Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Roasting a Pig Underground?

Ladies and Gents.
I need to roast a pig for about 60 guys.
I am looking for input on the best procedure/instructions on how to bury and roast a full hog.
I appreciate the advice.
Robert

Dam Thought you where talk'in about nuk'in Bin Laden in his hole!

You need a lot of big rocks to line the hole. BIG rocks so they hold the heat.

Wrap the pig in heavy aluminum foil, then in wet burlap bags (or wet bannana leaves).

Start a blazin fire on top of the rocks and Let the fire burn until the rocks are very, very hot and the fire is reduced to coals. Of course, you want to use hardwood for this. Then put the pig on top, and cover with soil.

It won't overcook, but it takes about 12-14 hours to roast a largish pit. Probably longer for one to feed as many as you're going to feed.

Seasoning is up to you. Good luck.

I used to do pig roasts for that many or more up on Cumberland island in the 70's.

First you pick out a pig about 100 pounds, then shoot and clean the pig. The island was overrun with them back then. I stuffed the cavity with apples, onions, carrots, a bit of salt and pepper.

Down at the beach, dig the pit about three feet deep, just above the high tide mark.

Build a big fire with oak and hickory, and let it reduce to red hot coals. Throw a metal grate on the coals.

Wrap the pig first in heavy foil, then palmetto leaves, and on the outer side, wet burlap. Put the wrapped piggy on the grate, and cover with sand.

About 8 to 10 hours later, dig up the pig, set up the table with the side dishes, and go to it. Broach the second keg of beer about that time. The meat will be falling off the bones.

And what can you substitute for Palmetto leaves?

Keep coming with the input....I am getting a little famished just reading. I may have to take some ideas from all and put them together.
Thanks and I look forward to hearing more.

Here ya go my friend.Start digging

http://www.askthemeatman.com/pit_roast_whole_hog_answer.htm

I have gotten several ideas from this site and all were delicious.I'd bookmark it if I were you.Lotta good stuff inside.


Another place to go would be www.thesmokering.com those boys know how to cook and it is free just like the campfire.Tell them UpInFlames sent ya.

Here's some more.
http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/foods/458-001/458-001.html

Leaf options: It's probably too early in the season, but corn leaves would work. Any plant with big wide and long leaves. Their purpose is simply to supply a moist, non-combustible layer between hot coals and the morsel in question.

Cacc,
If you want to know how the Hawaiian's do it, PM me.

Aloha-
Heeman

What if the rest of us wanna know how the Hawaiian's do it?
Actually I know...

I've never personally done it but seen it done...so I can only provide you with what seems like a very good link:

http://cuban-christmas.com/pigroast.html

Jim

That is exactly what I was looking for. Just perfect. Thank you kind sir!!

The islanders use coals, rocks (basalt), palm fronds, and ti leaves (called "tea leaves"- also shredded length wise and used as the original grass skirts). Near colder water sources, kelp leaves will work too. 1Minute

more burlap? I don't really know. I was shown the method by an old black guy that lived on the island. He felt that the palmetto was important for some reason.

If I may add to 280Rems' post.
Should you use charcoal,look around and buy HARDWOOD charcoal.It burns about 150-200 degrees hotter than briquettes and is much cleaner.Less fly ash.JMHO

BTW 280 I added that to my BBQ folder on my desktop.Thanx

Mannlicher: I forgot about the wet burlap or wet cotton sacks. We've used those on pit beef, but not tried them on pork. Likely, they would work just fine. 1Minute

I have wrapped moose hearts in foil and then wet newspapers and buried them in a campfire overnight. Stuffed the chambers of the heart with onions. In the morning, unwrap the thing and you got some of the best eating in the world -- well, this part of the world, anyway.

Sorry Shreck,
Take no offense I just did not have the time to reply right away.
It's similar to all the other replies.
They dig a hole about three to four feet deep, and put the rocks in. Then they heat it up really hot with hard wood.(Mesquite) Then they prepare the pig with rock salt and they wrap it up with chicken wire.(They burn the galvanizing off first).
We use banana stumps slit in half, banana leaves and Ti leaves. A lot has to be used to fully cover everything and it has to be done quickly before the pig gets burned. Then we use wet burlap bags to cover everything up also.
Then you have to use a very thick canvas to cover up the burlaps.
After that you have to cover the edges of the canvas to seal the heat in. If steam is purging out, you have to put more dirt to weigh it down otherwise flames will be shooting out and the burlap will dry out and burn. In the earlier years, they did not use the canvas or burlap bags and they covered the entire pit with the banana leaves then covered with dirt. But now since we use the burlap and the canvas, it is easier to uncover and there is a lot less mess.
After ten to twelve hours, you pull it out by grabbing on to the chicken wire because it will be super hot and the meat will be falling off the bone! Some of the pigs that they cook weigh up to 700 lbs!(before gutting)
I am not sure what kind of leaf you can use in replacement of banana stumps and leaves because they have a lot of moisture in them. That is how the pork gets steamed and not burnt.
Remember, it is very important to keep a good seal around the canvas. It's like one big pressure cooker!
In Hawaiian, it's called an "Imu"
Aloha,
Heeman

What's the best short-cut for us guys in the burbs?

best shortcut would be to skip the various leaves, and use wet burlap or an old chenille bedspread. Something that will hold moisture, and not burn. As heeman said, the idea is to cover the pit well so that its not really burning, ie, cut off the oxygen, and provide moisture so the meat steams.