Cowboy Pig
In 2002, I received a phone call from Fast Eddie Maurin, a well known pitmaster and competition cook from Kansas City. He informed me that MAXIM magazine was doing an article on barbecuing whole pig with three different cooking methods: indirect cooking, underground, and open spit. Eddie told the editors of the magazine to look no further; he had two other experts lined up to help them pull off their three-way pig pickin’: Ray Lampe (aka Dr. BBQ) and me. In a gesture that would live up to his nickname, Eddie volunteered to cook one pig in a closed smoker with indirect heat. Now, any true barbecuer can cook a pig on an indirect cooker in his or her sleep, but there would be no sleep for whoever drew the labor-intensive spit. Later that day, the call I was anxiously awaiting came. The editor from MAXIM said, “I heard you were an expert at cooking a pig on an open spit.” Of all possible whole-pig cooking methods, the open spit arguably offers the best atmosphere for an outdoor party. Unlike other cookers, the open spit offers a clear view of the turning pig throughout the entire cook, enticing the crowd with both sights and smells of the barbecue. The spit becomes the centerpiece of conversation while barbecue anticipation builds to a climax.
Recipe information
Yield
serves: 70
Ingredients
Dry Rub
Baste
Preparation
Step 1
Check your hog to be sure the pelvis and rib cage are not split entirely. With a meat saw or sharp knife, cut the hooves off at the joint in the middle of the leg.
Step 2
Rub the skin of the pig all over with the olive oil. This step will keep the skin from charring and promote a rich mahogany color on the cooked skin. In a small bowl, combine the dry rub ingredients. Apply the entire amount of dry rub to all the exposed meat, including under the rib cage. You can’t over-season because much of the seasoning will wash out when the pig turns during the cooking process.
Step 3
Run the spit shaft through the hog’s mouth, through the rib cage, and between the hams (thighs) of the hog. The hog should be fastened securely to the shaft so that it rotates when the shaft is turned. Truss the front shanks (the area above the hooves) together with baling wire, and repeat with the rear shanks. A proper spit shaft should have perpendicular spikes that pierce and hold the hams securely when the shanks are wired. The alternative to this type of spit shaft would be a shaft with U bolts securing the spine of the hog above the shoulders and the hams.
Step 4
Prior to placing the spit shaft on the cooker base, you will need to build a proper fire. If you are working with an all-wood fire, start out by burning 5 logs to create a bed of hot wood coals. If charcoal is your preference, start with a 20-pound bag. When a hot bed of coals is obtained, place the spit shaft, with the pig attached, on the spit base directly over the fire. The body of the pig should be about 16 to 18 inches above the coals. Spread the coals under the whole pig, forming a barbell-shaped charcoal bed. This will ensure the large cuts of meat (shoulders and hams) are above a hotter fire than the less meaty rib section. The cooking temperature at the base of the shoulders and hams should be around 350°F. The cooking temperature at the base of the chest or back should be around 300°F.
Step 5
The hog should rotate continuously. If your spit is not equipped with a motor, rotate the pig one quarter turn every 15 minutes.
Step 6
When the hog has spit-roasted for about 2 hours, start a separate “burn pit” to light charcoal or burn wood to replenish the coals in your primary cooker. Add hot coals throughout the cooking process to maintain a steady temperature under the hog, starting a new batch in the burn pit every hour or so.
Step 7
When grease starts dripping from the pig, the hot coals will begin to flare up. At this point, rake the coals into a rectangle shape underneath the pig. Rake the coals away from the center of the rectangle and fill the center with sand. The sand will absorb the grease during the cooking process, eliminating flare-ups.
Step 8
After 4 hours of cooking, begin basting the pig every hour with the Barbado Baste.
Step 9
Continue to add hot coals around the sand, making sure the biggest piles of burning coal are under the shoulders and hams of the pig. When the internal temperature of the shoulders and hams reaches 185°F (after a total of 10 to 12 hours), remove the pig from the spit. Cooking beyond this temperature will result in the pig breaking apart and falling into the fire. Remove the pig from the spit, bone it, and serve.
pitmaster’s tip
Step 10
When cooking over an open fire, one of your biggest problems will be the wind affecting your cooking temperature. Do like the cowboys and set up your camp in a way that blocks your fire from the wind. If you are still having problems, a simple sheet of tin can work as a deflector shield.
Cooking Method
Step 11
Open spit
Suggested Wood
Step 12
Hickory, Oak, Pecan
Suggested Supplies
Step 13
1 open spit (spit and hog are visible during cooking); 100 pounds charcoal and wood chunks for seasoning or 1/4 cord of wood; a spool of baling wire
