The Fairhill Guide
Preparing & Cooking Your Spit Pig
Everything we've learned about turning a whole pasture-raised pig into the centrepiece of a great day, planned backwards from the moment you carve.
Choose the right spit
The whole pig needs to sit over the coals once it's mounted on the skewer, so match the spit length to the pig:
Heritage-breed pigs often carry dark hair, and a few visible hairs can remain after processing. Scrape the skin with a sharp knife against the direction of the hair, and singe any stubborn ones with a kitchen torch; whatever remains burns away over the coals.
The crackling
Crackling is won before the fire is lit: the skin must be properly dry, then salted. Don't score the skin: on a turning spit the fat runs out through the cuts, causing flare-ups and burnt patches as the pig rotates.
Start the pig close to the heat to set the skin, then move the coals out to the sides or raise the spit to bring the temperature down for the long, slow middle of the cook. If the meat is done before the skin has crisped, take the skin off and finish it under a hot grill, and stand over it, because once it starts to crackle it can burn in seconds.
Low and slow: plan the day backwards
Allow an hour to prepare the pig and set up the roaster, an hour for the coals to come to temperature, five to seven hours of cooking and half an hour of resting. Here's a sample day for a 25kg pig carved at 6pm:
Begin setup: mount the pig, set up the roaster, let the pig come up to room temperature before it goes over the coals.
Light the coals. They can take up to an hour to reach cooking temperature.
Pig on the spit, low and slow.
Cook until the internal temperature reaches 65 to 68°C. It keeps cooking while it rests.
Rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.
The number that matters is the internal temperature: 65 to 68°C at the thickest part, then rest. Exact times shift with the size of the pig and the weather, so trust the thermometer, not the clock.
Ready for your own spit roast?
Order a whole pasture-raised spit pig from us, or let our team cook the feast for you at Fairhill.