Writer: Helena Bergström
On Midsummer's Eve we grilled a whole pig. It was a project that took most of the day, but it was an interesting and fun project! First a fireplace was built, and then the pig was mounted on a stand.
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ShareGrilling a whole pig takes around five hours. At least if it is first lightly trimmed and lightly smoked, which is apparently the most common. If it is completely fresh, you can expect it to take even longer.
Midsummer in the archipelago
We celebrated traditional midsummer on Blidö with Peter's family. There was both midsummer pole and herring lunch, just as tradition dictates. New for this year was that we also chose to grill a whole pig.
Grilling a whole pig - How we did it
The embers should ideally be focussed towards the ends of the pig, where it is thickest. In the centre, it is thin, and it is easy to burn and overcook it there. To check that the meat is done, you can use a cooking thermometer. During the grilling, we constantly brushed it with grill oil, and of course we turned the pig from time to time.
Finally, it was time to cut and serve. It was really good together with new potatoes and tzatziki.
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Nils-Åke Hansson says:
When I saw the picture with sausages yes it was only sausages for the evening! Fully grilled pig is among the best you can get. Have been to such parties. And then cut right so that everyone gets the fine pieces of the first round as well.
Have a good weekend
Nisse
http://husbilochresor.com/
21 June 2014 - 9:35
Johanna i Skåne says:
It reminds me of what I've been told many times - how on the local bus in Lund, on the way to my childminder, I told an unknown fellow passenger about the year's festivals: Christmas, Easter and the pig party! A long time ago now, but I remember them well, those parties at a lake in northeastern Skåne that began with a metre competition and a round of tips before it was time to eat the fully cooked pigs 🙂.
21 June 2014 - 9:55
Lena i Wales says:
It looks delicious! The bowl of strawberries is delicious! For me, there will be a celebration on Sunday with Swedes in Cardiff with midsummer pole, games etc. However, I have done something else interesting, you know where you can read about it.
21 June 2014 - 10:05
Ama de casa says:
Looked delicious! Here in Spain they often roast pigs during festivals and so on.
🙂
Clever with the sausage - you have to eat something while you wait!
😀
21 June 2014 - 10:09
Steel city Anna says:
What a lot of strawberries! Cool with whole roasted pig 🙂 happy midsummer!
21 June 2014 - 11:29
Ditte says:
Exciting barbecue project that you pulled off with flying colours. I understand that it tasted good. But there was a certain amount of waiting. Good that there are sausages! Wishing you a nice continuation of the midsummer weekend.
21 June 2014 - 12:43
BP says:
My mouth is watering now! You are real specialists, I see. Yummy!
21 June 2014 - 12:48
Anna i Qatar says:
whaaaaat
haraam!!!
21 June 2014 - 14:54
admin says:
Nils-Åke, whole grilled pig was really good! (Different parts are different nice of course.) Wishing you also a continued nice weekend!
Ama de casa, I can imagine that pigs are sometimes grilled. Suitable for outdoor festivities when you are a little more!
Steel city, wish you the same!
Ditte, that was an exciting and interesting project!
🙂
BP, it was the first time, so I can't say we are specialists... but it was interesting!
😉
Anna in Qatar, haha, yes definitely!
21 June 2014 - 15:31
anita says:
Lovely celebration with that project. Like Greek Easter but with a pig instead of a goat or lamb! Wow how wonderful with a giant bowl of strawberries!
21 June 2014 - 16:09
maria ulrika says:
But how good did that look then?
//Ulrika
21 June 2014 - 17:20
admin says:
Anita, we were a bit keen to try grilling lamb on another occasion actually!
🙂
Maria Ulrika, the pig was good! By the way, nice to find your blog! I have commented, but do not see if the comment was approved? Feel free to check the spam if you can't find it...!
21 June 2014 - 19:39
Inga M says:
It looks slightly macabre to roast a pig whole. It becomes so obvious what you are actually eating, a dead animal. But it tastes very good at least when it is smoked. You seem to have had a nice midsummer celebration. I guess for Stockholmers it often means travelling to the archipelago. Fortunately, it is large and swallows its visitors without being crowded.
22 June 2014 - 7:26