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Whole pig, 65 pounds, in the egg

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irishrog
irishrog Posts: 375
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Last weekend I cooked a whole pig in the egg. The pig was 65# carcass weight before I removed the head and feet.
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First I removed all the back bone, from neck to tail. I left in the rib bones, but I did pull off the membrane from the ribs.
I then smeared the inside of the pig with english mustard, and stuffed him with apples, carrots, onions, parsnips and thyme.
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I then folded up the pig into a cube, with the loin on the bottom, and with the shoulders outside the hams.
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I prepared my egg by removing the upper lining of the egg, and lit my fire in the fire ring. I stabelised the egg at 250 and put in a chunk of hickory.
I then put the platesetter down into the egg, put a steel bowl of stock on the platesetter, and then put in the grid. I then put in my pig.
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I cooked the pig for a total of 16 hours at 250, spritzing every half hour after hour 14, when he had gone through the plateau.
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My pig was finally cooked after 16 hours, and after resting for an hour he tasted absolutely wonderful
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The judges in the competition felt the pig was over smoked and awarded the prize for the best roasted pig to an entry done on a gas roaster. I didn't care, I had proved to myself that I could get a 65 pounds pig into a regular large Big Green Egg, and cook him to perfection.
Here are a few photos of other pigs, which also did not win.
12 hours over a wood fire.
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6 hours on a home made side smoker ( 12 pound suckling pig)
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180 pound pig cooked over charcaol for 8 hours on an open pit. He used 14 bags of charcoal, I used 1 and had some left over.
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I did not bother to take a photo of a pig in a gas oven that just did not interest me.
Greetings from Ireland, Roger
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Comments

  • thechief96
    thechief96 Posts: 1,908
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    What a fabulous post. Thanks It looks wonderful :)
    Dave San Jose, CA The Duke of Loney
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  • 61chev
    61chev Posts: 539
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    Great story and pictures very interesting I sometimes wonder about the judges in a competition as to what they are looking for, but we know what is good, feel sorry for them that don't enjoy good food
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  • nlsteve
    nlsteve Posts: 44
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    Your pig looked beautiful to me. Thanks for the photos.

    I wonder if the judges would have been happier if you had left out the chunk of hickory.

    So just what is the appropriate Irish beverage used to wash down a mouthful of succulent smoked pig? Whatever it is, have one for me. . .

    Steve
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  • Ripnem
    Ripnem Posts: 5,511
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    Congrats on the successful cook. I've been waiting to here about this one.

    Really odd that a gasser won though.
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  • Big'un
    Big'un Posts: 5,909
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    Very cool! I bet he was smoking! I noticed that you didn't score the skin towards the end of the cook. Why not?
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  • Grillin & Chillin
    Grillin & Chillin Posts: 733
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    Picture #3 is funny cause your dog is thinking..........."Just go out of the room for 5 minutes, I'm gonna eat me some piiggy!"
    :ohmy:
    BGE'er since 1996 Large BGE 1996, Small BGE 1996, Mini BGE 1997
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  • cookn biker
    cookn biker Posts: 13,407
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    What a terrific post!! I'm glad you tried this for you and for us here! I thank you and great job man!!!
    Molly
    Colorado Springs
    "Loney Queen"
    "Respect your fellow human being, treat them fairly, disagree with them honestly, enjoy their friendship, explore your thoughts about one another candidly, work together for a common goal and help one another achieve it."
    Bill Bradley; American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, former U.S. Senator from New Jersey
    LBGE, MBGE, SBGE , MiniBGE and a Mini Mini BGE
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  • RU Eggsperienced
    RU Eggsperienced Posts: 1,527
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    Congratulations! That is totally awesome! Now I'm even more proud to be an egger.
    Cheers.....Jerry


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  • irishrog
    irishrog Posts: 375
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    The event was a pig roast competition, which was tied onto a tag rugby event called "Pig and Porter Festival". After running the event for 9 years they finally thought they should add the pig into the equation, there was plenty of porter (guinness) involved, but they had no pig, and so came up with the pig roast competition.
    The judges were local food writers and such, with no knowledge of barbeque, who were invited at short notice. Next year things will be different.
    I think when the organisers came up with the concept of a pig roast they expected all gas spits, and were taken aback when they ended up with 4 smoked pigs, and 4 gas machines.
    If anybody is interested in cooking next year drop me a mail and when I get the details I will send them on to you.
    Roger
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  • irishrog
    irishrog Posts: 375
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    The skin was like leather all the way through.
    I did not score him at the start because I want to kkep the fat insid ethe pig and melt into the meat, which it did, just like pulled pork. However, the skin got just like leather and i dont think I could have scored it even if I wanted to.
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  • irishrog
    irishrog Posts: 375
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    She watched me the whole time I was preparing the pig out of pure curiosity.
    I could leave her in the room for 12 hours with the pig and she would never touch it without permission, she is the most obedient dog I ever met, unlike her owner. Even if bits of food drop on the floor when I am cooking in the kitchen, or if I am carving meat or whatever, she will look at me for permission before she touches anything.
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  • irishrog
    irishrog Posts: 375
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    here she is on the boat this afternoon, pretending to be asleep so she doesnt have to go home.
    DSCF1878.jpg
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  • WooDoggies
    WooDoggies Posts: 2,390
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    Cubed pig... that has to be a first!

