Fire It Up - Andrew Schloss [67]
Drain the wood chips and put in the grill. Place the pan on the grill grate away from the fire, cover the grill, and cook until the meat is fork-tender or an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the meat registers 180°F, about 1½ to 2 hours.
Remove the pan from the grill, transfer the pork to a cutting board, and let rest for at least 10 minutes. Reserve the onions if desired. Keep the fire going.
Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and chile pepper. Push through a strainer (to remove any lumps) onto a sheet of aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Cut the pork belly into four slices, about 1 inch thick. Cut each slice into four pieces, each approximately 1 by 1 by 2 inches. Roll the pork belly pieces in the brown sugar mixture, coating them evenly and thoroughly. Transfer to a plate or pan large enough to hold in a single layer.
Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Grill the sugar-coated pork belly pieces directly over the fire until the meat is grill-marked and the sugar melts and bubbles, 10 to 15 seconds per side. Transfer to a platter and serve with toothpicks.
WHOLE PIG
Mustard-Rosemary Suckling Pig Stuffed with Cheddar Grits
MAKES ABOUT 15 SERVINGS
Beyond question, the most opulent of pig presentations—a whole roasted suckling pig glistening with fragrant glaze, belly bulging with cheesy grits, and a garland of rosemary branches crowning its placid, porcine visage—arrives at a table to cheers. And you, its creator, will glow from pride. Hail the grill master!
If you don’t have a large grill rig, you will have to be careful about the size of the pig you procure. Even a small suckling pig (under 20 pounds) will take up at least 2 feet of grill space, which means you will need a large barrel-shaped grill, or a gas grill with at least that much space between its outside burners to cook the pig correctly. If any part of the pig hangs directly over the fire, it will scorch. Wrapping the overhanging parts in heavy-duty foil helps, but it will not completely solve the problem.
INGREDIENTS:
For the Grits:
2½ cups milk
2½ cups water
2 cups fine grits
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
For the Pig:
⅓ cup Smoked Paprika–Rosemary Rub
1 suckling pig, dressed (about 20 pounds)
12 large rosemary twigs, plus more for garnish
1 cup Mustard Butterscotch
½ cup hot water
DIRECTIONS:
For the grits: Mix the milk, water, grits, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan until the grits are moistened. Heat to a simmer, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer until a skin forms across the bottom of the pot and the grits pull away from the sides, stirring often, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese; set aside to cool.
For the pig: Light a large grill for indirect low heat, about 225°F.
Season the interior of the cavity of the pig with ¼ cup of the rub. Loosely fill the cavity with grits and sew the cavity shut with kitchen twine.
Position the legs under the pig (the pig might come this way from the butcher). The front legs should rest under the chin and the hind legs should be set forward, bent from the hip, not the knee, so they extend along the belly. Tie the hind legs in place with several lengths of twine. Position the ears so that they cover the pig’s eyes and tie twine over the ears to hold them in place. Cover the snout and tail with aluminum foil. Place a double thickness of foil around the front feet, and under the loin and the back feet in center of the pig.
Spread a triple layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil on the grill grate so it covers the area that is not directly over the heat. Scatter the 12 rosemary twigs over the foil, and put the pig, right-side up, on top of the rosemary. Cover the grill and cook until the skin is golden brown