Troble

Picked her up. 24 lbs. fits in the KK perfectly. Going to try my method of starting on stomach and then flipping to finish and baste but we’ll se how it goes. Also need to pop the eyeballs out before cooking 😀 Very happy that it fits in my fridge as well

@tekobo I appreciate your feedback but that’s my working plan as of the moment. I’m not against cooking it on its belly the entire time but my ideal cook would involve a flip and mop/baste. I won’t know if that possible until I get the pig home and see how easily I can maneuver it, I would likely have to do the flip by myself so that may not even be possible but as I sit here this morning before I’ve picked up the pig that’s the plan. Once I pick it up I plan to put it on the grill to confirm the size and see how easy it is for me to lift and maneuver it then I’ll finalize my cook plan. also @tekoboif you have not watched this series on Netflix yet you absolutely must. The Rodney Scott episode is my 2nd favorite after the Lennox Hastie episode. It’s truly inspiring you’d love it https://www.netflix.com/title/81292974?s=i&trkid=13747225&clip=81261408 @Basherno sacks will be used. Going to foil the ears and snout and take it from there I’m gonna pick up the little piggy in about 3 hours from now so I’ll post some pics later today

Thanks @MacKenziei plan to do the sauces Friday so they can take a long time to thicken up. Soak the beans overnight Friday night, then do the beans and Mac & cheese saturday, put them into a foil tray and cover them in the fridge Sunday I’ll do the hog early, then the watermelon & cucumber salad, cornbread, fruit salad, Coleslaw & bread pudding while the pig cooks. take the pig off and while it rests heat the beans and Mac & cheese in the KK.....serve it all sounds easy on paper!

My butcher called me today and asked me how to prepare it. We had a lengthy conversation about it, I’ve known this butcher 20+ years no joke. He’s gotta cut it so I can basically spatchcock it and we discussed head on vs off. I plan to cook it on its belly, back up the first few hours then flip it and sauce/mop it a la Rodney Scott to finish it. My concern was when I flipped it and out the stomach facing up that it would not lay flat with the head on. My butcher assured me it would lay just fine with the head and that when he was cleaning it out it was laying find on it’s back/stomach up now the dilemma I’m facing is whether to put the rub and inject it early or just do it day of/morning of. Picking it up tomorrow cooking it early Sunday. Planning for 6-7 hours at 225. butcher said the pig weighs exactly 24 lbs went shopping today got all Ingredients but switched out the Angel food cake & strawberry desert with bread pudding & French vanilla ice cream, added a green bean dish and added a fruit salad 10 dishes (including pig) plus 3 homemade sauces. My wife thinks I’m nuts, but I think I can pull it off

Truly inspiring @tekobo very happy for your success. I’m still sticking with driving 15 minutes to pick up some fresh pressed tortillas from my local Mexican markets but you’re well on your way to being featured on “Taco Chronicles U.K.” I’m certain

For some reason the search function doesn’t seem to be working this week, when you go to page 2 it gives you an error but I stayed up till 1:30am watching various YouTube videos on cooking a suckling pig. Feel better but still unsure if I’m going to chop the head off and butterfly it or not, will have to see what it looks like tomorrow when I pick it up

@tekobo you know removing it from the grill was something I hadn’t thought of. I just assumed I’d pick up one end and get my friend to pick up the other but the meat would likely fall apart and be too soft. Now that you brought it up I think I’ll have to lift the grates and carry it over to a table where I’ll have a sheet laid down and then perhaps I can slide it off the grate on to the sheet/table @Basherafter @tekobofirst adventure I’m keen to try to putting it on the top grate and avoiding the basket for the time being. I’d like to keep things as simple as possible this first attempt and I’m also planning on using the double bottom drip pan on the lower grate to ensure there’s no big flare ups from Joyce’s going into the fire. I don’t mind the longer cooks and frankly I have a loose plan that will all be finalized once I see the pigs actual size. I don’t mind starting low and slow and then needing to turn up the heat later if needed, hence why I was planning a longer cook. Like I said I regularly do pork shoulders at 225 that take 12-15 hours so I just can’t wrap my head around a 25lb hog taking 4 hours.

Thanks @Basheri have a table I plan to put it in and was going to lay down a sheet to carve it up but had not thought about the “trotters” I don’t know that I have equipment to saw off the feet but I do have a couple of knives that you recommended to me. im also still a big nervous and time and temp. I ordered a 20-30 pound suckling pig. I was planning on smoking it at 250 temp for 10-12 hours but I’m not sure that enough time or now. I’ve done multiple 8-9lb pork shoulders that have taken longer than that so it feels wrong instinctively, but that’s what Rodney says to do in his book and he cooks much bigger hogs. Any thoughts on timing/temp anyone? I made out my menu today and started a ingredient list for grocery shopping but I stayed second guessing the timing/temp after I made the list. Menu attached

Looks delicious @tekobo

Thanks @tekobo although I had to look up parsimonious

@Basher I’ll let you know the size when I pick it up on Thursday

@BOC I do the exact same thing with my 32. I’m too lazy to use the splitter most of the time

@tony b I’m sure it would’ve been amazing as always from you

@tekobo I’m am getting prepped for my cook this weekend, I feel fairly confident on everything but the serving part. Any tips on you you carve and serve or is it more like just pulling all the pork like pulled pork? That’s what Rodney Scott said to do but I’m just nervous about serving at the moment

Lamb shoulder marinated 72 hours in balsamic, cumin, garlic, salt, mint & rosemary served with Mediterranean salad and olive oil & garlic cous cous with homemade Tadziki and toasted pita. summer is here and the pool is firing

The jealousy builds.....

Looks awesome @Buzilo

I work with roofers and they are complaining about plywood prices. Normally $9/sheet now $45/50/sheet I paid $70 to get two sheets when I got my new KK in January, but if you e bought a KK you’ll fork over the extra few bucks to make sure it gets delivered properly

@braindoci found the two sheets of plywood I used to move my 32 and took the tape measure to it. It’s 1/2 inch

@tekobo interesting....learn something new every day. I have 6 types of avocado trees on my property but they are all Persea Americana which are not used for flavoring per your article.

@tekobo great work. I have to say though I have never heard of avocado leaves being used for flavoring, I’m going to crack a few leaves open and smell them, we always recycle the avocado leaves into mulch for the trees as avocado trees really love their own leaves especially when they are younger and developing roots, but in a few years I will have more excess avocado leaves than one knows what to do with. If they can be used for cooking I’m all for it but as mentioned I’ve never heard of them imparting any flavor into food

@tekobo nice work. Looks legit to me. How did you make the adobo sauce?

@jonj thanks. I’ve never made baked beans but thought that some combination of onions, bacon and Worcester would work. Your description works for me perfectly and I was wondering if getting dry beans and doing it the day before was worth it. Thanks for answering that. I’m gonna make these next weekend with my pig

You just need a couple sheets of plywood not sure of thickness

I’ll take a plate please @jonj mind sharing your bean recipe?