There is a rich tradition of hog roasts not only in the UK, but wherever pigs are to be found. It is a celebratory act that has followed birthdays, baptisms, Christmases, the end of a year and so on. However, roasting a hog can be a tricky business - you need an experienced hand to guide the beast from pasture to your appetite's rapture (for a recommendation as to who you should trust with your hog roast, please follow the link provided at the end of this article).
Modern cooking technology allows anyone to enjoy the benefits of a roast, whereas it was once only the preserve of the privileged. Things have evolved to such an extent that a whole hog can easily be roasted indoors, in wet weather and the like.
Sourcing and preparing a hog is best left to experts who specialise in hog roasts for a living. To put this into perspective, a hog that weighs approximately 70 kilograms needs to be fastened to a stainless steel spit. The whole of the animal is then scored with a very sharp knife to ensure that long, skinny strips of crackling can be savoured with the roast. Anyone who doesn't serve crackling with a hog roast is a philistine and an imposter.
Encased in a big, gas heated roasting machine (or barbequed over the searing heat of burning coals if you are a traditionalist) a hog will cook until it's well done - but with enough of its natural juices intact to ensure that the meat isn't too dry. This is probably the most difficult part of the whole roast, determining the right moment to start carving your hog for consumption. Do it too early and your guests will complain about an undercooked meal. Leave it for too long and the dry, burnt meat will be robbed of its flavour and texture.
Of course, the actual carving of the whole hog can be an arduous process. It requires patience, a rudimentary knowledge of a pig's anatomy, a butcher's arm and the hand of a surgeon. The aficionado will recognise the work of an experienced hog roaster: crispy, salted crackling, slices (not chunks) of meat and a clean carcass. The condiments that are served with a hog roast vary from country to country, but in the United Kingdom it's usually served with apple sauce (homemade is best) and add a few squeezes of lemon juice for extra zest. As for tipple, cider is considered to be the finest drink to accompany roast pork. Do beware, hog roasts are very popular in the summertime, so if you do want to go down the hog roasting route it's a good idea to make sure that you book yourself a professional caterer for some peace of mind.
As promised, the recommendation for a hog roast is Nyama Catering UK. South African 'braai' specialists based in Berkshire with the experience of presiding over tons of hog roasts. Hogs are sourced locally and an organic hog roast is available as well. Tasting sessions are available and there are open days to visit as well.
