Pig on a Spit?

[Mercs Own]

Gidday all - I am doing a pig on a spit for a party in a couple of weeks time and as I have never ever done one before thought I may ask for hints tips and advice on doing one.

Be needing a pig to feed 50. Planning on using heat beads and red gum....uhm...that is about all I know at present????

 

[Topher]

If it's not a motorised spit, make sure you turn regularly. All the fat can accumulate on one side and when you do finally put your beer down to turn it......WHOOSH!

 

[Phoney]

We put one on many years ago... If I were to offer you two bits of advice (after learning the hard way) it would be this:

1. Get twice as many heat beads as you think you'll need.
2. Accommodate twice as much time as you think it will take.

I'm not sure about using red gum? Using any eucalyptus wood is a big no-no when it comes to smoking meats, it makes meat taste like bushfire. But I guess char grill could be different. If It were me I would be looking at getting something like this to go with the briquettes: https://www.masters.com.au/product/900021802/weber-hickory-wood-chunks-2-27kg.jsp;jsessionid=h+JLBAfpoSYIOKYB3UItPQ__.ncdlmorasp1201?bmUID=kMK1Nxc

 

[seamad]

I use red gum , spotty gum for smoking all the time, very tasty. I do use charcoal for the cooking though, and after using charcoal wouldn't go back to heat beads again. Last time I was going to do a pig on the spit my butcher talked me into a couple of large shoulders and some beef. He said it was cheaper and easier ( both the cooking and serving ) with cuts cf a whole animal, mind you doesn't look as impressive though.

 

[Mardoo]

If you're using wood go for some yellow box. Lovely caramel-ey flavor. Eucalypts are fine though.

Where are you located? There's a great woods and charcoal guy in the eastern hills in Melbourne. Real wood charcoal same price as heat beads.

Phoney's points about charcoal and time are very well taken. Whole pigs don't go quickly.

 

[Tahoose]

Whole pigs do go quickly, they are eaten quickly that is

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Nothing wrong with hardwood. Redgum is good but my personal preference is Ironbark

Having done a few in my time I will say this.

1.Whole beast take a long time to cook (6-8 Hrs) and you have to make sure you tie it to the shaft well to stop bits falling off towards the end.

2. You will need more wood than you think.

3. Get your coals ready early. Start the fire about an hour before putting the beast on to get a nice bed of coals and no flame

4. Only put smaller pieces of wood on regularly. This helps keep the heat more even over time. You DO NOT want flames. I have had a pig catch fire.

5. Have a good supply of beer

6. DO NOT let ANYONE touch the spit. Always have a knife or carving fork in your spare hand as a deterrent

7. Have a good supply of beer

8. Have a big table covered in plastic or something. A whole beast makes a lot of mess when you start hacking it up

9. Butts or rolled sections of " insert animal here " are a lot easier to carve up. Also allows you to have a couple of different species to gnaw on

10. Have a good supply of beer

11. Spits are not suitable for Vegetarians. I really dont give a shit about Vegans so not sure how they would cope


If you have never carved up a full animal then go for large cuts. A full animal takes a bit to get all the meat of the carcass and can get fiddly.

Turkeys, Geese, Ducks and chooks also go very well on a spit.

 

[Mardoo]

Spot on there Stu. Good details that will keep the pain in the ass at bay.

I've been using stainless steel wire to make a "cage" around the meat to hold it all together. One long spiral wrap around the meat, then two wraps around the length of the meat, making an X at right angles. Works a charm. Wipe the machine oil off the wire first using some metho.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

You do need tie wire. Unfortunately most of the stuff available is Gal/Zinc dipped.

Stainless Mig wire is really good at tying spits up, although you probably want to acquire it rather than have to buy it.

 

[Maheel]

i reckon boned out shoulders (or leg) of pork / legs lamb / whole rump / boned chickens etc is easier and quicker to cook

you can create a more even "spit" with diff meats and takes less effort to cook and carve.
you can also get some big SS skewers to help tie it all together

lots of spits now are like big BBQ's with a massive grill / plate rather than a true spit and they throw on whole cuts

i'm an ex butcher and have carved a few bone in pigs / lambs / goats etc off spits... bit of a PITA i reckon

 

[potof4x]

A guy in town here does pigs in a Philipino style,they come out succulent and crackling like breaking glass. Some tips after doing a few with him..
Ensure it' is at room temperature before cooking.

Prick the skin randomly with the tip of a knife to allow the fat to render out without the skin splitting. As a guide only - every 30mm sqare of skin would have a 4mm stab wound in it, prick it all over.

He fills the cavity with 4 cups of salt and about a kilo of whole bruised lemongrass stalks and seals the cavity up tight. Echoing stus comments above remember the meat will shrink when cooking, so ensure head shoulders and rump is well supported with tie wire and cross spikes.

A pallet covered with alfoil makes a good platter to carve/serve on.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

t. Echoing stus comments above remember the meat will shrink when cooking, so ensure head shoulders and rump is well supported with tie wire and cross spikes.

A pallet covered with alfoil makes a good platter to carve/serve on.

Once it starts to come off you cant save it.

Trick is keeping the heat constant but not to hot so that deep in the shoulders and rump gets cooked as well. Nothing worse than hacking into a beast and finding out the inside is still raw.

Nice and slow is the go

Ensure it' is at room temperature before cooking.

And salt up the skin if doing pork

 

[brad81]

A mate of mine runs a pretty successful forum relating to all things BBQ, give your question a go there: http://www.aussiepitmasters.com.au/

 

[JB]

If you're after a portable flat pack spit setup, I've only heard good things about these: www.ezyspit.com

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

If you're after a portable flat pack spit setup, I've only heard good things about these: www.ezyspit.com

I Just check them out. Ripper design. You could hardly make it for the price.

Given me an idea..

 

[MattSR]

You do need tie wire. Unfortunately most of the stuff available is Gal/Zinc dipped.

Just curious - is Gal or Zinc plating or dipping bad for contact with food?

 

[Phoney]

Just curious - is Gal or Zinc plating or dipping bad for contact with food?

When Gal / Zinc plating is heated it releases toxic fumes. You don't want to breathe that shit in or let it anywhere near your food.

You can get stainless steel tie wire at bunnings: http://www.bunnings.com.au/wire-tie-stainless-steel-1-60mm-15m-304-grade-50210_p3040626

 

[Fents]

Not a whole beast but this measly 8KG's fed about 30 ppl souva's last weekend...

Ive only cooked a whole lamb once for a Vic Beer Swap. Stu's on the money, heaps and heaps of charcoal, beer and a big ass table covered in plastic for when its ready. Dont forget to stiff the cavitey, tie it up and score the skin. Heaps of youtube vids out there to watch.

 

[Fents]

Oh and if you need to borrow a spit, mines rated to 20KG.

 

[MattSR]

Ah gotcha - I've read that its safe at normal temps for food contact, but the heating/burning thing makes sense..

When Gal / Zinc plating is heated it releases toxic fumes.