Suckling pig! Advice please

TheToast

I have a LARGE BGE and I'm thinking of cooking a suckling pig. Would love some advice. Firstly:

1 - Can I comfortably fit a 8-10kg (17-22lb) pig on a large? (Imagine I'll need to scrunch the beast up a bit)
2 - I follow Pitt Cue's bbq book for most recipes and they suggest stuffing the pig with pork stuffing. Good / bad idea?
3 - Book also says a 10lb pig should be smoked at 150c / 300f for 10hrs to reach internal temp of 86c / 186f. How does that sound?

Thanks in advance folks

lkapigian

Done tons of small pigs but not on the egg ( done a few hog heads though ) IMO stuffing who's animals messes with the cooking process but that's just my opinion I would not stuff....cook the ham areas to 190+ and your good , I'd go no higher than 300, careful your dome Thermo is not touching the pig, please post pictures 

nolaegghead

I'm by no means a David Cameron on suckling pigs, but

1) absolutely you can "make" it fit. Squoosh it in a fetal position.

2) something to be said in stuffing some of the thinner areas to make them cook more evenly, plus bonus points if the stuffing is delicious.

3) sounds about right, would never trust times from anyone except as ball-park.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

TheToast

I did wonder why 150c was recommended when pulled pork butts are recommended at 110-120c?

nolaegghead

Eggs like to run better above 120C.  Minute temperature differences make almost zero difference to meat smoking except for the time.  Gross changes do have some nuances, but run above 120C.

TheToast

@nolaegghead What temp do you smoke your pulled pork at, out of interest?

nolaegghead

125C

GalanteNate_OneEa

You can do it...
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1156288/42-piggy-on-xlbge-pics-as-i-go/p1

GalanteNate_OneEa

Did this one too.
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1186622/draft-party-porchetta-with-a-25-suckling-pics#latest

GalanteNate_OneEa

Hate to be this guy, but if you want a great pig, another cooker is a better alternative.

TheToast

@GalanteNate_OneEa Oh wow. How long did it take to de-bone? Hadn't considered that as an option. You made a kind of piglet caterpillar!

What do you mean by different cooker? You mean BGE isn't good for the job?

GalanteNate_OneEa

TheToast said:

@GalanteNate_OneEa Oh wow. How long did it take to de-bone? Hadn't considered that as an option. You made a kind of piglet caterpillar!

What do you mean by different cooker? You mean BGE isn't good for the job?

It wasn’t that hard to debone, might have took less than an hour.

There are definitely better options out there for pigs, I remember struggling to get it cooked right and have crispy skin.