How to Cook a Whole Pig

There are several different methods on How to Cook a Whole Pig… smokers, pits, above all, La Caja China Roasting Box! Whatever you want to cook on is your decision… Just be sure to make the right one.

Here are a few tips that you need to follow to have a hog that not only tastes good, but looks good enough for your presentation too. Remember, if you want a memorable event be sure to make your whole pig stand out by the way it’s cooked and presented.

Ways That Will Bring Out The Best in Your Roasted Pig

• Stay about 12″ away from your heat source. Your cooking time is going to vary depending on the size of your hog and the method you are using to smoke it… but if you are using an 80lb hog (which is what I would recommend to get started with) then it should take you approx. 8-10 hours at about 250 degrees if you stay about 12″ away from the heat source. You don’t want to be too close – and you don’t want to be too far away.
• Keep Your Sweet Stuff On The Inside. I would avoid putting anything sweet on the outside of the pig until an hour before it is finished. If you use a glaze with a high sugar content any longer than an hour, it will burn. I make an injection that is sweet and put as much of this sweetness inside the meat as possible. This is exactly what we do for the 150-200 lb hogs that we smoke.
• Always Inject. A good injection is 64oz Apple Juice mixed with 1 cup Sugar, 1 cup Corn Syrup or Molasses, and 1 cup Finely Ground Dry Rub ( the rub has to be a fine powder or it will clog your injector). I make up 4 batches of this and inject it into the Shoulders, Hams, Loins, and along the sides (where the bacon is located).
• Keep your Pig Belly-Up. If you have the option – smoke your pig belly-up. The body of the pig will act like a bowl and self-marinate with the injections and the rendered fat. If you you’re your pig running-style, all your liquid is going to drip out.
• Make A Little Appetizer For Your Friends. Some people recommend packing the cavity with is fresh sausage. I usually pack it around the loins and ribs to keep these areas from drying out. I’ve seen people use chickens, pork butts, or slab bacon in the cavity. I’d be a little scared of the chicken though just because of possible cross contamination and improper cooking temps… but these are all ideas you can experiment with. I’m not sure how much flavor the sausage imparts to the hog – but the flavor of the sausage after being smoked inside of a hog is the best you will ever taste. For that reason alone, I recommend doing it… I promise you will impress some people with it.
• Always Dry Rub. Make sure to apply your dry rub to any exposed meat. I also rub on a thin coat of regular yellow mustard before applying the dry rub. It helps it to stick to the meat really well and give the meat a great flavor.
• Presentation Is The Most Important Part. You want to spray the outer skin with cooking spray or rub it down with a vegetable oil. This will make it have a really nice “tan” color instead of a dark burnt look. You can even wrap the ears, snout, and tail in aluminum foil to keep them from turning to dark. It’s basically an appearance thing but you want the end result to look good as well as taste great.

Choose the Best Pig Cooker to Bring Perfection

There several ways to cook your whole pig but there are only a handful of roasting equipment that can be utilized to be able to reach that level of quality in terms of cooking. Follow these steps that we have provided you and be careful in choosing the roasting equipment that you’re going to use, otherwise everything might just be put into waste.

Now, if you want only the best roasting equipment, choose only La Caja China Roasting Box! The most elegant in style and the most innovative in features. Get all the advantages of all the roasting boxes out there and non of their down sides. NO need to worry about over cooking and under cooking your pig. You can cook almost everything from vegetables, chickens, turkey, lambs and one whole pig! That’s How to Cook a Whole Pig!

Whole Pig Without the Skin Worksheet

Beef Ribs Recipe

Still deciding on a great dish to serve your friends and family? Do you think it’s about time to try something new?

Well, thanks to Perk’s blog, we now have an addition to our menu!

Try out this delectable beef ribs recipe using your very own La Caja China! You cannot go wrong with this yummy meal.

Beef Ribs Recipe

Learn How to Cook Ribs in Your La Caja China

Beef Ribs in Your La Caja China

Pork Loin Recipes

Marinated pork loin recipes are merely pork loin that can be marinated within a solution for a certain period of time. That simple description doesn’t start to cover the tender, juicy loin that results!

A marinade is similar to brine, which is applied as a food preservation process, with the exception of this also consists of a delicate level of spices and flavourings. The marinade serves to tenderize and flavour the loin.

The contents list for the marinade employed in this loin recipe is just not confusing and really adds delicious flavour and tenderness into the pork. It enhances an uncomplicated pork loin to an entree suited for your most respected visitors.

