Smoke a Whole Pig

[BeeRich]

Hello my people.

Was interested in purchasing some stacker rings for my WSM 18 so that I can hang a pig inside the thing. Has anybody done this? How big of a pig could I get done in a WSM 18" with 1 stacker ring? 2 rings? I can get some pigs super cheap cleaned out here. Spend an evening butchering it up...wonderful.

Love to get some input from the experts here.

Cheers

 

[Bobberqer]

I just did a 41 pounder over the w/e.... it was a bit over 4 ft long, even after I cut off the rear legs at the first knuckle...... and, you need about 9 inches above an embered fire source.. so, you need almost 5 ft of stackers to make it work...not sure if it would be easier to build your own cinder block pit, as I did over the weeked

 

[Bobberqer]

Here's a picture of the cinderblock pit

 

[BeeRich]

LOL I don't have that kind of real estate. Everything I do is in my grill or in my smoker on my deck. Hence the inquiry about the stackers. Difficult to find one of these as well.

 

[Captain Morgan]

you know, I'm thinking this is not a good idea. It may be possible, but
I'm not sure it's gonna be worth it.

 

[BeeRich]

How so? I'm very limited with the resources I have. Not worth it to get a suckling pig and hang it in there?

 

[Captain Morgan]

well, right off the bat I'd be concerned about the bottom end of the pig
getting done a whole lot quicker than the top end. I'd expect some color
variations on the sin as well, but maybe you're planning on flipping him
at some point.

If you are going to do him whole hog style, you won't get much
flavor inside the skin. If you butterfly him, Carolina style, the only
way worth cooking a whole animal of that size, you're gonna come close to
double the girth, which may not fit inside the wsm. In other words, a 9
inch wide pig split and butterflied would fit in an 18 inch wsm.

You ever seen a 9 inch wide hog? Won't feed too many people unless
he's unusually long.
the

 

[BeeRich]

Oh the water pan would be in there for sure. I could flip the little fellah, sure. I'm sure there are ways to get the heat through the animal. I don't think I'll be doing much to the pig though. I'm not looking to feed a party, just to see what I can do with an extender in my WSM. I can get some suckling piglets at a local market.

Or, half a bigger pig.

 

[Pigs On The Wing BBQ]

I have done many whole hogs in the past. I personally don't see it as a good idea with a WSM.Val and me did 100 pound min. A hundred pound hog takes as much time to cut up as a 150 pound hog. Some pics.

http://www.bbq-4-u.com/attachments/photobucket/img_221661_1_4da061c1406d7b7383fbcc71376b8ffc.jpg[/IMg)

Crazy Women with a sharp Knife.

[img]http://www.bbq-4-u.com/attachments/photobucket/img_221661_2_b1628cb2d3dff5f0a161db0e2d0dbd5d.jpg

Pigs

 

[BeeRich]

I think yer missing what I'm saying here. I don't want 100 pounds. I don't want 150 pounds. I don't want 300 pounds. I'm talking something small.

Maybe even smaller than that, as I can get them. The pictures you provided are automobile pigs.

 

[Pigs On The Wing BBQ]

Rib's, shoulder, and butts. If you have never done a whole hog, this is the way to fly. But if you want to do a tiny piggy, go for it. I still wouldn't do one in a WSM. Just my.02. Let us know how it goes. Yea Larry, the table is still gross.

Pigs

 

[BeeRich]

And I wouldn't want to do a 200 pound hog either. I have no reason to do 200 pounds of an animal. In fact I've hired out 140 pound pigs. I've done plenty of butts and ribs so far. I'd like to do a ham as well.

Ah the picture didn't show up in my previous post.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ruudboy/4404084011/

How long does a pig that size last you?

 

[Captain Morgan]

Bee rich, all I'm saying is that you want to cook a suckling pig, or any pig that
will fit inside a wsm, you're gonna get no smoke inside the meat. That is why
hogs are butterflied, to expose the meat to the smoke.

A suckling pig may fit inside. I'd be concerned that during a low and slow
cook, the juices would run from one to the other, but it's possible you could
make it work. Flipping him would be my guess on how to do it.

My points are this...

a wsm is not meant to cook a whole pig.

a suckling pig that is cooked whole doesn't need a smoker to cook it.

suckling pigs and whole hog barbecue are two different animals. (lol, I meant to say that.)



if you do it, I'd love to hear your results, and good luck...the path to great food requires
experimentation!

 

[BeeRich]

I understand. But you don't have to rip a pig in half to get exposure to smoke. You can expose the meat in a couple of ways. In fact, even when roasting directly over charcoal, I've seen its skin sliced as well.

I realize I can cook a small pig other ways. Same goes for roasting as well. Seeing that things are possible, is a good way of trying things to begin with. I have a smoker, and I'm not running out to purchase a truck and a trailer with a roaster on top of it, and some real estate to cook it on, simply to do a pig. I'm working with what I have here, and those are my restrictions. I've never said I want to do a whole hog, so I'm not sure why it's even in this thread to begin with. I am trying to see what I can do with modifying my WSM, as I've had lots of mediocre briskets (regardless of what I do), and I've given away lots of butts, and I have chicken coming out my ears. I'm not a fan of sausage, so I'm trying some new ideas.

I'm not brewing either, so I can't really experiment there. I'd love to be peat smoking malted barley, as I have a potential client interested in a distillery here in town. Smoked cheese is great, but I can only eat so much cheese before I plug up.

Still have to see if sourcing one of these rings would be feasible.

 

[Pigs On The Wing BBQ]

I agree with Jim. WSM Whole hog, a no go in my book. Whole hog is not that that hard as long as you have the right cooking vessel. I wouldn't cook a whole hog again.With my big pit Only at camp with lots of help. Adult beverages and staying up all night kind of get in the way. Every one thinks it's a great idea.l but will dispersive before the hog is done. Oh yea, they all show up when its all cut up and done. That's okay as they leave a few coolers of brewskis near me Plus I get breakfast that AM.

Pigs

 

[BeeRich]

You are still missing what I have said.

 

[Puff1]

I'm picking up what you're saying. I'll sell you a Pro Q stacker for a 18in WSM cheap. Used twice.

 

[BeeRich]

OK thanks for the offer. I have someone local sourcing one for me. If that doesn't pull through, I will contact you here.

You didn't like yours? Why only used twice?

 

[Puff1]

OK thanks for the offer. I have someone local sourcing one for me. If that doesn't pull through, I will contact you here.

You didn't like yours? Why only used twice?

I like it but really had no use for it. This I realized later. Used it at a party a few weeks ago cooking ribs. Worked great, just used more coal.Let me know.