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Barbecue Pig, Scotland Neck Style
In memory of the Congaree Swamp National Monument and in honor of the great job done by the Maddox group at the last meeting held at Ripplemead, Bob deRosset offers the following recipe, shamelessly plagiarized word for word from “Marion Brown’s Southern Cookbook”. Please notice hat the recipe does NOT call for the red stuff that the ignorant Yankees insist on putting on Barbecue.
Scotland Neck, in Halifax, North Carolina, is famous for superior Southern Barbecue. This authentic recipe is for “pit cooked” barbecue, cooked over oak coals.
INGREDIENTS
1 (65 pound) pig A bit of lard
1 1/2 quarts vinegar A bit of salt
Red pepper pods
PREPARATION
Dig a hole or pit sufficiently large so that when the pig is placed over it, there will be a 4-5 inch margin at both ends and at one side, the other side should have a margin so at least 20 inches so that coals can be easily placed under the pig when cooking. The depth of the pit should be such that the pig will be 8-10 inches from the coals when cooking. Put 3-4 iron rods across the pit to put the pig on. Since coals (only) are used in cooking, a fire will have to be built in a separate location. This should be on an elevated wire grating with a 2 to 3 inch mesh so that the coals cannot drop through. Hardwoods, preferably, oak, make the best coals. Select a pig which will weigh approximately 65 pounds when dressed. Cut off head and slit down entire length of belly. Open up so that pig will lie flat.
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SAUCE
A sauce for mopping (basting), while cooking, is made by using 1 1/2 quarts of vinegar seasoned to taste with red pepper pods. A simple mop can be made by tying a rag around the end of a stick.
COOKING
Place the pig on the iron rods across the pit with the skin side up; it stays in this position until it is nearly finished cooking. Put a thin layer of live coals in the pit under the entire surface of the pig and replenish coals from time to time. Cook slowly; it should take from 6-7 hours. Mop the skin side with the sauce 3 or 4 times while cooking. In this position, the pig should cook practically done to a beautiful brown on the underside. However, be careful not to put the coals under too fast or freely or it will burn. When it is determined that the pig is done, rub the skin side with a thin coating of lard and turn the pig over so that the skin side will be over the coals. Let stay long enough for the skin to become brown and crisp. While skin is browning, add some salt to the vinegar sauce and mop freely the cooked side. This is for the purpose of seasoning.
When the cooking is completed,
take the pig off and allow to cool only long enough to be handled. Cut up into small pieces with a knife. DO NOT run it through a meat chopper. When it is cut up, put it into a large container and season it to taste using the same sauce as for the cooking, with salt added. The seasoning should be worked into the meat thoroughly. This should be served with cole slaw and real corn bread. Serves 40-50.
NEXT ISSUE: COOTER STEW
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