Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

100 lb Pig

You need time, friends, and funds to spit-roast a pig. Find a source
and order the pig, rent a spit from the yellow pages of your
telephone book. Select your site out of the wind and rain and prepare
the firebed, after you have picked up the spit and before you pick up
the pig. When you pick up the pig, secure it on the spit, allowing at
least 2 hours for this job. More on that later.

THE PIG. Order a pig weighing 100 pounds or less. a 100 pound pig
makes 100 servings. You may have to wait up to one month to get the
size pig you want. Shop around for the best prices. If the pig
arrives a day or so ahead, have it held for you in the market's
refrigerator. After spitting the pig, you can keep it cold for up to
14 hours. Place pig on a plastic sheet in a cool place; drape it with
sealed plastic bags filled with ice. Cover with another sheet of
plastic; protect from animals and insects. Replace ice as it melts.

PREPARING THE FIRE BED: You'll need a shovel, the spit-roasting
equipment, 20 pounds of sand, 14 concrete blocks (6- by 6- by 12 inch
size) about 120 pounds of long burning charcoal briquets, fire
starter and matches, a garden rake long handled tongs, potholder
mitts and a large box of baking soda. Clear a level 3- by 5-foot area
down to the soil. Down the center, spread sand in a 1 1/2- by 3-foot
rectangle. Set spit supports at 3-foot ends of rectangle and put spit
in position. Adjust supports so that spit is 20 to 24 inches above
ground and centered. Line perimeter of area with concrete blocks
(open sides up) to make a solid wall.

SPIT ROASTING EQUIPMENT. You need a spit at least 7 feet long and
forks to keep the pig from slipping.

SPITTING TYING THE PIG: A TEAM OPERATION. Allow at least 2 hours for
spitting and tying. first, insert spit through mouth and out tail of
pig; one person pushes spit, the other guides it along backbone. Spit
should not pierce any bone or meat. Make sure pig is centered on
spit. Next, wire spin to spit. You'll need three 24-inch lengths of
heavy wire, an ice pick, and pliers. At mid back, make a hole on each
side of spine with an ice pick, poking from rib side out through the
skin. Working from skin side, force the 2 ends of 1 wire through
holes in pig cavity. With pliers, twist wire ends together over spit,
securely uniting spit and spine (spine curves and may actually not
touch spit). Position remaining 2 wires about 12" away from center
wire on either side. Force metal spit forks firmly and securely into
thickest parts of hind and shoulder ends; clap or wire spit forks
tightly to secure spit. Use double strands of heavy cotton string to
tie front and rear legs to spit. Because legs are stiff, this task
may require brute strength. To hold skin in place as it cooks, make
a string net over rib loin sections. Suspend spit between 2
counters, so you can pass string under and around pig. First tie
string tightly at 3" intervals around body between front and rear
legs. Then wrap strings at right angles to make 3" squares. Once pig
is spitted and tied, position it on spit supports and rotate to make
sure the equipment works and that pig is balanced. A well-balanced
pig that doesn't shift its weight on the spit is essential. Remove
pig and keep cool while you start the fire.

ROASTING THE PIG. Pile ten pounds of charcoal briquets at each end of
firebed and ignite. When coals are ash-covered and glowing hot
(about 1 hour) set spitted pig on supports. Rake coals into even
layer underneath pig. Begin rotating pig. Continue rotating
throughout cooking. After about 1 hour, when fat begins to drip, rake
briquets from directly beneath pit to expose sand. Arrange coals so
most are underneath thickest parts of pig, with 6"-8"-wide band of
coals along sides of pig. To keep skin from charring, sprinkle any
grease fires with baking soda to smother flames. About every 30
minutes, rake briquets to knock off ash. Add 10 pounds of briquets
about every hour to maintain heat. After about 10 hours, fat will
cease dripping excessively; at this point, rake hot coals back
beneath pig, concentrating heat under thighs and shoulders. Internal
temperature in thickest part of animal at bone should be 140F on a
rapid-reading thermometer. Check temperature in several places. A
spit-roasted pig exposed to the air often reaches only 140-150, but
if cooking continues at this temperature for at least 1 hour, the
meat is both safe and very palatable to eat. Cooking typically takes
10-12 hours, though breezy or cool weather will slow it down. If the
pig is ready before the rest of the meal, rake coals from beneath pig
so it will cease cooking but stay hot; keep hot on spit for up to 1
hour.

To serve, transfer spitted pig to a large table topped with a
pig-size tray of heavy foil, pull out spit and cut off strings.
Garnish pig with parsley. Pull off skin; tear or carve meat from
bones. Season to taste.

Posted on GEnie Food Wine RT Feb 28, 1994 by COOKIE-LADY [FW-COOKIE]
Brought to you by MMCONV and Sylvia Steiger, GEnie THE.STEIGERS, CI$
71511,2253, Internet sylvia.steiger#lunatic.com, moderator of GT
Cookbook and PlanoNet Lowfat Luscious echoes From: Sylvia Steiger
Date: 09-27-94 Submitted By GAIL SHIPP On 06-12-95

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