How to Roast a Pig

If you have pig roasting plans, you can make use of some ideas for roasting pigs which are available in plentiful. Roasting a pig is not an easy task. It will take a lot of effort as well as time to roast a whole pig. There are many hog roasting recipes which you can make use of while doing this task. The most important part of these recipes is the roasting equipment like the roasting grills, roasting box, etc., which will be required. Without this equipment, it is a tad difficult to roast an entire pig.

Roasting a Pig

This is one of the simplest recipes. You will have to place your order with the butcher and get him to prepare a whole pig for roast.

Ingredients

• Whole Suckling Pig (approximately 60 lbs in weight)
• Black Pepper, 1lb
• Garlic Cloves, 25 to 30
• Garlic Powder
• Rosemary
• Shortening, 3 to 4 cups
• Onions, 10 lbs
• Stuffing, 5 lbs
• Chicken Wire, 4 feet
• Meat Thermometer
• Needle and String
• Chopped Apples and Walnuts
• Salt to taste

Method

• Clean the pig and dry it using paper napkins.
• Make slits in the skin and insert garlic cloves in these slits. Then coat with shortening. If you do not favor shortening, you may use a shortening substitute.
• To the stuffing, add onions, apples and walnuts. Pack the cavities in the pig with the stuffing and stitch the cavities. Then wrap the pig in chicken wire lengthwise.
• Now is the time to coat the pig with garlic powder, rosemary, salt and pepper. Insert the meat thermometer in the thickest part.
• Insert the pig on a spit and cook 3 to 5 feet above a charcoal pit. Roasting will take approximately 6 to 7 hours. The most important instruction is to turn the pig about once an hour. At the same time, you will have to keep adding seasoning to the pig frequently.
• When the temperature on the meat thermometer shows 160 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit, and you also see deep splits on the skin of the pig, it is a sign that your pig is well roasted.
• Unwrap the wire. This will bring most of the fat and the skin along with it. Now your pig is ready to be served.

How to Roast a Pig - Cuban Style

In Cuba, roasted pig is served on New Year's Day. Tradition has it that the pig is covered with banana leaves and cooked over a coal fire in a pit dug in the backyard. Since not everyone has a backyard and cannot dig a pit, we will see the oven version of the recipe. An important instruction is to make sure your butcher has split the pig for you.

Ingredients

• Juice of 20 limes
• Minced Garlic Cloves from 6 heads of garlic
• Fresh Oregano Leaves, minced 1 cup
• Salt, 5 tablespoons
• Ground Cumin, 1 teaspoon
• Whole Suckling Pig, 1
• Aluminum Foil

Method

• The first step of this recipe is to combine lime juice, garlic, oregano, salt and ground cumin in a mixing bowl. If you want, you may add other herbs to the marinade.
• Place the pig belly down in a deep roasting pan and coat the pig with the marinade, rubbing it in the pig. Leave the pig in the marinade overnight. Basting the pig occasionally is recommended.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the pig on a large baking sheet. Cover the ears, snout and tail of the pig with an aluminum foil.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven and let the pig cook for 4 to 4 hours approximately.
• Remove the foil when you get the pig out of the oven. Let the pig rest for 15 to 20 minutes before you start carving it.

In both the recipes, it is recommended to keep checking the cooking progress of the pig every 15 to 20 minutes, lest you burn the pig. An important part of the pig roasting recipes is to find a local butcher where you can buy a pig for roasting.