Grilling is one of the easiest cooking methods out there. Cooking on an open grid over a heat source, grilling meat is a simpler alternative to smoking or using a rotisserie. However, most grills aren't large enough for cooking a whole pig. With a trip to the hardware store and your local grocer, you can build your own large-space charcoal grill that can be used to grill the largest of meats. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. On a flat surface that can absorb heat (dirt, gravel, or concrete; not asphalt), unroll enough aluminum foil on the ground to cover a 7 by 4 foot area with a double layer of foil.
2. Take 14 cinder blocks and place them on the border edges of the 7 by 4 foot foil area (blocks should rest directly on foil), with 5 blocks on each long side and 2 blocks on each short side (the two short side blocks with fit "in between" the 5 long side blocks).
3. Take 28 of the remaining cinder blocks and stack them on top of the first level of cinder blocks to create border walls three cinder blocks high.
4. Line the entire inside of the cinder block walls with aluminum foil, overlapping the top layer so that the remaining cinder blocks can be stacked on top to keep the foil in place.
5. Stack the remaining cinder blocks on top so the grill so walls are four cinder blocks high.
6. On the ground (away from the grill walls), lay two 10 foot poles approximately 44 inches apart between outside edges. Lay five of the 4 foot poles perpendicularly across the two 10 foot poles. The 4 foot poles should be about 10 inches away from the end of the 10 foot poles, and should be spaced about 20 inches apart.
7. Secure the 4 foot poles to the 10 foot poles with heavy gauge wire.
8. Place one 8 by 4 foot piece of aluminum chain-link fencing or steel mesh on top of the pole construction and secure with heavy gauge wire where needed. This will be your grate which the pig will rest upon (the grate will sit on top of your cinder block grill walls).
9. For easy turning of the pig, repeat steps 6 to 8 to create a grate that be placed on top of the pig (and secured with more heavy gauge wire), securing the pig between the two grates. When flipped, the bottom grate becomes the top, and vice versa.
Tags: cinder blocks, foot poles, gauge wire, grill walls, heavy gauge