Place the roaster away from anything flammable.
Coat the cooking grate with spray cooking oil.
Remove the cooking grate from the roaster and place the pig on it.
Optional-inject the butts and hams with Butcher Pork Injection.
Rub the skin of the pig with vegetable oil.
Wrap tinfoil under the feet around the snout and ears.
Remove the roaster drip pan.
Light the gas pilot light.
Install the Charcoal Combo Insert.
Fully open the top and side vents. VENTS ON LID SHOULD BE WIDE OPEN ALL THE TIME.
Fill the troughs with about 7 lbs. of charcoal per trough and light.
When fully lit spread evenly.
Allow the roaster temp. to reach 300 to 325.
Ideally when the roaster reaches 325 spread wood chunks on the charcoal.
Replace drip pan and put the cooking grate with the pig back on the roaster.
Your temperature is going to drop because of putting on the cold pig.
Don’t worry. Once the pig starts to warm up your temp. will come back up.
Maintain about 300 degrees on the thermometer.
Maintaining temp. will be accomplished by using the bottom vents. Close vents to lower temps and open to raise.
Once adjusted it should stay at 300.
The wood and charcoal should keep temp for about 1.5 to 2 hours.
When the temp starts to drop turn on the gas valve.
When the meat temp. reaches at least 185+ using an instant read thermometer you’re ready to remove the pig. Test the temp. both in the hams and butts. If the temps vary bring the lowest temp up to 185+ and don’t worry that the high temp in the other area.
You need at least two people to remove the pig.
Place a table close to the roaster.
Place long sheets of heavy duty foil long enough to wrap around the entire pig and grate.
Place the cooking grate with the pig on the table and envelope the foil around the pig and grate.
Cover the pig with a blanket.
Allow to rest at least 1 hr.
The pig will stay hot for at least 3 hrs. and warm for several.
Garnish with greens and cut up fruit of varying colors.
Rule of thumb
Cooking time = 1 hr. for every 10 lbs. of pig.
Allow “wiggle room” of 1.5 hrs. in case the cook is taking longer and also to give the meat time to rest.
