The Whole Hog is of course what we traditionally think of as a Hog Roast and whether or not you have ever been to a Hog Roast event most of us are familiar with this as we all have seen it in old movies when they are depicting Medieval banquets.

Most of us have a mental picture of Henry V111 at the head of a banquet with a Hog Roast roasting over an open fire and it is this that most have in mind when they contact us. Of course today and for practical purposes a Whole Hog is roasted in an enclosed, portable ‘Roaster’ producing incredible heat to ensure reduced cooking times and an even roast.

Although enclosed during cooking the smells excites, whets the appetites of the guests and creates an expectation which reaches it’s climax when the chef opens the roaster to reveal the massive, golden brown and succulent Hog. For many this is the first time they have seen a cooked, complete animal.

Whole Hogs are perfect for events of eighty or more guests as they serve up to one hundred and twenty therefore allowing for generous portions and or seconds. If any customers are interested in the options for Hog Roasts in Wandsworth please call us on 0845 500 5450.

the most important question of all, How many guests are expected? This is obviously important as a Whole Hog serves up to 120 and therefore wouldn’t be appropiate for a smaller event of perhaps 45 quests. Our team would be able to offer a more suitable Roast such as a 2 Pork Loin Package which serves up to 50 and cooked in two and a half hours over a Charcoal fire.
Once the most suitable roast has been agreed upon the client would be offered a variety of additions such as Vegetarian options, salads, plates etc.
After this has all been discussed and agreed the client would be e-mailed a booking form which asks for more details such as the full address, serving time, any access problems etc.

One of the first questions we are asked here at Big Roast is, ‘ Will we get Crackling with our Hog Roast’? It seems that no matter what food fad is in or what the latest nutritional advice is in the headlines, the British public still want their Crackling. Once we assure our clients that yes they will get Crackling with their Hog Roast we are quite often asked how we ‘do it’ Now this question does not arise because people don’t know how Cr
ackling is produced but it seems that everyone has a method or recipe for perfect Crackling, often handed down within the family over many generations and they want to know ‘ our method’ to make sure it reaches their high expectations.So, how do we make sure that great Crackling comes with every Hog Roast?
Well actually, all of our chefs have their own methods and tricks but there are two fundimental elements that you need, without which  good, tasty and crispy Crackling would be impossible.

The first and of course the most important is the quality of the Hog. The Hog, we believe, must be well looked after and well fed during it’s lifetime. A happy Hog, fed on top quality feed and with plenty of room to wander and roam will produce good quality meat but also a lovely layer, about 1 cm thick, of pure fat just below the skin.
This layer of fat is crucial to perfect Crackling as this layer, properly cooked, gives the crispy skin the succulent juices necessary to bite, chew and digest the skin ( Crackling )
The second thing necessary is to reduce the amount of water in the skin. We do this by first giving the Hog about 40 minutes on the heat. This boils any water which starts to bubble and it is then we sprinkle the Hog with salt which we all know absorbs moisture. It is when this is done the skin can start to roast and after a few good hours of steady heat the perfect Crackling is created.

We at Big Roast are asked one question above all others when clients book a Hog Roast event with us. ‘ What happens if it rains?’
Well, even with Big Roast doing most of their Hog roast events between March and September this is a sensible and important question as we all know that the U.Kis famous for it’s extremely changeable weather.
How many times has the Wimbledon Tennis Championship been delayed by heavy downpours at the height of summer? We all know that it has but does anyone know by what kind of rain routinely interupts this
Was it ‘ Orographic ‘ , ‘ Frontal’ or ‘ Convective’ rain? But at least we know it was rain and not drizzle which is when a raindrop is less than .5mm in diameter.
Big Roast have dealt with it all which is why we always arrive at Hog Roast events well prepared.
Our chefs bring with them a weather-proofed Gazebo below which they create a kitchen, preparation and serving area. if it rains everything is well protected and if it is still poring down at serving time the chef will work with the host to serve indoors.
Hog Roast events disrupted by the rain usually end up great successes as all concerned seem to pull together determined not to be beaten by the very British summer weather.

