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Whole hog head - tips?

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bclarksicle
bclarksicle Posts: 167
edited March 2014 in EggHead Forum
Picked this guy up today. Would like to cook it whole. Anybody ever tried it? Indirect 250-275ish til done? Head is probably 12-15 pounds. Any ballpark for how long a cook it is?

photo 0DFA998B-A0B0-4E4C-BCE2-DB0DACDB417C_zps9xm1ncyh.jpg
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  • Hi54putty
    Hi54putty Posts: 1,873
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    No clue but let us know how it goes.
    XL,L,S 
    Winston-Salem, NC 
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  • Firemanyz
    Firemanyz Posts: 907
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    I'm interested to see how this turns out. Every year we buy two hogs and grind them to make sausage. Normally we just toss the heads. Would love to try something different with them. Home made scrapple would be the best though.
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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
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    No clue on the cook but it would be great if you posted in progress pics.

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    edited March 2014
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    http://www.greeneggers.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=1258652&catid=1#

    Me? I wouldn't bother. :)

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208
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    I don't know either....but I sure am having fun on facebook with that picture !!!!!!

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


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  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
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    I've seen it boiled
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,888
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    bclarksicle said:
    Picked this guy up today. Would like to cook it whole. Anybody ever tried it? Indirect 250-275ish til done? Head is probably 12-15 pounds. Any ballpark for how long a cook it is? photo 0DFA998B-A0B0-4E4C-BCE2-DB0DACDB417C_zps9xm1ncyh.jpg
    Haven't you heard of "head cheese"?  Hog heads like this are full of delish meat to be salvaged. I even remember being frightened as a wee one some 65 years ago when I uncovered the head in a box that my Dad had brought home. Next day my Mother cleaned it and cooked the meat and as I recall we ate some delish meals for a week! Times weren't always great back then, but great food can be made with something others call cast offs. Guess that was the beginning of when I learned the term that all of a hog can be eaten but the squeal!!!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • Auburntgr
    Auburntgr Posts: 78
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    Heard great things about Mickeys coffee rub. They way eggers talk about the rub you should be able to rub it down and turbo for great results.
    Franklin, TN Medium and large Green Egg
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  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
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    I've never done just a head, but did a whole hog last summer. When we pulled it off I went straight for the cheek meat, some of my buddies just looked at me kind of odd. It was the most tender, moist meat I've had. I would do it just like the greeneggers post linked to above. Where did you find it? I'd like to give one a try.
    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
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  • cheech5001
    cheech5001 Posts: 102
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    Not sure about a head on the Egg, but I did do a Sous Vide Rolled pig's head a couple of years ago following this post: http://www.fiftyfourdegrees.com/lang/en-us/archives/1328

    In the end analysis, it was a great deal of work for very little edible product at the end.  Might have been due to my less than stellar butchery skills, or that the head I used came of a 60lb hog I was cooking, and may have been too young to have lots of meat on it.
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  • bclarksicle
    bclarksicle Posts: 167
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    Thanks for the tips and links, very helpful!

    Still figuring out my strategy. Planning on cooking him Friday or Saturday. Thinking it might be good to salt him a day before, but not sure.

    In the meantime, I gave him a good cleaning and shaved all remaining hair. I'll post more pics on cook day.

    photo 43440EAE-F08D-463C-823D-C7438725A502_zpsgjhem0mg.jpg
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  • Gezr
    Gezr Posts: 154
    edited March 2014
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    I turned a couple of pig heads into dog food but that was before I got the BGE. Now it would be smoked dog food.
    By the way, nice shaving job.
    If you don't think too good, don't think too much.

    Afton, VA
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  • billybon
    billybon Posts: 213
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    That head would make a wonderful porchetta di testa. It is one of my favorite pork dishes.

    Here is the link to see how it is done:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nByH6yPWYj8
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