Cooking time can vary on the unit you are using to cook it
50 lb pig can take 8 hours to cook
I have many customers that are experienced cooking whole pigs. They got that way because once your friends have been to a pig roast and they know you know how to cook a whole pig they will ask you to help them cook one. The secret to having a successful pig roast is the cooker you use to cook the pig. I have seen ones that are professionally made with covers and a spit that rotates over a fire that can be controlled by vents in the side of the cooker. I’ve seen pigs roasted over an open fire, with the pig three feet in the air, on a spit. There are cookers that have you butterfly the pig and lay it flat on the grate just above the fire. All of these methods work. The secret to success is the experience that you have in cooking it that way. The experience of just how big to build the fire, how to maintain a steady heat for an extended period of time and last but very important, how long your cooker takes to cook the pig just right so you can be finished just as everyone is ready to eat. There are rental places that have professional cooking units for pig roast. These units come with directions on how to cook the pig and for how long. This type of unit will take a lot of guess work out of the process. The only thing easier is if you have a friend that has experience cooking for a pig roast, I’d recommend inviting them over for a beer and dropping a few hints on just how good a roasted pig would go with the beer.
