Have you ever been to a pig picking?

We work hard all week to get a two day weekend and two days of rain come with it; got a touch of cabin fever because of it. Cain’t gripe too much though, at least I ain’t got to water the tomatoes.

Stayed on the computer and internet most of the day yesterday that is when I was not in the kitchen fixing a little snack. At least there is enough fried chicken and meatloaf left for today’s meals.

Suppose to be getting a pit from one of the twins since he’s moving again. Having had the pit over here before between his apartments and houses, I’ve gotten use of it before. I got on the internet to read up on fire tending when cooking with a pit. Interesting reading to me, may be as entertaining as watching paint dry to you, but what do you want for two cents?

Having cooked on pits before, I have had meat that turned out bitter and heavy with smoke. In reading the information on the net, it says the fire was too big and dampered down too much. Says smoldering produces heavy smoke and gives the bitter taste. They suggested opening the damper and controlling the heat with the amount of fuel. If it gets too hot, open the door and let the heat out. Adjust the air inlet damper, not the outlet damper, learn to control your fire with fuel, not the inlet damper. I always thought it was green wood that gave off that taste. Green wood will give that bitter taste but I did not know smoldering wood would.

The article recommended using lump charcoal in lieu of charcoal briquettes and small pieces of wood until you get used to cooking with it.

The recommended temperature for barbequing was said to be 200 to 225 degrees. They recommend warming your firewood before placing in fire box, they heat it on top of the fire box first.

Somewhere I read a piece about thermometers and that they should be checked as some are as much as sixty degrees off. To check your thermometer, boil water and the gauge should read 212 degrees assuming it is correct. Then place the stem into a glass of water with ice. If it is correct, it should read 33 to 34 degrees, if your thermometer is not correct, it is recommended that you replace it.

I found another site on the internet about cooking a whole hog on a spit. These men had bought a 200 pounder on the hoof and how they prepared for the feast. A lot of work indeed and interesting as they stuffed the cavity of the pig with four whole chickens covered with rub seasoning. That keeps the stomach cavity of the pig from sinking in from the cooking and it provides great chicken that falls off the bone.

The total cooking time for the pig was sixteen and a half hours and was enough a party for over a 100 feasted with the other dishes and trimmings. Figure two pounds per person on the hoof. A minimum of three people required to do this job, one to watch the fire while others get some shuteye.

There was a huge cooker on a trailer at a Rotary function we attended once, two pigs were inside the cooker rotating over coals and you could see it through the glass door. It smelt wonderful.

Anyway, I have cooking directions for barbequing a pig from say 50 to 150 pounds. Should you desire a copy, all I ask in return is a small sandwich.

Have you ever been to a pig picking or anything like that?