Eastern North Carolina Barbecued Pig
Eastern North Carolina barbecue means the whole hog, cooked slowly and dressed with a sharp vinegar sauce. This version feeds 30 to 40 people and runs overnight, at roughly 1 hour per 10 pounds. The skin starts up, then goes down for the last two hours to crisp under a splash of sauce. A freely twisting ham bone tells you it is ready, so you need no thermometer for the verdict.
Instructions
Rub the hams, ribs and midsection, and shoulders generously with salt. Lay them skin side up on a gas grill, a charcoal grill or a barbecue pit.
Close the lid and hold the heat at roughly 275 to 350°F. Plan on about 1 hour of cooking for every 10 pounds of pig, whether you use gas or charcoal.
If you build your own pit, keep the heat as indirect as you can. Put fewer coals under the ribs and midsection and bank more around the edges. Keep the heat as steady as possible, since an even fire gives a more tender, evenly cooked pig.
Open the lid only when you must. Every peek lets heat out, so keep the onlookers away from it.
Two hours before the pig should be done, turn it skin side down. Right after flipping, pour vinegar sauce over the exposed meat.
Close the lid again and let the skin crisp. Do not raise the heat or run over time, because the hams will dry out.
The pig is done when you can twist the ham bone freely in its joint. Lift the lid and let guests pick and pull the meat themselves, or take the meat off and chop it on a block.
Serve with extra sauce for pulled meat. For chopped meat, stir in more sauce and salt to taste.
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