Cookbook:Eastern North Carolina Barbecued Pig

Eastern North Carolina Barbecued Pig
Category	Pork recipes
Servings	30 to 40 people
Time	all night
Difficulty

Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes | Southern U.S. cuisine

Ingredients

• 80 pound pig (butchered and head removed)
• salt
• 40 pounds charcoal (for charcoal cooking option)
• Your favorite “Vinegar based Eastern NC sauce”.

Procedure

1. Salt hams, ribs/midsection and shoulders liberally and place skin side up on either a gas or charcoal grill or a BBQ pit.
2. Keep lid closed.
3. Attain a heat of approximately 275-350°F.
4. Allow 1 hour per 10 pounds cooking time (gas or charcoal).
5. 2 hours before being done, place pig with the skin side down.
6. As soon as it is flipped, pour BBQ sauce on meat side.
7. Close lid and allow skin to crisp.
8. The pig will be done to perfection when the ham bone can be twisted freely.
9. Lift lid and allow guests to pick/pull meat or the chef can remove meat and chop to his liking on a chopping block.

Tips, Notes, and Variations

• Any higher heat or longer cooking time will result in the hams drying out.
• Heat source should be as indirect as possible if using a home made pit with there being less coals under the ribs/midsection and more around the perimeter.
• Only lift the lid when required and not to let everyone take recreational looks at the pig.
• The more consistent you can maintain the heat source, the more evenly cooked and tender the pig will turn out. Remember “If you’re looking, you’re not cooking”.
• If picked, provide additional sauce for guests to add, if chopped add additional sauce and salt to chef’s liking.
• If picked this will feed 30-40 persons.
• If chopped this will yield 27 lbs of chopped BBQ.
• If you want tomato in your sauce, go to Lexington, NC! It's about 160 miles west of here. Have some 'cue before you leave, it'll take you about 3 hours to get there.

Uses

• Serve with hush puppies, coleslaw, potato salad, and sweet tea.