Mastering The Whole Hog (Part 8 of 9)

Well, You Have Finally Done it. Congratulations to the Max!

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4.            The Barbecue Spit

There are two types of spit positions that we cover in this section. The first is the classic horizontal approach which rotates the whole hog over a drip pan and the cooking embers are provided to one side of the pan or on both sides.

The second approach is the vertical spit where the whole hog spins slowly in front of the cooking embers.

Both approaches can be done outdoors but if the cooking can be contained within a barbecue pit to contain the heat and smoke. The Mobile Barbecue Pit approach discussed in Cooking Approach #1 can often be rented (or purchased) with a horizontal spit.

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Cochon de Lait

Cochon de lait is the art of cooking a pig before an open hardwood fire. Although the term cochon de lait is French, the origin of this Louisiana social event is obscure. It is know that the custom began at least a century ago and has since been popular throughout Cajun country. It is possible that the Germans who settled in St. James Parish in 1690 were the first to introduce the cochon de lait. These settlers brought pigs to the area and were skilled butchers. Local legend, however, tells that veterans of Napoleon's army brought the traditional preparation of cochon de lait to Louisiana in the early 1800s. Many of these soldiers settled in a town in Avoylles Parish they named Manusra in honor of the site of their last major campaign. Since then, Mansura, LA has been designated by the Louisiana legislature as "La Capital du Cochon de Lait."

Normally, families cooked pigs in cochon de lait style as the centerpiece for holiday gatherings. The pig, usually weighing less than 30 pounds, was sometimes cooked hanging from the fireplace in the kitchen. The most common method was to cook the pig outdoors over a pecan wood and sugarcane fire. The basic process of the cochon de lait has remained the same over the years. Today, much larger pigs are cooked to feed groups of people. Pigs up to 200 pounds are regarded as excellent for open-fire cooking.