Recipe Categories
Meat 
Misc. Pork
Liver & Whole Hogs

 James's Pit Bar-B-Q Pig

1 whole suckling pig, approx. 10 pounds or more, gutted, cleaned, scraped and with the feet cut off 
OR 1 very large pork roast, 10 pounds or more,

 rinsed 1 quart white vinegar salt pepper granulated garlic 

1. Prepare the barbecue pit. Dig a hole 2-3 feet deep by 2 feet wide. Use one 15 pound bag of good-brand charcoal. Put two thirds of the charcoal in the bottom of the pit. If the ground is wet, line with stones first. 

1. After thoroughly rinsing the pig, put it in a soup pot or large crock and pour on the vinegar. Soak for 30 min. to an hour, turning twice.

 2. Drain the pig and reserve 1 cup of the vinegar. Rub the pig thoroughly inside and out with plenty of salt, pepper and granulated garlic. If you like, you can make small knife-slits in the surface of the pig and insert slivers of fresh garlic.

 3. Wrap the pig for roasting. Stack three full layers of heavy duty aluminum foil, tearing off pieces that are about 8" longer than the pig on either side. Lightly grease the inside of the foil with margarine or oil. Fold the foil around the pig to make a package, ROLLING the layers of foil together at the seams to make a very tight seal all around. When the package is sealed up, wrap it again tightly in another layer of foil. 

4. Start the charcoal in the bottom of the pit. When it begins to ash over, cover it with a thin layer of medium-sized stones or a few bricks. Set the wrapped pig on top. Surround the pig with the rest of the charcoal and get it started. When the second layer of charcoal ashes over, turn the pig and fill in the hole with dirt. 

5. Allow to cook in the pit for 5-6 hours, longer than that for pigs larger than 10 pounds. 

6. Dig up the pig, remove to a platter with two spatulas, and partially unwrap it. Test the pig for doneness: Cut into the thigh next to the bone; it should be very well done (white) and pull off the bone easily. Check the rib cavity also to make sure that the meat is uniformly white (well done) and shreds easily, not pinkish. If underdone , rewrap the pig and put it in a hot oven (400 degrees) for one hour or until thoroughly cooked.

 7. Place the pig on a platter and surround with parsley and either radishes or candied crab apples. Carve it up and serve. 

Statistics are no substitute for judgment.

- Henry Clay