pig in the ground

[riverbank]

Planning on doing a pig in the ground. About a 50 pounder, small crowd. How long should this take? I'm fairly sure I know how to get it done but anybody that has had some success with it I would sure appreciate some pointers. All I can find online is info on doing big ole hogs and it taking 12+ hours.

 

[NOYDB]

To do a pig we used an open pit.

When we've done it, friends have made an overnight project out of it. Half of the fun was those of us that manned the night shift.

We used a meat thermometer to maintain the temp around 200 degrees to be sure it was cooked all the way thru.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

Riverbank, that pig you sent to WAR didn't take near as long as some there thought it would. I seem to recall it going on the smoker mid afternoon and a few of us that were still up took it off around 2am and stuck it in a cooler until the next day. I want to say 6-7 hours would have been plenty.

Honestly, those little pigs are perfect for a small crowd. The ham is the thickest part, so just cook an appropriate time for cooking a ham that size.

 

[riverbank]

Thank y'all fellas. We're planning to bury this one. I have cremated one before and by all means necessary I want to avoid that this time. I know dang well there's got to be some hank Jr fans on here that can tell me all I need to know

 

[skiff23]

4-6 hours will cook it . To much fire will overdo it not enough it will be rare.

 

[notnksnemor]

Cover it with cabbage leaves and if you can get a temp probe with a long cord, insert it and bury with the pig so you can monitor meat temp.
Cabbage leaves will help keep meat moist.

 

[KyDawg]

When I lived in South Georgia we had banana trees and used the leaves to wrap the pig.

 

[NCHillbilly]

You might try asking this down in the Outdoor Cafe Forum a little further down the page, too.

 

[riverbank]

Awesome fellas...thanks....and I will do that hillbilly

 

[Lukikus2]

Thank y'all fellas. We're planning to bury this one. I have cremated one before and by all means necessary I want to avoid that this time. I know dang well there's got to be some hank Jr fans on here that can tell me all I need to know

My Uncle worked a few of his party's. He did cook them in the ground but much larger. This is before the days of gas grills and big ol smokers. Back in those days it was a three day affair.

 

[DannyW]

Be careful...years ago, using the advice of someone on this very board, I buried a 30# pig before going out on the evening hunt. I promised everyone BBQ when we got back later that evening. I returned 4-5 hours later to find a cremated 30# pig. I scrambled to the nearest town and $85 later I had BBQ for everyone in camp.

Moral of the story: try it before you promise it. I followed the instructions to a "T" and now think the slow cooked in the ground buried pig is a fable.