Looking for the Pork Loin

• Any sort of marinated pork recipe ought to start out with purely natural pork. The packer has got essentially brined pork which is marked “enhanced”. Brined pork will not likely soak up the marinade.
• In case you choose loin chops bundled inside the cellophane covered Styrofoam trays be sure to check it carefully for consistency of cut. You don’t want chops that have heavy and slender cuts and you do wish most of the chops inside the package to generally be the exact same fullness.
• Whenever the chops are of equal density cooking time certainly is the same. For this recipe you’ll need five chops roughly 1 inch thick. Preferably choose a wonderful looking pork loin roast and have the butcher cut it into chops.

Marinade Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup decreased-salt chicken broth
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 ts. pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

• Blend the ketchup, chicken broth, chopped garlic, cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, sodium, pepper and cayenne pepper in a mid-sized pot.
• Bring the mixture to a boil and then cut down the heat to a slow simmer and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heating and allow the marinade to cool down.
• Clear away 2/3 of the cup of the marinade to utilize for basting the chops as they simply cook.
• Put the rest of the marinade in a very big resalable plastic bag. Place the chops in the sack and close up.
• Turn several times to coat the chops. Put the bag in the refrigerator and let the chops marinade for around 6 hours. Overnight is much better. Drain the chops and discard the marinade.

Cooking the Pork Loin Chops

Preferably, pork loin recipes require barbecuing over the charcoal fire. However in a pinch this recipe does well in the broiler too.

If you are intending to broil the chops position them on a broiler cookware covered with non-stick cooking spray. Broil about 4 inches right from the heat for about 10 minutes a side. Brush frequently with the reserved marinade.

Do not overcook your loin chops! Inner temperature ought to be around 150 degrees F. The only way to know for sure is by having an instant read thermometer. Allow the cooked chops to lay for about 5 minutes prior to serving.

For much more effectiveness and excellent cooking, pick the only best – La Caja China Roasting Box! This will grill your Pork Loin for a quicker time not like any other traditional kinds of roasting. This is indeed the ideal grill for barbequing. To get detailed guidelines, you can download the eBook for free for your Pork Loin Recipes!

Pork Loin Worksheet

• Place Pork Loin on the rack, fatty side down.
• Place rack with meat inside the box.
• Cover box with the ash pan and charcoal grid.
• Add 16 lbs. of charcoal for Model #1 Box or 18lbs. for Model #2 Box and light up the charcoal on top of the grid.
• Once lit (20-25 minutes) spread the charcoal evenly over the charcoal grid.
• Cooking time starts right now ________________ (write down time).
• After 1 hour (1st hour) open the box flip the meat over, connect the wired thermometer probe in the center of the meat, close the box and add 9 lbs. of charcoal.
• Continue to add 9 lbs. of charcoal every hour until you reach 160 (Medium), or 170 (Well done) on the meat thermometer.

Pork Shoulder is a great choice for a main fare feature at your next gathering and it has two great advantages.

How to Cook Pork Shoulder

First, it is easy to prepare and second, you can feed a group for somewhere south of three dollars a pound. The pork shoulder is the front leg of the pig and comes in two different cuts. But, not everyone knows how to cook pork shoulder.  So, we took the liberty of sharing a recipe and step by step guideline that you could use.

Most pork shoulder recipes call for using a smoker,  mainly because it is an indirect heat source and allows for a long slow cooking process.  Here is a sumptuous recipe we would like to share, from the author of La Caja China Cooking, Perry P. Perkins himself.

Pork Shoulder Recipe

4 pork shoulders (6lb ea)
16 tablespoons liquid smoke + 1/2 cup
16 tablespoons Hawaiian salt
24 large ti leaves, ribs
4 cups hot water
1/4 cup Adobo Criollo spices
2 Tbs seasoned salt

After bringing the shoulders to temp, score the fat cap and rubbed them with coarse sea salt and liquid smoke.

Wrap them in Ti (or banana)leaves, tie with string, then wrap in foil. Place foil wrapped shoulders in roasting rack, and place rack in La Caja China.

Roast in La Caja China for about six hours, maintaining a box temp of about 250d.

Start with 16lbs of coals and add 5lbs every half-hour. (That’s not exactly how the instructions read, but some have found the “every hour” thing caused dips in the heat, and  that they can maintain a more even 200 by adding less coals, more often.)

Use the rack and flip the shoulders after about 4 hours. Then unwrapped them and peeled back the banana leaves to let the fat get crispy for the last half-hour. Remove shoulders from La Caja China and allow to rest 30 minutes.

