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Spatchcock Wild Hog Help??

yzzi
yzzi Posts: 1,843
edited October 2013 in EggHead Forum
It looks like I'll be cooking up a 60 pounder (pre trim weight) this weekend. Went hog hunting last weekend, and two friends each got a 60 pounder. One is getting sausaged, the other we were hoping to spatchcock and cook on the egg. It was shot through each side of the ribs, so those will probably be scrapped, but I'm thinking about cooking indirect at 350 until it reaches 160-170. I don't think I'll try going to the pulled pork temps with this one. Anyone have any thoughts on that? It's been in a cooler on ice for the last week with water being drained each day. 
Dunedin, FL

Comments

  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
    Can't offer any advice on this one, but can't wait to see the result.
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
  • Ive never gotten ribs on a wild hog to turn out anyway, just not enough to them. Scrap them.

    Little Rock, AR

  • yzzi
    yzzi Posts: 1,843
    I had some ribs from a buddy's hog a few weeks ago that were meaty and just as great as store bought, and they were cooked in the oven.
    Dunedin, FL
  • shtgunal3
    shtgunal3 Posts: 5,629
    I'm no help either but I to look forward to seeing how it comes out.

    ___________________________________

     

     LBGE,SBGE, and a Mini makes three......Sweet home Alabama........ Stay thirsty my friends .

  • One is getting "sausaged" and the other "spatchcock'd"

    :-?


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • yzzi
    yzzi Posts: 1,843

    One is getting "sausaged" and the other "spatchcock'd"

    :-?

    Hmm, one is getting stuffed in a pig intestine, the other's breast bone is getting cut out and butterflied (I guess not technically spatchcocked if I do it that way).

    So any ideas on the cook?
    Dunedin, FL
  • I have no personal experience, but why not take it to 195-200? When the guys on tv do whole hog they take the roast that high. Are you planning on rolling it to fit in the egg or is this not on an egg?


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • yzzi
    yzzi Posts: 1,843
    From my research, a lot of people say that the wild hogs turn out really dry when taken that high cause there's not as much fat as on farm raised ones. I know for a lot of whole hog roasts they just cook it so the meat is in the safe zone. I'm going to do it on the egg, probably fold it up, unless the bloody meat around the bullet hole warrants cutting it in half then I'll just do two halves.
    Dunedin, FL
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    edited November 2013
    Oh lyea, wild is going to be a different story.

    What if you took it to the stall and then foiled it with some apple juice rub and butter? Then stopped around 180's after the stall. You could half it and do the two shoulders like that and then have the hams for slicing around 160's. If the ribs are toast, just cut the loins out.


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • YEMTrey
    YEMTrey Posts: 6,829
    Best of luck with your cook!  Can't wait to see some pics an results.  Thanks for sharing.
    Steve 
    XL, Mini Max, and a 22" Blackstone in Cincinnati, Ohio

  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    I have friends (yes VI, I have friends) here in Central Texas that do a lot of hog hunting. The do 100% in sausage and summer sausage. They tell me just  not that good for other ways so no need. Just passing on. I can tell you the summer sausage is outstanding (reg sausage not so much)....
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • Well damn.  I was hoping Yzzi was going to get some great ideas because two weeks ago my son and I brought back 5 wild pigs from Florida that are processed into hams, butts, backstrap, and scrawny ribs. 

    Our plan was to brine the shoulders in buttermilk, herbs, and spices to help minimize the gamey taste.  Apply a heavy rub and smoke until ???.  I'm guessing since so lean, a lower final temp of 180 or so as a test. 

    Maybe it's all just sausage. 
    Knoxville, TN
    Nibble Me This
  • yzzi
    yzzi Posts: 1,843
    Yeah mickey, I remember someone on the forum suggesting to just turn it all into sausage a few months ago. My buddy gave me the meat to for one pig since his wife wouldn't cook it, so I brought that to get turned into sausage that I'm picking up tomorrow (along with my pork bellies I ordered for doing bacon). The other, my other buddy and I wanted to try roasting it since the size was pretty small we figure it's worth a try. I told him we may very well end up ordering pizza for dinner Sunday if it turns out bad.

    MrCookingNurse, I think you're on to something there, especially since I may be cutting the front half from the back half to get rid of the bruised meat from the bullet. I think that's a good experiment to get two difference results. 
    Dunedin, FL
  • What I do with whole wild hogs is to take the time to clean the hair off so the skin will remain in place and provide a moister barrier and help keep it moist. 

    to de-hair we hit the pig with boil water, to loosen the hair and take a cheap disposable razor, leave the cap on.  Then drag it across the pig it will pull the hair out. 

    I also make sure I have a large drip pan full of water.  Keeps the humidity up.

    Corpus Christi, Texas.  LBGE x 2, Weber Smoky Joe, and Aussie Walk-About
  • yzzi
    yzzi Posts: 1,843
    It's skinned already, buy I'll keep liquid in there and mop it.
    Dunedin, FL
  • yzzi
    yzzi Posts: 1,843
    Well, forget about the spatchcock idea. Last night I cut the entire thing up, and got some good cuts of meat ready. I will probably cook up a leg, shoulder, and some loin and tenderloin today. I realize there's no competing with @charlesmaneri and his amazing looking suckling pig ;-)
    Dunedin, FL
  • @yzzi thank you for the complement I almost feel like I have reached celebrity status after that cook 
    2 Large Eggs and a Mini 2 Pit Bulls and a Pork shoulder or butt nearby and 100% SICILIAN
    Long Island N.Y.
  • yzzi
    yzzi Posts: 1,843
    Well I smoked the shoulders at 250 till they stalled then wrapped in foil with apple juice/cider till they reached 200. Then I put the tenderloins and the loins on direct raised and cooked till done. It all was pretty good. The loin tasted as good as any store bought but I cooked it to a higher temp then store bought pork. The shoulders didn't pull, which I expected, but they made a great "Turkey leg" style dinner. The only shot I got was the shoulder, sorry. Next boar I will eat the loin and tenderloin normal and sausage the rest.

    image
    Dunedin, FL