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| Preparing Our Lethal Injection |
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| "You're gonna feel a pinch..." |
This New Year's eve I was reflecting on this past year and what 2011 might bring. I thought about goals I achieved, goals I didn't, goals to set for 2011, memories of friends and family, and the places I've been this year. I planned on making one more great memory of 2010. My best friend Taylor & I decided to have our first pig roast (properly refered to as a Pig Pikin'). Now I was born in North Carolina and some of my earliest memories are of a pig pikin' at our family reunion. I remember the smells and the smiles on the faces of relatives as they caught up with each other or laughed remembering past hijinx. And who could forget all that great food! I wanted to bring back those unforgetable Carolina smells and make new memories with my friends and family to bring in the new year. Taylor was excited as was I. We researched technique and recipes for days. Roasting a 60 lb pig is no small undertaking. I was surprised at the pressure I felt to make this a success, not only for everyone who would attend, but for Taylor. Taylor provided his backyard for the event and we both worked very hard getting prepared. We secured a 52.1 lb pig and a motorized spit. I don't mind a little hard work, but I couldn't imagine turning that spit for 6 hrs with a 50 lb pig on it. Much respect to the carnivores of old! The night before new year's eve we injected the pig with Taylor's secret marinade. (It's a secret recipe because we can't remember what we put in it!) After injecting the pig with 1/3 gallon of marinade we put it on ice for the night. I could hardly sleep, excited thinking about the task ahead of us. Taylor and I woke up very early and made a fire to keep coals going through out the day and did some final chores. We put the pig on the spit and over the tray of coal at 10:30 AM. I'm not the most patient guy, so I've never really been a good cook. I can't wait! It turns out Taylor and I are a perfect Pig Pikin' duo. I would get anxious and want to up the heat and get that thing cookin' and Tay would pull the riegns reminding me that we needed to start with low heat and gradually kick it up. On the otherside, I'm pretty well versed in butchery and breakin' down critters to their basic components. We are a dangerous pair :) About 3 hours into roasting I added apple and hickory wood chips ( a hand full every 1/2 hour) that had soaked in water for an hour to give the pig that awsome smokey taste. Taylor's wife Jenny was just as excited as us and helped all day getting the house ready and kept us on task. Jenny's family also helped in making this a monumental occasion by providing side dishes, beverages, and desserts. And boy did they provide! I've never seen so much food! Just about 2 hours before it was time to pull the pig from the glowing coals, those unmistakable, mouth-watering smells began to permiate the house and soon the whole block. That smell transported me back to my youth and seemed to create an atmoshpere of celebration and a general warm, content feeling as Taylor and I joked around and recalled stories of the past year. Our guests started arriving around 6 PM just as we pulled the pig from the flames. I was nervous just before I made my first cut in to the meat. Was it done? Will it taste as good as I remembered? These questions were answered as I cut into that juicy white meat. It was perfect! Our guests left with full bellies, and hopefully a little taste of Carolina tradition. Most of our friends had gone by the time the new year made its arrival. We spent the rest of the night and into the early morning hours joking around by the fire until our cheeks hurt. As I sat staring into the embers that twinkled like the stars above, I was happy as my best friends and I put 2010 to rest.
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| The Butcher |
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| Taylor & Jenny |
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