I plan on cooking a wild pig this weekend a small 40# dressed, so lets hear some ideas. What is your favorite method. I need to find out if I should just put him on whole, split him down the backbone andput him on the grate, section him up and put in a pan with a cover and juices, or any other ideas. Thanks for any input..fullclip

I've had pig cooked on a spit, and it is delicious.

HOWEVER, the very best way to cook a pig is Hawaiin style....
...the Imu(sp?) pit.

1) Prepare the pig by sprinkling the inside with a little sea salt, maybe some onions. wrap the pig in foil, put him in a foil oven pan.
Take that, and place it in some chicken wire.  Wrap the chicken wire around the package, wire it shut, and make a loop at the top (for lifting in and out of the pit).

2)If you have no large lava rocks, go to a river, and fill the back of a pick-up with cantelope-sized stones.

2a) get some newspapers and (if you can) banana leaves.

The pit:

3) Dig a hole about 6 feet across and 3 feet deep. Line the bottom of the pit with some of the stones.

4) Make a large, hardwood fire, using BIG logs.
Once the fire gets going, take a shovel, and begin covering the burning logs with the stones.
You should end up with a stone igloo, with flames poking out. (look out for exploding stones!)

5) Let the fire burn until it's out.  By "out", I mean not even glowing coals.

6) Take your shovel and push the stones to the sides of the pit.

7) place the pig-package in the center of the pit, onto the bottom layer of stones, then cover the package with the remaining hot stones.

8) now cover the pig and stones with a few layers of banana leaves.  Then take your newspapers, and put them in a trash can filled with water.  Put several layers of wet papers on top of the pile (to trap heat).
If you have no banana leaves, you can substitute wet burlap.

9) Take the dirt (or hopefully sand) and bury the whole thing completely.  When steam holes appear, fill'em with dirt.

Cooking time for a 50 lb. hog is about 2 1/2 hours.

Then you just carefully dig him up and eat.

The best.
Works with turkey, too.

Where's TheRedGoat?

Cincinnatus, sounds great, but the ground here is hard and dry, and I don't have a backhoe. Will keep that one for future reference. Thanks...fullclip

I'd be very careful if heating rocks from a river.  Like Cincinnatus said, the rocks could potentially explode.

Oh well, try then:

Make a big vat of sauce.

2 parts Concord Grape Jam
1 Grey Poupon Mustard

Cover and keep covering the hog with it, while roasting.

Man...what answers.

Split the hog's breast bone.  Some folks suggest to soak in brine over night to remove blood.  Some folks don't care.  Chose your own poison here.  Wild hog will be a little gamey tasting.  You should buy 1/2 gal of Crown Royal before cooking.

Dig pit approximately 3 feet deep and long enough for pig.  Set a strong wire mesh grate on some blocks.  Grate must be strong enought to hold the hog when it's turned or removed.

Burn hardwood for coal in barrel.  You may start drinking the Crown Royal.

Toss coals in pit.  Toss hog on grate skin side up.

Cook until skin is warm to the touch and grease will begin oozing out from a hole punched with a knife.  You must continue to add coals all day.  Turn hog over using thick rubber gloves.  More Crown Royal here probably.

Baste with a sauce of 1/2 gal of vinegar, a box of crushed red pepper and bottle of catsup.  Actually you mop the sauce on until it sets in the rib cavity.  Keep mopping.  Cook approximately the same length of time on both sides.  Add more coals as necessary.  Pull ribs off to check for doneness.  If unsure, more Crown Royal.

Have fun!

Jim

The overnight brine-soak is a great suggestion.

Thanks...I just read that he didn't want to dig a pit.  Down here in NC someone's alway got a covered cooker on wheels.  Many use propane rather than charcoal.  I really don't know what else to tell fullclip unless he can find a cooker.

Jim

Cincinnatus, Sundrop, things are looking up as I do have a smoker large enough. The jam-mustard mixture sounds great,and have just enough Crown to get started. The pig was trapped and fed on corn and oats for about a month before his "accident", so he should be good to go. Thanks again....fullclip