Boning a pig

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Rag1

Executive Chef
Joined
Jun 24, 2007
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3,022
Location
Berks Cty, Pa.
No giggling at the subject line.
I saw a pig pit cooked that had the ribs and back bone removed before cooking.
Any ideas how to do that?
I'm going to try it on Sat.
The deal is to put chunked up butts in the cavity and sew it shut to bump up the yield.
 
People here take out the backbone and ribs, then stuff the cavity and sew it shut. I think it is so the center of the pig (between the ass and shoulders) can be cut up easier after cooking. I'm getting cold feet on doing it. I've seen it done, but like you, I question the benefit.
 
Rag said:
People here take out the backbone and ribs, then stuff the cavity and sew it shut. I think it is so the center of the pig (between the ass and shoulders) can be cut up easier after cooking. I'm getting cold feet on doing it. I've seen it done, but like you, I question the benefit.
I would just love to see pics or a video on how it's done. I'm not being a smart ass.
 
Pigs On The Wing BBQ said:
Rag said:
People here take out the backbone and ribs, then stuff the cavity and sew it shut. I think it is so the center of the pig (between the ass and shoulders) can be cut up easier after cooking. I'm getting cold feet on doing it. I've seen it done, but like you, I question the benefit.
I would just love to see pics or a video on how it's done. I'm not being a smart ass.
Maybe you could learn how to cook a whole hog that way :P :LOL: 8)
 
A few years ago I saw a Food Network program that featured the "Burpin' Terps", Univ. of Maryland, super-tailgaters who won best tailgating awards annually. They prepared their pig the exact same way. What is amounted to was a big pork bbq sausage with natural casing (literally). Ribs and backbone were removed and stuffed with pork butts and aromatics. Never tried it personally but here it go ...

Tailgating
Recipe courtesy Dean D'Camera
* Dean recommends that people use whatever amounts of seasoning they like but warns to stay away from too much fennel seed, "it can leave a case of indigestion later that is deadly to you and friends near by."
1 (60 pound) fresh pig
40 pounds good quality pork butts
1 cup fennel seed
1 1/2 cups fresh rosemary leaves
1 cup fresh basil
1 cup fresh oregano
1 cup fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup plus 1/8 cup crushed red pepper
1 cup coarse ground pepper
1 1/2 cups coarse salt
6 cups fresh garlic cloves
3 cups olive oil
Chicken wire and wood chips, for grilling
Debone the pig by removing the back bone and rib cage. This leaves the head, legs and skin of the body. You can ask your butcher to do this. Quarter the pork butts. Chop all seasonings to the texture of coarse ground pepper. Pour all seasoning in a large mixing bowl with garlic and olive oil. Mix until texture is similar to wallpaper paste. Poke holes in the pork butt with a knife. Open the holes with your fingers and fill with seasoning. Take the remainder of the seasoning and coat the inside of the pig. Fill the gut of the pig with the pork butts and sew the stomach of the pig as you go along using steel wire and needle nosed pliers. Once the pig is stuffed, take stainless steel chicken wire and wrap the pig (this is a substitute for the ribcage) to hold it together while cooking. Fill a large grill with wood chips and heat to 425 to 450 degrees F. After the grill is heated, place 2 large pieces of wet oak on the fire. Place the pig on a large grill (use wood chips for your charcoal-- it is a nice hot steady temperature which lasts along time). BBQ for approximately 6 to 8 hours, maintaining a grill temperature of 425 to 450 degrees F.
The recipes for this program, which were provided by contributors and guests who may not be professional chefs, have not been tested in the Food Network’s kitchens. Therefore, the Food Network cannot attest to the accuracy of any of the recipes.
Yield: 30 to 40 servings
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 6 hours
 
I've seen it done on a few occasions, and have used the "stuff the hog with butts" thingyas well... works well if you really have the need to cook for alot of people ... that's the only reason I would ever do it is for power cooking.. boning them is a pain the in the you know where, and and mis-cuts on the skin so the fat all drip out are sometimes have you wishing you didnt do it.. but if you have need to cook hog for 125-150, and all you have room for on your smoker is a 75 pounder, it is definately the way to go
 
Tom Christine of Smoken Dudes Catering is where I see this. He did one again for our BBQ Expo in Lancaster Pa on Saturday. I wanted to eyeball it before going on the pit, but was busy at the time. The boning takes place at his kitchen and is probably sewn shut before coming to the event.
I wanted to look inside to see, ...well whatever. His guys take 15 minutes to bone one. Actually, I didn't see the finished product either.
 
Rag said:
Tom Christine of Smoken Dudes Catering is where I see this. He did one again for our BBQ Expo in Lancaster Pa on Saturday. I wanted to eyeball it before going on the pit, but was busy at the time. The boning takes place at his kitchen and is probably sewn shut before coming to the event.
I wanted to look inside to see, ...well whatever. His guys take 15 minutes to bone one. Actually, I didn't see the finished product either.

His son usually does it.. maybe he'll do another one up in New Paltz in August
 
Pigs On The Wing BBQ said:
I would just love to see pics or a video on how it's done.
Me too, Pigs. I can kind of imagine it -- I can also imagine cutting away a lot of meat along with the bones if I were doing it. :oops: You could probably trim it off and put it back in there with the extra butts, though.

--John
(What I can't imagine is how you'd bone a chicken or other bird from the inside out, but people reportedly do it. :shock: )
 
Unity said:
Pigs On The Wing BBQ said:
I would just love to see pics or a video on how it's done.
Me too, Pigs. I can kind of imagine it -- I can also imagine cutting away a lot of meat along with the bones if I were doing it. :oops: You could probably trim it off and put it back in there with the extra butts, though.

--John
(What I can't imagine is how you'd bone a chicken or other bird from the inside out, but people reportedly do it. :shock: )

The cut out bones are cooked like normal rib trimmings.
I think you may be right about the son Bobber.
 
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