HEALTH FOOD TIPS

Posts Tagged ‘The Art of the Hog Roast’

If like me, the idea of hosting your own hog roast fills you with a head spinning mixture of excitement and dread, then rest assured, help is at hand. Hog roasts are fast becoming the most popular and crowd-pleasing wing of al fresco dining. Think of it as one step beyond the classic summer barbecue. The full hog roast (which can serve up to 120 hungry eaters)is barbecueing on an altogether larger scale. So there are a few things you will need to know before embarking on your very own hog spit roast. Firstly, you should be aware that if you are having a party involving fifty diners or less, then a hog roast may not be for you- unless you want to be eating pig for the next few months that is! So, you’ve got your one hundred odd guests coming, now what? It’s time to order your pig which you will need to do well in advance (I’d advise anything between two weeks and three weeks to be sure)from a speciality butcher. Bear in mind that you should allow about one and a half pounds of meat per person. Once your pig is assembled onto the spit roast machine- butterfly fashion for an even roast- you will need to make sure that the heat is atleast 12 inches away from the meat to avoid scorching (most machines are designed this way). The hog will take up to five hours to cook properly. It is always advisable to have a meat thermometer on hand to make sure that the meat is cooked all the way through- you can never be too careful. Once the meat is cooked, carve and serve with anything that takes your fancy. You may want to make like a rabbit and go down the salad track. A Potato salad or cous cous is a very nice option. But really a simple slab of meat with hot apple sauce and a soft white bap is all you need to be in hog roast heaven. Once you’ve tried a hog roast, you’ll never go back. By: Joanna Bedford