Chop the meat, shred with Bear Paws, and then mix with a wash of 1/2 cup liquid smoke, 4 cups hot water, 1/4 cup Adobo Criollo spices, and 2 Tbs seasoned salt.

Let that sit about 15 minutes, drained remaining liquid (most had been soaked up) and serve with white rice and Hawaiian favorites.

Pork Shoulder Roast in Your La Caja China

Now, for your very own La Caja China pork shoulder worksheet, download this and print:

1. Place Pork shoulders between the racks and tie using the 4 S-Hooks.

2. Place Racks inside the box skin side down, attached probe from the wired thermometer and run wire under short aluminum top frame.

3. Cover box with the ash pan and charcoal grid.

4. Add 16 lbs. of charcoal for Model #1 Box or 18lbs. for Model #2 Box and light up.

5. Once lit (20-25 minutes) spread the charcoal evenly over the charcoal grid.

6. Cooking time starts right now ______________________ (write you start time).

7. After 1 hour (1st hour) ___________________ add 9 lbs. of charcoal (write time).

8. Continue to add 9 lbs. of charcoal every hour until you reach 187 F on the meat thermometer.

9. Once you reach 187 F, lift the charcoal grid shake it well to remove the ashes, now place it on top of the long handles. Do not place on the grass or floor it will damage them.

10. Remove the ash pan from the box and dispose of the ashes. Make sure you water down the ashes on the ground, they can cause fire.

11. Flip the pork shoulders over to crispy the skin. This is easily done using our patented Rack System, just grab the end of the Rack lift and slide as you pull upward, using the other hand grab the top end of the other rack and slide it down.

12. Score the skin using a knife, this helps to remove the fat and crisp the skin.

13. Cover the box again with the ash pan and the charcoal grid; do not add more charcoal at this time.

14. After 30 minutes, take a peak by lifting the charcoal pan by one end only. You will continue doing this every 10 minutes until the skin is crispy to your liking.

IMPORTANT: Do not open the box until you reach the desired temperature

Thanks, Perry P. Perkins of BurninLoveBBQ for this great recipe!  By following all these step by step details, you would definitely know how to cook pork shoulder the right way.

Roast Lamb Recipe

If you fancy something a little different this Sunday, try this classic roast lamb recipe with a French twist. Plus, I’ve added two recipes for boulangère potatoes and redcurrant gravy to give your meal a real rustic feel.

Serves 6

2 red onions, sliced 1 garlic bulb, halved 2kg leg of lamb Zest and juice of 2 lemons, keep shells Few sprigs of thyme Boulangère potatoes and redcurrant gravy, to serve

From the storecupboard 3tsp olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Put 2 sliced red onions and 2 halves of a garlic bulb in a roasting tray. Pour over 3tbsp water.
2. Make 10-15 slits in a 2kg leg of lamb and put on top of the onions. Mix together the zest and juice of 2 lemons, 3tbsp olive oil and ½tsp black pepper and rub into the lamb.
3. Add the lemon shells to the tray. Insert sprigs of thyme into the slits, season and cook for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5, spoon any juices over the lamb and cook for 80 minutes for medium to well done (or to your liking).
4. Remove lamb, cover with foil and rest for 10 minutes before serving with boulangère potatoes and redcurrant gravy.

Add Boulangère Potatoes in Your Lamb Roast Recipe

This simple peasant dish takes its name from the word for baker in French. When the bread was made for the day, villagers would bring their pots of potatoes to the bakery and cook them in the ovens as they cooled down

Serves 6

1.5kg Maris Piper potatoes, sliced as thick as a pound coin 2 shallots, thinly sliced 50g butter 700ml lamb stock

• Layer the potatoes in a buttered, shallow, ovenproof dish with the shallots, dotting half the butter between layers.
• Pour in the hot lamb stock to come level with the top of the potatoes and dot with the remaining butter. Cook in the oven at 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5 for 20 minutes after the lamb has been in.

Roasted Lamb With Redcurrant Gravy

This is so easy to make and the perfect accompaniment to the lamb and potatoes

Serves 6

Lamb juices 2tbsp redcurrant jelly 200ml lamb stock 1tbsp cornflour

• When the lamb has finished cooking, strain the juices from the tray into a pan with the redcurrant jelly and the lamb stock and heat until simmering. In a bowl, mix the cornflour with a little water, then whisk into the pan and simmer for a further 1-2 minutes until thickened.

For more convenience and efficient cooking of your lamb roast, choose the only best – La Caja China Roasting Box! This will roast your lamb quickly unlike any other traditional styles of roasting equipment. This is indeed the best roasting box that you can find in the market. Visit www.LaCajaChina.com for more information. So that’s how you bring out the real taste of your lamb with our roast lamb recipe! Do it only with La Caja China!

