Host a Pig Roast at the Cottage!

Every year hundreds of outdoor gatherings are hosted in cottage country and if you're lucky, you'll attend at least one mouth watering Pig Roast, Pig Pickin's, Luau or Redneck BBQ every year! They make the perfect party food for large gatherings with relaxed atmospheres and there's plenty of that going on in this four season paradise.

Pig roasts occur internationally, from Cuba to China, on New Year's Eve or Christmas, at Stag n' Does, Jack n' Jill's, family reunions or country wide celebrations like Canada day (which is coming up July 1st, 2010)...

Pig Roast Cooking Process...

Pigs are usually seasoned then roasted on either a rotating spit , the BBQ, charcoal grill, an open fire, a large oven or buried in hole then covered in hot lava rocks.

It takes anywhere from 4 to 24 hours to cook either a half or whole pig. It's also best to cook it meat side down flipping only once when fat has stopped dripping. When the cooking process is complete, the meat should be tender enough that it easily falls off the bone. The meat is then either chopped or pulled or is picked off the roasted pig by the guests.

Popular spices, seasonings and flavours include crushed garlic, black pepper, salt, oregano, olive oil, wine vinegar, BBQ sauce, mesquite or smoked flavours.

This # of people = approx. this much Pig (in lbs.)

- 20 people = 40lb pig  
- 40 people = 50lb pig
- 80 people = 90lb pig
- 120 people = 120lb pig

You will need...

- Pig
- BBQ sauces, seasonings, spices, brine, marinade or get your piglet pre-smoked!
- Meat thermometer
- Heat Gloves
- Sharp knife
- Pig Serving Tray (a large table strictly for the pig is perfect)
- Heat source ie; BBQ, spit, grill, fire pit or hole
- Fuel ie; charcoal, propane, wood or lava rocks 
- Time and planning. Rushing leads to a burnt piggie, start too late and you guests may be eating at 2am!

Determine how you will be serving your roasted pig...

Will it be carved into rough slices, taken off in rough chunks, or pulled and picked off by the guests?
Will it be served with green salad, Caesar, potato, bean or pasta salad?
Will it be accompanied by buns, rolls, sliced bread, baguettes or french bread?
Will your beverage be iced tea, colas, ice cold beer & cider or Dandelion Wine?

p.s. If your guests begin to resemble any of these three characters, perhaps the Dandelion wine has already kicked in!

p.s.s. I experienced a blonde moment when I hosted my first pig roast (without being to one first)...I was expecting a smoked ham taste throughout the meat and instead got plain white pork, duh! So, for future reference I made note to either purchase a pre-seasoned/pre-smoked piggie or to have plenty of condiments at the ready ;)