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1
Dig a hole 7 feet long by 4 feet wide by 2 1/2 feet deep.
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2
Pile dirt on one side of the pit only.
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3
You will be working on the other three sides.
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4
In the center of the pit build a large fire from a quarter cord of wood or 160 pounds of charcoal.
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5
When the fire is burning hot, add 20 to 30 large dry river rocks to the fire with a long-handled shovel.
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6
Continue to pile more wood or charcoal around and on top of the rocks.
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7
The fire is ready for cooking when all the charcoal is lit or the wood forms a bed of hot coals.
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8
With a long-handled shovel, make a shallow depression in the middle of the coals and rocks where the pig can lie.
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9
Push extra rocks aside and use them later to pile on the sides of the pig.
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10
Lay out one sheet of chicken wire on a table and place the whole pig on top, belly up.
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11
Use a sharp knife to score the inside of the hogs hams and shoulders.
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12
In a small bowl, mix the salt, soy sauce, garlic powder, black pepper, and MSG, if using.
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13
Rub the seasoning blend evenly on all exposed meat inside and outside of the cavity.
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14
With a long-handled shovel remove 3 to 4 large rocks from the fire and place them into the cavity of the pig.
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15
Immediately wrap the pig with the second sheet of chicken wire and secure with baling wire.
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16
On each end of the pig, make handles out of baling wire, extending 3 feet from the chicken wire.
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17
These will be used to lower your pig and to recover it from the pit.
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18
Place a layer of banana leaves over the hot rocks and coals.
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19
Using the baling-wire handles, lower the pig into the pit.
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20
Cover the pig with more banana leaves.
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21
With the shovel, push extra rocks around all sides of the pig.
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22
Cover everything in the pit with the wet burlap sacks.
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23
Cover the sacks with the canvas tarp.
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24
Starting at the edges of the tarp, cover the whole pit with dirt.
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25
After 12 hours of cooking, unearth the pig.
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26
Using the baling wire handles, remove the pig from the pit.
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27
Unwrap the chicken wire from the pig and let the pig rest for 30 minutes prior to serving.
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28
The pig can either be offered whole, letting the guests use tongs to pull their own meat, or hand-pulled, chopped, and served.
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29
Underground
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30
1/4 cord of wood or 160 pounds charcoal; 20 to 30 large river rocks 8 to 10 inches in diameter (from a dry riverbed); 10 burlap sacks, soaked in water; a 12 x 10-foot canvas tarp; two 4 x 6-foot pieces of chicken wire; a spool of baling wire; 5 dozen banana leaves or 10 dozen ti leaves; shovel