If you want yo know how to roast your lamb using your la Caja China Roasting box, here are the steos you have to follow:

1. Place Lamb between the racks and tie using the 4 S-Hooks.

2. Place Lamb inside the box Ribs side down, connect the wired thermometer probe on the leg, be careful not to touch the bone.

3. Cover box with the ash pan and charcoal grid.

4. Add 16 lbs. of charcoal for Model #1 Box or 18lbs. for Model #2 Box and light up.

5. Once lit (20-25 minutes) spread the charcoal evenly over the charcoal grid.

6. Cooking time starts right now _________________ (write down)

7. After 1 hour (1st hour) open the box flip the Lamb over (ribs up) close the box and add 9 lbs. of charcoal.

8. After 1 hour (2nd hour) add 9 lbs. of charcoal.

9. Do not add any more charcoal; continue cooking the meat until you reach the desired temperature reading on the thermometer.

How to Roast a Turkey Breast

Turkey is a dish most people ignore until around the time of thanksgiving, but it is actually a tasty, and healthy meat that can be enjoyed at any time of the year. Turkey is ideal for sandwiches, stir frys, salads, and lots of other dishes, and is a good alternative to chicken when you fancy a change, but want to stick with white meats. Read on and learn How to Roast a Turkey Breast!

The cooking time of a turkey breast depends mostly on its size – bigger portions of meat take longer to cook. Other factors that affect the cooking time include the ratio of meat to bone, and whether or not you are trying to cook from frozen. Another thing to consider is the kind of marinade used, and the cooking method that you plan to use.

How to Cook a Turkey With the Right Temperature

There is no shortage of experienced cooks and top-notch cookbooks that give you their best guesstimate for the ideal turkey breast cooking time. Usually, they will explain that it depends on the size of the piece. However, the best way of getting the roasting done just right is to buy a cooking thermometer and use it to check the turkey regularly to see if the internal temperature has reached 170 degrees Fahrenheit. As soon as the cooking thermometer register 170 degrees, not only is your turkey safe to eat, it is also deliciously moist and tender. There are different methods that you can use to cook turkey, and you have a choice in the pan to use too, but shallow roasting pans are the best bet for cooking turkey breast every time.

Usually turkey breast is served without stuffing, however some people prefer to stuff bigger portions. An 8 pound portion is ideal for stuffing with some of your favorite herbs and spices. Usually for a 2 or 3 pound turkey people cook them for 1 and a half to two hours at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, with 4 to 6 pound breasts taking 2 and a half to three hours, and an 8 pound portion taking 3 and a half hours.

Highly Recommended Turkey Breast Recipes

Turkey breasts can easily become a staple of your diet, and you need not get bored of them if you add a little zing to the recipe – a citrus turkey breast sandwich is a great snack for example. Just add some jalapeno paste, lime juice, orange juice, garlic, and onion paste to a marinade – roast the breast, and shred or slice before adding to sandwiches for a healthy and tasty lunch option.

For a superb turkey roasting, read these easy steps and remember, cooking your turkey only with la Caja China will bring out the best in it.

1. Place Turkey on top of the rack breast down if cooking whole or skin down if cooking split, attached top rack using the 4 S-Hooks. Add 1 gallon of water to the drip tray, for extra flavor you can add beer to the water or spices to the water, I personally like to add a cup of our La Caja China Mojo Criollo.

2. Place Turkey inside the box, skin or breast down, attached probe from the wired thermometer and run wire under short top frame.

3. Cover box with the ash pan and charcoal grid.

4. Add 12 lbs. of charcoal for model #1 or 16 lbs. for model #2 and light up.

5. Once lit (20 – 25 minutes) spread the charcoal evenly over the charcoal grid.

6. Cooking time starts right now.

7.  After 1 hour open the box by removing the complete set of ash pan and grid together and place it on top of the long handles.

8.  Now flip the Turkey over, skin or breast side up and add 5 lbs of charcoal.
Continue to add 5 lbs of charcoal every hour until you reach 175 f.

Note: If you like you can brush a mix of butter, garlic and say sauce over the turkey after you reach 175 f. Just open the box brush the mixture and cover again with the charcoal tray for an extra 10 – 15 minutes.

Then again, for more convenience and efficient cooking of your turkey, choose the only best – La Caja China Roasting Box! This will roast your turkey quickly unlike any other traditional styles of spit roasting or ovens. This is indeed the best roasting box that you can find in the market. To get detailed instructions on how to roast your turkey, just visit at: www.LaCajaChina.com. So that’s How to Roast a Turkey Breast and do it only with La Caja China to bring out the best tasting roasted turkey!

