Black pig

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Rag1

Executive Chef
Joined
Jun 24, 2007
Messages
3,022
Location
Berks Cty, Pa.
I catered a pig cook yesterday. The pig (like my last one) came out almost black, very, very dark. Although the meat was dead on good, it would have looked better with a mahogany color, like the first one on my Lang 60.
Now using a Meadow Creek 250 which takes longer to cook a pig at the same temp....kind of strange.
At hour four it had nice color at which time I covered it in foil. It still got all black.
The 13 hour cook time seemed a bit long, where my next one may be cooked hotter to reduce the time and maybe lighten the color.
Any thoughts?????
 
Rag,

Just because your thermometer is showing the same cooking temp doesn't mean you're cookin' at the same temp. Different cookers cook differently. You're reading temps at a different place in a different pit with a different thermometer. You're just going to cook differently that way.

I agree it sounds like you need to cook a little hotter and, thus, burn a little cleaner fire.
 
Good advice...thanks. Spoke with someone who cooks truck loads of pigs a year at 300*.
 
Never had that problem Ron. But I do them on a rotisserie direct over lump and hickory. I run my pit around the 300-350 range. When the ears puff up like a huge tater chip, I know the fire is just right and it's close to done. My.2
 
I've never wrapped or tented one yet and always have cooked
them at lower temps by means of indirect and they all have
come out "non-black".

What kind of wood are you using? Is it at all "green"?
What have the smoke temps in the chamber been running?
What color is your smoke when cooking?
Heavy smoke?

I try to run most the cook with nice dry seasoned Oak, and add
sticks of wet Hickory or apple etc... in from time to time.

Maybe I've just been lucky with all the ones I have done so far,
but am very interested in trying to help you figure out what is
wrong.
PM me about it if you want
 
Thanks SJ. I use oak, maple and mystery wood from the fireplace pile. I cook it with 100% wood (seasoned). Now, the first pig cooked in a Lang 60 had perfect color and was the best meat.
The next couple were cooked with the same wood pile, same temp and guru controls, only in a larger Meadow creek.....and came out black.
Next will be with a smaller fire to cause more flame to get the heat (less smoke) and at higher temps.
Maybe I'll call Whitney for advice. Woodman, your a sick ticket; funny as hell, but sick. :LOL:
 
All seems to sound "in order" except for your "mystery" wood
from the pile.....BUT.... you say that you used it before without
any issues......

You didn't give past smoke temps.....so I'll say this.....
You should only have a light wisp of smoke coming from the
cooker.... it might puff heavier a little when you throw on some
wet sticks for flavor...ie: Apple, Hickory etc...
But basically should cook with a light smoke.
Just my experience is when people tend to keep opening the lid to have "Looky-Loo" sessions...it keeps dropping the smoke chamber
temp and cause your problems.

My RULE I live by.......

Ifun' yer lookin'..... it ain't cookin'

People will have plenty of time to see it when it's done.
If you need to, post a little sign with a time of next viewing
(when YOU will be opening it next)
You might even find you'll need a lock to keep poeple out when
your back is turned.

My guess is your BLACK PIG is from too many "Let-Me-Sees"
 

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