To Barbeque a Pig, Piglet, Lamb or Ox in the Old Fashioned Way

Reno gave us an elaborate outline of the preparation of the pig for barbecuing which includes the ideal length for the barbecue pit. We don’t really recommend you try this at home, but have printed it here for history’s sake

1. When dressing the pig, don’t cut off trotters and toes. Clean them and remove nails. The animal must be complete.
   
   
2. It is more usual, in the countries where this method of cooking is traditional and very popular for all festive occasions, to roast only suckling pigs, and a number at once. Otherwise lambs are used, or oxen, for very big occasions.
   
   
Salting. After cleaning, rub the carcass very thoroughly inside with plenty of salt, also very thoroughly in the mouth. Make incisions in shoulders and groins and poke in plenty of salt.


3. Dripping is not used, the pig makes its own dripping. (You may, if you wish, lard the skin with bacon fat, but it’s not necessary and is never done in the old countries) On the other hand, the carcass is frequently brushed over, during the cooking by a dipping stick, dipped in warm salty water, because as the pig cooks and the fat runs out, it takes the salt away with it. The stick, dipped in warm salty water, is about 5 feet long and on the end of it is tied a clean piece of white linen for the dipping and brushing
   
   
4. Seasoning is not usual. The body is filled with a few washed quinces or tart apples. Holes are made in the belly flap and skewers are run through to fasten up the belly opening. If seasoning is really desired, incisions could be made in the legs, sage and onion with minced apple seasoning stuffed in and then well sewn up, but this is not done with traditional pig-roasting.
   
   
5. The pit should be V shaped, very narrow at the base, I foot deep in the centre and 3 feet wide at the top.
   
   
6. Length of pit. The pit should be 2 feet longer than the length of the pit when it is stretched on the spit
   
   
7. Firing of pit The earth from the digging of the pit should be heaped up on the windward side of the pit to protect from the wind and to keep ashes form blowing on the animal. The pit should be filled with wood ( never, oh never, use coal). Burn wood till the pit is full of glowing embers. Then more wood is added and burned till embers reach the top and shaped up into a golden glowing rounded mound a few inches above the top edge of the pit. On the side of the pit, where the earth is heaped, there should be 4 or 5 long logs, slowly firing, in case the embers don’t last till the pig is cooked. From time to time, during the cooking, rake the ashes very slowly to keep the heat lively and the cooking going.
   
   
8. The Spit. A wooden pole or spit is best for convenience when fastening the animal. It should be 3 inches thick, it should pass through the animal and be 2 or 3 feet longer at the snout and at least 4 to 6 feet longer from the end of the back feet, with a fork to do for a handle. If there is not plenty of length a the back or turning end, say 6 feet, the man who turns the spit will be roasted too. The spit should be pointed at the snout and well-forked at the tail and with a handle. A metal spit can be used, but it is much more difficult to fasten the animal securely to metal.
   
   
9. Supports for the spits. Two strong forked sticks are driven into the ground at either end of the pit. They must be easy to move so that the position of the spit can be changed as required. (Cooking begins beside the pit, rather than directly over it. The animal is gradually moved towards the centre of the fire and lowered closer to the embers as a greater cooking heat is required.
   
   
10. Method of fastening the pig Put pole or spit clean through carcass, through mouth, down gullet, and so on. Fasten snout very tightly with strong string or cord. Then fasten neck, then front legs are stretched forward and fastened round neck. Stretch and bind very tightly to neck and pole. Back legs are stretched as hard as possible, and bound very securely and tightly to the other end of pole., Now in the middle of the backbone, make two holes and bind the back (but not stomach as well) securely to pole. If this is not done well, the animal will cook crookedly and the back will hump like a camel. If it is not made very secure on the spit as instructed, after some time cooking, the fastenings will loosen as the flesh cooks and the animal will not move round with the spit when it is turned, but stay and frizzle in one place rolling on the pole. The body should be filled with a few quinces or sour apples, holes made in the flap and skewered together.
    
    
11. Commencing the cooking. At first, the fork supports are placed so that the pig is only beside the fire and not over it, and about a foot higher than the highest part of the fire, for about 30 minutes or till the flesh is thoroughly warm. Then brush all over with warm salted water. Then the forked supports are placed nearer the fire and every 10 minutes, the animal is brushed all over with warm salty water; oftener if it gets a dry look. Gradually the supports are moved closer to the centre of the ends of the fire, so that as the cooking commences and progresses, the animal comes nearer to the center of the fire till in about 1 to 1 1/2 hours it is dead centre over the fire. Next, as the fire is getting lower, the supports should be driven deeper into the ground or lowered, till the animal is only about 6 inches above the fire. (at first the animal is a foot or more above the fire).
    
    
12. Ears and tail. After about 1 hour’s cooking, the ears and tail should be covered with paper; otherwise they will be frizzled and burned.
    
    
13. When the pig is half cooked it will start to crack at elbows and knees, but after 3 to 4 hours, when the pig should be well cooked, the following test will show if properly cooked. Press at the thick part of legs, front and back, if they crack the flesh is cooked. At the beginning of the cooking, the firing must be very slow. Only gradually increase the heat, by moving nearer to the heart of the fire, otherwise the flesh will be cooked on the outside only and raw inside. Don’t forget the flesh will be cooked more moistly with regular brushings of warm salty water. The pig should have enough dripping of its own.
    
    
14. To cook a lamb. It is more difficult to fasten to the spit, which should pass through the head and come out between the eyes. A nail must be driven through the neck onto the spit. Also a nail must be driven through the spit where the feet are to be fastened, to help moor them, otherwise they won’t stay put. Cut off the forelegs and fasten the breast flap with them, using a cut tendon of the foreleg to hold in place. This is considered a tit-bit at the end of cooking. In every case, a wooden spit is better than metal.
    
    
15. Turning Spit. This should be done slowly, evenly and steadily.
    
    

Note

Times for Roasting:
Suckling pig: 2 - 2 1/2 hours
50 lb pig: 4 - 4 1/2 hours
lamb 3 1/2-4 hours
ox 8-10 hours.

While moving and replacing forked supports for spit, during cooking (see instructions above) two men must hold the animal on the spit, A series of forked sticks might be easier than moving one set for getting pig closer to the fire. So it is suggested that you have a roster of spit turners - it’s a hot job and a steady one.

Final message from the writer of these instructions is: "Trusting I’ve left nothing to your imagination, here’s good luck and good eating!"