    Dude, that is just amazing. If anyone asked me if a 65 lb pig could fit on a large egg, I would have said no way.

    And if there was an award for post of the day, I'd nominate this one.... nicely done!


    john
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  • pattikake
    pattikake Posts: 1,175
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    Wow job well done, Can't believe it fit in a large egg.

    Patti
    Wichita, KS
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  • RGBHV
    RGBHV Posts: 1,318
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    Roger:

    Glad to see how you were able to do this.

    I saw a post recently with a 40 lbs piggy on an XL and wondered how much I could get on my large. Nice to know 65 lbs no head or feet.

    Cheers!

    Michael
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  • pci
    pci Posts: 249
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    I prepared my egg by removing the upper lining of the egg
    What do you mean by upper lining. The hog looked great. I wonder what size I could get in a med egg ?
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  • SSN686
    SSN686 Posts: 3,504
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    Morning Roger:

    GREAT looking cook...you have taken BGE cooking to another level! Too bad the judges don't know anything about good food! :laugh: :laugh:

    Have a GREAT day!

       Jay

    Brandon, FL


     

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  • TNmike
    TNmike Posts: 643
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    I'm always amazed at the things Eggheads come up with but this one adds another level! A few weeks ago it was a 40 lb'er on an XL and now a 65 lb'er on a large. Whats next an 80 lb'er on a medium?? :huh: Nice looking cook, thanks for the post.
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  • Gunnar
    Gunnar Posts: 2,307
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    WOW...an amazing cook.
    LBGE      Katy (Houston) TX
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  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
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    I-M-P-R-E-S-S-I-V-E!!!!!!!!!Great post.THANKS! B)
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  • Tarpon65
    Tarpon65 Posts: 205
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    Irishrog, nice job on the pig. I do not know how you could over-smoke using a BGE. I may have to do this next time a group is over. Doesn't seem to take any longer than a big butt does.
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  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
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    I think the fire ring (the ring that the grid normally sits on) was removed, and the plate setter was placed directly on the fire box (the bowl that holds the lump).

    Roger- is that correct? That is a great idea to get some more room. I suppose it puts you back close to normal grid height without the plate setter.

    This is the coolest thing I have seen on the egg. Too smokey?? Pa-leeeze!

    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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  • Pepper Monkey BBQ
    Pepper Monkey BBQ Posts: 652
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    I now have a new answer for people that ask me about limitations on the egg!!! Outstanding!

    Joel
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  • rsmdale
    rsmdale Posts: 2,472
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    Thanks for the pics,it looks like a tasty meal was had.



    GOOD EATS AND GOOD FRIENDS


    DALE
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  • Mr Holloway
    Mr Holloway Posts: 2,034
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    Wow!! Awsome job, love the way you "Hog" tied that baby. I will have to try this. Thanks for the post :)
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  • SoCalWJS
    SoCalWJS Posts: 407
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    Incredible! Well done!

    Drink a Stout for me. ;)

    The heck with the judges - would you use less smoke next time?
    South SLO County
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  • Mainegg
    Mainegg Posts: 7,787
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    incredible!! thanks for the time it took to post all the info and pics. I was impressed with the 40 pounder and blown away with this! you sure pushed the upper limits. you did a great job!
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  • Clay Q
    Clay Q Posts: 4,486
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    I bet your smoked pig tasted fantastic. :woohoo: Real BBQ gets some smoke on the meat, makes it taste better, more flavors going that combine with the flavor of the pig. I think you did great. Creative thinking with getting that much pig in the cooker...you should have gotten an award for that also.
    Great job!
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    Roger,

    Cheers. Yours tasted better then the others I'm betting mate

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    Hoss: you judge Bbq correct? There must be some scoring for appearance right? Although I love the valliant effort on this a folder up pig cube I wouldn't exactly call high presentation. It may have tastes like the hogs a$$ but it doesnt really look like a roasted pig.

    TO: did you have to cook one that large or could you have cooked a smaller pg where you could have retained more pig features on the finished product so it presented better. I know nothing about the BBQ competition circuit (I case it's not obvious).
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