Hosting A Summer Get Together

*This is a collaborative post.

A hog roast is definitely the way to go if you want to create an event to remember this summer. The reason for this is because it boasts the perfect balance between being food that everyone is going to enjoy yet still having the surprise factor too. Who is going to walk into your garden and expect to see a full pig being roasted? Your guests will undoubtedly be amazed! 

In addition to this, you should also consider the fact that this choice of food will give you the opportunity to spend more time with your guests. This is no matter whether you choose to hire a company to cook the hog for you or you decide to be daring and have a go at cooking it yourself. If you use the services of professional chefs then you obviously have nothing to worry about. Nevertheless, if you cook the hog roast yourself then the process is simplified because you won’t be fussing over tons of different ingredients whilst trying to manage the stove, the oven, the microwave and everything else at once. This is an important point to bear in mind. After all, the host of an event often ends up finding the occasion more stressful than fun because they spend the majority of their time cooped up in the kitchen.

So, as mentioned in the introduction, you have two different choices at your disposal when hosting the perfect summer hog roast. You can hire a hog roast or you can attempt to cook the pig yourself. It’s highly recommended that you go for the former option – especially when cooking a hog for the first time. Nevertheless, if you are determined to give it a go then there will be an excellent recipe suggestion later on in the article. But first, let’s help you find the perfect catering business to ensure that the hog roast you serve is one to remember for all of the right reasons and not the wrong ones. 

When you hire a hog roast you should look for a company who offers the full package. There are experienced and high-quality businesses out there that will ensure that you don’t even need to think about the catering side of your summer party. They will come with all of the cooking equipment they need and they will set up in a place that is convenient for you. Not only will they cook the pig to perfection but they will also provide all of the equipment needed for serving it and the entire range of cutlery needed for your guests too. Take advantage of this – get your money’s worth! 

Now let’s focus on the delicious and flavoursome meat itself. It is highly recommended that you opt for a business that has experience in the industry. By doing this you can rest assured that the chefs have cooked a hog spit roast many times before. This is important. There is a lot more to cooking a hog roast than meets the eye. If the best equipment is not used and the pig is not turned evenly then you can end up with a hog that is overcooked in parts and under cooked in others. Experienced chefs ensure that this never happens. Not only this, but you will be assured that they have provided their service for many events. Therefore you can be certain that they will serve your guests in a polite and professional manner. Just imagine the possibility of having your very own chefs serving lip-smacking food at your summer garden party. How many people can say that they have had this at their party?! 

One final point to consider in relation to hog roast hire is whether your pig comes with all of the trimmings or not. After all, we all go a bit crazy for crackling in the UK. What good is juicy and flavoursome pork without crispy and gorgeous crackling to go along with it? The best hog roast hire companies will also provide tasty baps for all of your guests and if you are lucky you will get some delicious pork stuffing too. You should enquire about the different side dishes the company has available. After all, most people don’t merely want to serve the meat alone. 

In fact, the side dishes are something you could prepare yourself. This shouldn’t be too difficult. Pork is a very versatile meat and goes with an array of other flavours and textures. Why not put a nice bowl of salad together? After all, light and crispy side dishes like this are ideal for the summer. There are loads of different delicious salads you can put together in a mere five minutes. A Greek salad is a tasty option. All you will need for this is lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cucumber, coriander, olives, feta cheese, olive oil, and vinegar. 

Another good idea when it comes to a salad is to provide a basic option, consisting of lettuce, onions, cucumber, and tomato. You can then offer a selection of little side dishes for people to add to their salad as they see fit. This ensures all tastes are catered to. Some great suggestions include; croutons, mixed peppers, coleslaw, potato salad, beetroot, olives, jalapenos, and crispy onions. Your guests will appreciate the fact that you have gone the extra mile in order to make sure that there is something they will enjoy. 

What hog roast would be complete without a selection of sauces to choose between? If you provide a side table with a range of various sauces then your guests are bound to be impressed. It will give them the perfect excuse to eat as much pork as possible. After all, it would be rude not to try every sauce, right? The following sauces all taste lovely with pork; barbecue, Dijon, horseradish, tomato ketchup, hot sauce, Worcester, mustard, relish, and chutney. Why not attempt to make a few of the sauces yourself and wow your guests even further? 

And finally to complete the side dishes lets introduce some good old carbohydrates into the mix. Potatoes go brilliantly with a hog roast and the great thing is that there are plenty of different ways of serving them. A fantastic way of enhancing the rustic feel associated with a hog roast is to serve with homemade chunky chips or wedges. In addition to this, other options include; new potatoes with herbs and butter (these go deliciously with salad!), chilli and mint potatoes, a creamy garlic potato bake, crispy potato fritter slices, or what about sweet potato and feta fish – the two contrasting flavours complement each other beautifully. 

Now that your side dishes are sorted it is time to help those of you who want to take the risk of cooking the hog roast yourself. If you are cooking a hog roast for the very first time then the key is to keep it simple. The meat is already full of flavour and you should simply enhance this with a bit of seasoning. The mere addition of salt is enough to bring out the succulent flavour of the meat. And remember the key is to cook the pig slowly. Don’t rush it or you will be left with a hog that is burnt on the outside and under cooked in the middle. You want your guests to be going home with a smile, not food poisoning! 

If you are looking for something more complex then why not consider doing a Cuban hog roast? Roasted pig is a particularly popular dish in the country and many deem this version to be one of the best they have tasted. Remember with roasted pig it is all about the seasoning. For a Cuban pig roast you will need to season the meat with the following; salt, lime, pepper, garlic cloves, oregano, seasonings bay leaf, and cumin powder. Of course, you will have to mix everything together in a blender before you rub it onto the pig. Make sure it is liquefied before you use it. Then merely roast the pig via the long and slow method you should always utilise. 

You will probably want to make sure there is a selection of tasty desserts available as well. You could get a brownie delivery so you don’t have to worry about baking yourself. After all, you have plenty of other things to be getting on with, and who doesn’t love brownies?

You have now got more than enough information to ensure all of your guests are wowed with the food you are going to serve at your summer party. The final thing you need to bear in mind is how you are going to decorate your outdoor space. Make sure you have enough chairs and table space for everybody. And why not consider a few nice table centrepieces and a bit of bunting? These are simple and cost-effective methods of decorating yet they are highly effective. And don’t forget to make sure you have plenty of drink in for your guests to enjoy. After all, when it’s sunny the last thing you want is for your guests to end up dehydrated. Why not put together a refreshing punch? This always works a treat at summer parties. Another great option is to serve Pimms, lemonade, and fruit – this tends to be particularly popular in the UK at the moment.