Cook a Stuffed Turkey

The La Caja China Roasting Box is the most unique, time saving, and delicious method of roasting you will ever come across.

The uniqueness of the product, however, causes many new owners to struggle with just how and what to cook in their new La Caja China roasters. People often wonder how to roast a pig, how to bbq ribs and how to cook a stuffed turkey.

Cook a Stuffed Turkey

Now, let us share with you a famous recipe for “Cuban Stuffed Turkey.”  Here are all the stuff you will need:

3 12-14 lb. turkeys; 24 tbsp unsalted butter, fresh ground pepper and salt. The ingredients for the marinade are: 3 garlic heads, peeled; 3 C sour orange juice; 3 tsp black pepper; 4 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 6 tsp dried oregano, 3 tbs salt.

How to Roast Turkey

To begin this dish, you want to begin by carefully separating the skin from the turkey and seasoning the turkey cavity with salt and pepper. Mash the garlic and salt in a mortar to make a paste. Add pepper, cumin, oregano, and all of the lime juice or sour orange juice and puree.

Then add 3 tablespoons marinade to the main cavity and 1 tbsp to the neck cavity. Put the rest under the skin, working over a pan to catch any runoff. The turkey should be marinated overnight, turning multiple times if possible. Cut the butter into thin slices, placing half under the skin and melting the rest.

Now, place turkeys on your La Caja China Roasting Box, breast side down. Brush the skin with some melted butter, and pour rest of butter and marinade over the turkeys. Tent foil loosely over each turkey.

Cover your box with the ash pan and charcoal grid. Add 20 lbs. of charcoal and light. Once lit (about 20 minutes) spread the charcoal evenly over the grid on your pig roaster.

Turkey Cooking

Cooking time starts now. After an hour, add 10 lbs. of charcoal to your  roaster. After about 1 1/2 hours, open your La Caja China and baste the bird with the stock inside the pan to ensure the right tenderness.

After one more hour (the third), add 10 more lbs. of charcoal. Continue cooking the turkey until reaching the desired temperature of 175 f. Allow 30 minutes before carving and serving.

Remember, the best tool used to cook a stuffed turkey Cuban style — is using your very own La Caja China roaster! Order yours today at www.LaCajaChina.com!

When you are sure that your chicken is entirely defrosted and once it is okay to cook, try the easy tips stated below on how to roast a whole chicken.

How to Roast a Whole Chicken

To start with, be sure that you know precisely how long it should stay in the oven. The standard guideline is to take note of the weight of the chicken and then cook it for twenty-five minutes per 1.1 pounds and also on a heat of 350f or 180c.

There are a variety of ways to be sure that your chicken is extensively cooked, thereby, safe to consume. You can make use of a thermometer to find out the meat’s temperature. Another great method would be to skewer between the thigh and the body of the fowl. If ever the juices run clear with absolutely no indication of blood, then your roasted chicken is ready to be taken out from the oven.

Definitely, flavour is something you really need to include when roasting chicken, since this form of meat is extremely adaptive when it comes to adding various spices. Just mix with sea salt, pepper and a few herbs; put in a little butter to the top of the chicken to help with basting. If you are feeling bold, then look for a variety of tested recipes available in cookbooks or even on-line that will educate you on adding more delicious stuffing at the same time.

How Long to Roast a Turkey

A turkey is not that different from that of a chicken. If you wish to roast turkey, weight can be a contributing factor similar to a chicken. First of all, you ought to pre-heat your cooker to 350f or 180c and a turkey that weighs, 8-6 pounds will most likely take about 3 to 3 ½ hours to cook.

When checking if the bird is ready, use the identical recommendations as established for roasting a chicken. If your turkey happens to weigh a lot more than mentioned, there are many cooking instructions and diagrams available on online to help you out.

Roasting Box

A roasting box can be found in all different sizes and shapes for your needs. This is especially helpful in case you have a small oven. Purchasing a roasting box gets to be more convenient since this could cook any type of meat, in a smaller length of time as compared to an oven. Aside from this, the juiciness and essence of the chicken or turkey stays, and that means you end up with delectably roasted chicken for you and your loved ones.

You can also use your roaster for barbecuing fish and having an exquisite, delicious pig roast.

To find out more guidelines on how to roast a whole chicken, visit www.LaCajaChina.com and take a look at their free cooking instructions. You can also download their eBook at no cost at all. So, visit their website today.