▁is ▁built ▁inside ▁a ▁pit ▁large ▁enough ▁to ▁contain ▁the ▁food ▁to ▁be ▁cook ed , ▁the ▁stones , ▁and ▁the ▁veget ation ▁used ▁to ▁cover ▁the ▁food . ▁ ▁St ones ▁are ▁placed ▁on ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁fire ▁in ▁the ▁pit , ▁taking ▁around ▁two ▁to ▁three ▁hours ▁to ▁reach ▁their ▁maximum ▁temperature . ▁Most ▁important ▁is ▁the ▁selection ▁of ▁stones ▁that ▁contain ▁very ▁little ▁mo ist ure ▁to ▁avoid ▁stones ▁expl oding ▁from ▁the ▁steam ▁generated ▁by ▁the ▁heat . ▁Once ▁the ▁stones ▁have ▁become ▁extremely ▁hot , ▁they ▁are ▁spread ▁out ▁over ▁the ▁co als ▁and ▁the ▁pit ▁is ▁l ined ▁with ▁veget ation , ▁such ▁as ▁ban ana ▁trees , ▁that ▁have ▁been ▁p ounded ▁to ▁make ▁them ▁p li able . ▁A ▁layer ▁of ▁ti ▁leaves ▁( C ord y line ▁fr ut ic osa ) ▁would ▁then ▁be ▁spread ▁over ▁the ▁layer ▁of ▁p ounded ▁veget ation ▁and ▁the ▁food ▁to ▁be ▁cook ed ▁placed ▁on ▁top . ▁Me at ▁to ▁be ▁cook ed ▁would ▁be ▁salt ed ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁instance ▁of ▁cook ing ▁a ▁whole ▁p ig , ▁some ▁hot ▁stones ▁would ▁also ▁be ▁placed ▁inside ▁the ▁body ▁cav ity ▁to ▁ensure ▁the ▁meat ▁is ▁fully ▁cook ed . ▁▁ ▁To ▁maintain ▁even ▁he ating ▁and ▁to ▁retain ▁the ▁meat ' s ▁natural ▁mo ist ure , ▁the ▁meat ▁is ▁covered ▁with ▁more ▁layers ▁of ▁veget ation ▁such ▁as ▁ti ▁and ▁ban ana ▁leaves , ▁then ▁covered ▁with ▁a ▁layer ▁of ▁soil ▁at ▁least ▁several