German Whole Hog

Name: German Whole Hog
Cuisine: Germany
Ingredients: 1 cup dark beer; 1 cup honey; 3 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger; 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter; 1 small pig (25 to 30 pounds), gutted and dressed; 2 tablespoons Coarse salt (kosher or sea); 2 tablespoons Coarse salt (kosher or sea); 2 tablespoons ground ginger; 2 tablespoons Coarse salt (kosher or sea); 2 tablespoons ground coriander; 2 tablespoons curry powder; 2 tablespoons Freshly ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons dried marjoram; ¾ to 1 cup vegetable oil; ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preparation info

Difficulty
Complex

Appears in

Planet Barbecue

By Steven Raichlen

Published 2010

About

The summum bonum of German barbecue, spanferkel is a whole hog slathered with a spice-scented seasoning paste, spit roasted over wood, and glazed with three ingredients near and dear to any German’s heart: dark, malty German beer, honey, and ginger—the flavorings in Nuremberg’s beloved lebkuchen (gingerbread).

Ingredients

For the Wet Rub and Hog

2 tablespoons Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
2 tablespoons ground

Europe
Germany
Main course
Gluten-free

Method

Make the wet rub by combining the salt, ground ginger, curry powder, coriander, marjoram, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a bowl and stirring in enough oil to obtain a thick, fragrant paste. Place one-third of the wet rub in the cavity of the pig and spread it with a spatula. Spread the remaining wet rub all over the outside of the pig. (If possible, let the pig mari