I wonder how many of them know as they gingerly cross over yet another speed bump that Fulham was the firstLondonborough to introduce Speed Bumps in 1984 inLinver Road, a road well known to them all.

There are, I’m sure, plenty of Fulham residents proud of this fact but I am also sure there are plenty who look on their introduction as just another obstacle for the poor motorist to overcome but I can’t imagine that there are any Fulham residents not proud of the little known fact that Gandhi lived in Baron’s Court while studying law.

Big Roast have done quite a few Hog Roast events in Baron’s Court never knowing that Gandhi may have lived in one the properties we have catered in.

Shepherd’s Bush andWhiteCityare also parts of the borough well known to our Hog Roast chefs but I am sure, just as with Gandhi, that few if any of them know that the oldWhiteCitystadium hosted the 1908 Olympics afterMountVesuviouserupted forcing the games to be moved fromItaly.

Big Roast is of course proud to offer their Hog Roast’s in such an interesting and historic part ofLondon.

You can organize the party either at home or somewhere else, but it most likely will be easier to put it together elsewhere as that will give you more time to decorate and organize and you won’t worry about them surprising you instead. Make sure that you also notify the catering company, such as Big Roast, that will be providing the Hog Roast that it will be a surprise birthday party so they don’t make any calls to your home.

Most people don’t realise what is involved in actually getting our succulent and delicous Hog Roast to the serving tables of our clients. The day would start for our small group of well-trained Hog Roast chefs many hours before the clients required serving time. They would arrive at our Wimbledon Kitchen giving themslves an hour to book out and check over their vans and two hours to drive to their event. Upon arrival at the kitchen he would first check the oil, water and tyres of his designated van. Only when this is done would he start to load.

First, the roasting machines, machines differing depending on the Hog Roast option chosen. Next, the serving table and Gazebo followed by the Tool kit of knives, thermometers, serving trays and tongs. Only when all the equipment necessary for producing our famous Hog Roasts is loaded will the chefs start to think about the food.

They pack the freshly prepared salads into large cooling bags to keep them fresh during the journey and until serving time and Canapes are stacked in special £300 insulated travel chests.

Then the Hog Roast meat.

The Hog itself is packed in bespoke chilled plastic sleeves and sealed. These sleeves will keep the Hog chilled for up to 5 hours.

When the Head Chef has satisfied himself that everyone has everything needed on board the chefs are allowed to leave with plenty of time to arrive at the event address at the time agreed.

Then they start to cook.

Head out with the family and enjoy the evening celebrations with fireworks and big bon fires, then head home with some fireworks for the yard and have everyone gather together to enjoy them. It could become a family tradition to organize a family reunion on this special day. Not only do you have entertainment, but by hiring a catering company to see to the cooking, you can enjoy this time with your family. It’s a great time to catch up, brush up on your history, and entertain the kids.

With everyone so busy these days it is hard to get everyone together in one place. Certainly everyone will be heading out to participate in the evening’s events, and then why not finish up the evening with a delicious Hog Roast dinner surrounded by family and friends. It’s a great way to end the evening, plus with all that is going on you will certainly have plenty to talk about.

We offer a wide array of choices for starters, side dishes, salads, desserts, and even entertainment and of course, catering. You can make sure that all of your attention is on your guests instead of the food and overall organization. So, what to do with all of this extra time? Organize a Halloween costume competition, or perhaps other fun Halloween activities. Why not put together a fun haunted house for the kids to enjoy while the adults focus on chatting and dancing? You will be surprised how much time it takes away from your guests and ensure the party is truly a blast when you are focusing on ensuring the food is cooked, served, and then picked up when everyone is finished.

This Halloween do something different and give yourself a break. Call us today to organize a Spit Roast to ensure that this spooky night will be one to remember.