Roast whole Pig

Name: Roast whole Pig
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 gallon Cold Water; 3 gallon Apple Juice; 6 lb Brown Sugar; 4 1/2 cup Morton's Kosher Salt; 48 clove Garlic; 48 Whole Cloves; 18 Whole Bay Leaves; 12 oz Ginger; 9 Oranges; 4 tbsp Whole Peppercorn; 1 large Bag of Ice; 45 lb Dressed Pig; 1 La Caja China; 44 lb Charcoal

Dan Krause @cook_3272239

Chattanooga, Tennessee

I have cooked a pig once before in a Caja China. That first time I followed the recipe from the Caja China company exactly. This time I wanted to take my pig to the next level and add my own spin on it. Note this brine is great for chicken and turkey also. Just remember if do scale it down for poultry, make sure you do NOT get a self basting bird. The end product will be way too salty.

Dan Krause @cook_3272239

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Saved

Ingredients

Brine
4 gallonCold Water
3 gallonApple Juice
6 lbBrown Sugar
4 1/2 cupMorton's Kosher Salt
48 cloveGarlic
48Whole Cloves
18Whole Bay Leaves
12 ozGinger
9Oranges
4 tbspWhole Peppercorn
1 largeBag of Ice
Pig
45 lbDressed Pig
1La Caja China
44 lbCharcoal

Saved

Steps

1

Two days prior to roasting the pig, make the brine. To start the brine, first dissolve the sugar and salt in a large stock pot with approximately half of the water (~2 gallons) over low heat.
2

Stir the pot frequently to prevent forming a lump of salt and sugar on the bottom of the pot.
3

While the pot simmers, peel the garlic and crush it. Also thinly slice the ginger.
Note: Save yourself a lot of time and effort by buying a bag of whole peeled garlic cloves from a Sam's Club or Costco.
4

Once the salt and sugar has completely dissolved, turn off the heat.
5

While the water is still hot add the garlic, ginger, whole cloves, bay leaves, and peppercorns.
6

Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
7

Using a hammer and a thick spine knife or sharp hatchet, split the backbone of the pig from inside the cavity.
8

Place the pig in a large watertight cooler.
9

Add the apple juice, the remaining water, ice, and the salt/sugar water mix to the cooler.
10

Cut the oranges into quarters. Squeeze the juice of these pieces into the cooler. Throw the orange peel into the cooler with the pig.
11

Ensure the pig is completely covered with brine. Check the pig daily to ensure there is still plenty of ice in the cooler and that the pig remains below 38 F.
12

After 48 hours of brining, empty the cooler of brine. Remove the pig and thoroughly rinse with cold water.
Note: Using a garden hose make this much easier.
13

Place the pig in the wire rack that comes with La Caja China.
14

Ensure the pig is dry as can be and place it in the Caja China belly side up.
15

Put the lid on the box. Add approximately 12 pounds of charcoal to the top of the box and light.
Note: Using match ready charcoal for the initial charcoal load is a great time saver. Making two mounds near the ends of the box makes it easier to light and gets the heat going near the thickest portions of the pig.
16

After the charcoal is completely lit, use a metal rake to spread the coals out evenly.
17

After 1 hour, add 8 more pounds of charcoal. Repeat this 2 times, once at the 2 hour mark and again at 3 hours of cooking time.
18

After 4 hours of cooking, remove the top grate and shake off the ash. Set it on the installed stand.
CAUTION: The coal pan and the pig are both very hot. Use a friend and thick BBQ gloves to do this.
19

Now remove the lid and dump the hot ashes into a metal bucket.
20

Put the lid back on and place the coal tray back in place on the lid. Now you can remove both and set them on the installed stand to give yourself access to the pig.
21

Flip the pig. Simple pick up one end of the pig and flip end over end.
22

Using a sharp knife score the skin with large X's between the grating wire.
23

Put the lid with charcoal pan back on and add 8 pounds of fresh charcoal to the hot charcoal.
24

After 30 minutes, check the pig. If the skin is crispy, remove from the box. Otherwise, replace the lid and cook for another 10 minutes and check again. Repeat this as many times as is necessary to get the desired crispness.
Note: If your pig is done, but you are not ready to serve, simply pick up the lid and rotated 45 to 90 degrees and set it back down on the box. You now have a large warming drawer.
25

Remove the pig from box. Remove the holding grate. Slice and serve. I like to separate the skin into separate pans and cut the meat into bite size chunks.
CAUTION: The pig meat will be very hot.
26

Serve with Hawaiian rolls, corn tortillas, or lettuce wraps. Add BBQ, hoisin, or tomatillo sauce and enjoy.