp. Here is a link to BBQMAN's Pig Roast 101 that might help you as well.
http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22364

Soapm, that is extra heavy duty foil that we doubled and seam folded down the middle.
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Jonnyrod · Posted: Nov 12 2010 Post subject:

Okay, I'm about four hours into it. The internal temp is 150 right now. Trying to keep both pits the same has proven to be a pain. I am all over the place between 250 and 300 degrees.

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k.a.m. · Posted: Nov 12 2010 Post subject:

Jonnyrod, If I weren't so far away I would be all over that. Very Happy

The pig is looking mighty tasty. You are about ready to wrap if your going to.
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Jonnyrod · Posted: Nov 13 2010 Post subject:

I ended up with internal temps of 175 to 185 and skipped wrapping it up. I came out awesome. Four hours after I pulled it I was left with about five lbs over. The neighborhood kids all came to see it with the bullet hole in the side and it was on. I was visited by people I didn't even know lived on my street. Smile

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k.a.m. · Posted: Nov 13 2010 Post subject:

Jonnyrod · Posted: Nov 13 2010 Post subject:

It's good stuff ain't it! I'm gonna get me a couple sucklings from out West Texas next week. Like anything, practice makes perfect. Cool

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whitey · Posted: Nov 24 2010 Post subject:

Jonnyrod
Way to pull it off.
Nice job on the pig roast.
Whitey..
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Carnivorous Beast · Joined: 20 Dec 2010 Posts: 10

Great job and just to add my .02, whenever I do a whole hog roast I usually do about a 80-100 pounder. We do it with the skin on in a block pit in my backyard. To keep it moist and conserve foil, we lay a few layers of big banana leaves under it and put in on the fire low and slow. Never had a complaint or a dry pig.

Old Timer · Joined: 20 Dec 2010 Posts: 4

Being from south florida I always do my whole hogs with banana leaves too. I usually slather it in a home-made mojo sauce and stuff cloves of garlic and onions down in it. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.