I was finally convinced to try hog on the grill, so i harvested a 105 lb sow in Florida. I pulled the backstraps that very morning, put them on ice, marinated in italian dressing for 8 hours and grilled to medium rare. The taste was fine but the meat was so tough i couldn't eat it.

the next day, i put a bone in rear ham on the smoker for 6 hours (it weighed six lbs) and some of it was tender, the rest tough. The meat was juicy however.

what went wrong?

ARE YOU TRYIN TO COOK THE MEAT TO FAST ?? i always slow roast myne for 10+ hours at about 350degrees. Also the medium rare part i would go for med-well or well. this will give te tissue time to cook and break down. Also We (and most people here) soak the meat for 2days+ but this is more for flavor. Its hard to pin down on eissue but i would start with those. I always cook the meat threw and always have good tender meat.

Undercooking for one , wild porkies must always be cooked to well done to avoid parasite and disease issues . The ham should have been cooked for at least 10 hours at no more than 250 degrees in a moist smoker , and even then the internal temp should be checked to ensure that the finished temp is at least 180 . The backstraps on pigs dry out and toughen when cooked over high heat like grilling , they should also be slow cooked . The pig may also have been too old , next time go for a smaller one around 60-70 lbs .

try broiling it in a pan with your italian dressing to keep moisture in and eith roll it or bast it as well. Also leaving some fat on (its hard on the backstrap tho) will keep the moisture in the meat and flavor. on a side note to kevin, you only cook at 250? I always keep the heat at 350ish for 10hours (whole hog or hams) and get real juicey meat. It would be easier, and take less wood if 250 worked just as well..

YOU should also let the meat rest,let it sit for about 10 minutes before you cut into it.

Yes , 200-250 , I just extend the cooking time accordingly .

My smoker is a small(25#) Masterbilt that runs on charcoal or propane , so the run cost is low enough for me . Nothing breaks down the tissues better than ultra slow cooking , the meat will literally fall off the bone as you lift it out if you're not careful . Another advantage of my smoker is that even if I get too drunk ... er ... fall asleep before the meat is done it holds in the moisture for a longer time than most and the meat doesn't dry out like it would at a higher temperature . I did 2 shoulder picnics for my wife's graduation party last year , about 15 lbs total weight , and they stayed in 14 hours at 200 degrees . After that they soaked in bbq sauce in an 18 quart waterbath roaster for another 3 hours at 180 degrees before serving . The pulled pork that resulted was rated by our guests as the best tasting and most tender bbq pork they had ever eaten . [8D]

that will have to be tried. I always baist (sp?) myne with sauce or if im ruffin it i rub in some salt like the old days but i think simmering it in a BBQ sauce would be really good. Its gettin about that time of year again where i Roast a whole hog for the annual thanksgiving charity down here and i may give it a shot.

try roasting or smoking for about 10-12hrs on a heat of bout 250-290. this is how the pros do it . while basting it with beer,honey and spice mixture. Take it from an Ol pig farmer. Low-n-Slow, Papaw Heath wasn't wrong. If nesscary wrap it in foil and get yourself a GOOD meat thermometer.
Nobody wants to taste it twice.