Pig Roast Ideas

First, You’re Gonna Need a Pig...

Pig Roasts are generally held in the summer months when the weather is nice, unless you live in an area where it stays warm all year round. A pig feeds a lot of people so it is recommended to host a pig roast around a holiday or when you know you could have a lot of people make it to the party. To give you an idea, an 80-pound pig will feed approximately 50-60 people. There is a fair amount of prep work involved before your pig roast can begin.

First and foremost, you must make arrangements to get a pig. Try to get an approximate head count of attendees that way you can choose a properly sized pig. An ideally sized pig is anywhere from 60-120 pounds. Seek out a local butcher or farmer; these guys can usually get you a good pig and clean it up for you. When getting the pig, ask that it be cleaned; they should leave the head, ears, tail, and feet intact and remove all hair from the skin. You will also need to take into consideration whether you will be getting the pig fresh or frozen. If you are getting it frozen, you will need to factor in time to thaw it out.

Next up, you will need a roaster. Here is where you have a few options. Some companies make roasting boxes and other types of roasters, or you can make your own out of cinder blocks, a 55-gallon drum, etc. If you choose to DIY, there are many websites that demonstrate how to make your own. If you do not trust yourself to cook the pig up yourself (again many sites teach how to roast your own pig), some catering companies offer professional pig roasters who can do it for you.

Turn the Roast into a Party!

While the food is cooking, your guests will need something to keep them entertained! As I mentioned earlier, a pig roast is a common activity at a Hawaiian Luau. If this is the case for you, you will want to hire some Hawaiian entertainment. Book some hula dancers to do a number and possibly a ukulele player could provide the music for the dancers. Other suitable musical options, whether you’re hosting a luau or not, include Caribbean bands, Zydeco bands, and classic rock bands.

You will probably want the event recorded in some way or another. Have a photographer on site to take pictures of the roasting process and of your guests having an awesome time! If you wanted to get a more detailed rendition of how the pig roast went, get a videographer to record the party. If this is the first time you’re doing a pig roast, you may want to get it recorded so you can learn what you did right and what went wrong (hopefully nothing!).

Pass the Beans Please!

More than likely this event will be held in your backyard or another outdoor venue. You may want to rent a tent or awning in case it starts to rain or in case it’s a hot day so you can have some shade. Along these same lines, you’re going to need ample seating for your guests and table space for all the food! If you do not have enough at your house, you could ask some guests if they could bring some tables or chairs. Since this is an outdoor event, you could add to the picnic vibe by providing blankets for a little bit of lawn seating. There are also rental companies that can provide tables, chairs, and tents. They can usually accommodate various sized tables and provide as many as you need.

Depending on the size and formality of your party, you may even want to hire some waitstaff to help serve the food and clean up afterwards. In addition to some servers, a summer party is going to need some cold beverages to keep your guests hydrated throughout the day. Have some ice water, sweet tea, and cold beer available for your guests. You could even hire a bartender to make sure the drinks stay flowing all day. Lastly, you may want to have your guests bring along some side dishes to go along with the main course. Since you are providing and preparing the pig, which is time consuming and potentially pricey, ask your guests to bring some sort of side dish. Popular pig roast side dishes include potato salad, coleslaw, fresh fruit, baked beans, and corn on the cob.

Pig roasts are a great summertime activity, just make sure you have a solid cooking crew to get the main course is prepared properly. Best of luck, especially if this is your first pig roast!