Has anyone had pig on a spit for an event before

Eve01 · 27-11-2010 04:21PM #1

Am going to have pig on a spit for our wedding in july and have a company in mind but no way of evaluating them prior to using them...

cant taste etc

anyone used a company in athy before?

thanks

bytheglass · 13-01-2011 11:14AM

Im really interested in answers to this one too...

What have people paid?
Are 'pigs on spits' welcomed by hotels?
What about having the 'pig on spit' as the main meal instead of sit-down?
Is it messy?

Acoshla · 13-01-2011 11:53AM

I have eaten pig on a spit at an event and seen one at a wedding, but it wasn't a wedding in a hotel so I don't know if it works differently then.

I didn't find it too messy, they cut a portion off the pig and serve it as people come up.

I was only at the wedding location in the morning when they had the pig cooking, the two guys running it were just standing beside it in a gazebo thing for the day while the pig cooked in a big stainless steel closed spit/cooker. I heard it went very well and the guests loved it, but that's all I know, sorry if this doesn't help!

magneticimpulse · 15-01-2011 01:10AM

Will any of your guests be vegetarian or doesnt eat pork for other reasons...religion etc??

Id be very surprised if everyone at the wedding had only Pork option as the main course?? If there are other options it might be ok. However even meat eaters could get turned off by looking at the whole animal before they will eat it.

chicken fingers · 15-01-2011 01:24AM

At the wedding of my old housekeeper, they had that just on the beach.
Its fairly warmer than Ireland though. They had a big screen against the wind and a big pit dug into the ground, surrounded by rocks and some sort of wood (not charcoal) or wood chips and a couple of youngfellas working the spit and serving it. It was an informal wedding between farmers but very nice. There was an apple sauce thing, various potatoes, salads, and garlic shrimp also. People just came up and were served kindof like a buffet. The young lads dad was the food man and he was delighted with himself slicing and chopping away at the pig, still on the spit, serving it up.

It was delicious. Pork perfection.

How Strange · 15-01-2011 11:03AM

I was at a wedding where they had a pig on a spit. I don't eat pork (just because I don't like it) but they also had bbq'd fish and chicken and loads of salads and roasted potatoes. The pork was carved off and it was served buffet style by caterers. Himself said it was absolutely delicious

deniseq · 07-05-2011 08:41AM

I'm definitely considering a spit roast but like the previous thread would like some recommendations companies that do this, cost being the main concern. Venue is cavan for 150 approx guests. All suggestions welcome.

Borderfox · 08-05-2011 07:26PM

I was at an event that used these guys http://www.hog-roast.ie/ and its was gorgeous, served up a huge amount of people too

Beruthiel · 11-05-2011 12:43PM

bytheglass wrote: »

I
What about having the 'pig on spit' as the main meal instead of sit-down?
Is it messy?

Last July, my friends had their wedding reception in a large marque on their Grannies grounds.
They had a pig on a spit and loads of stuff on a large buffet table.
It was fantastic. You could eat when and what you wanted.
It was a big success.

krankykitty · 12-05-2011 09:24PM

I've never seen a pig on spit at a wedding before, but I have eaten some from another event and oh my, it was lovely. Really tasty and I'd be delighted if I was a guest at a wedding and they rolled out one! Not messy once there's somebody carving/plating it for you.

davesneddon · 19-05-2011 04:16PM

I've seen this at a couple of weddings, although not in a hotel - this was a large pub with a marquee set up outside for the dinner guests and dancing.

I thought it was great, it was different and the food was really tasty - all served buffet style. Turned out much better than the typical stuff you can get at weddings which can be quite stodgy imo.

It also gave the dinner a relaxed attitude, as there was more room for mingling as you got up to get your dinner and were not just stuck at one table with 8 or 9 other people.

Bens · 22-05-2011 07:05PM

Ive seen this at a couple of weddings.
I thought the meat was fantastic. But on both occasions I knew vegetarians who left and went home and a couple who got sick. I found it funny, but I feel bad for finding it funny

To be fair nobody even thought about the vegetarians until they saw their reactions. It is a fairly gruesome sight for a vegetarian.

Gloomtastic! · 22-05-2011 07:24PM

Nobodies mentioned the crackling. It's absolutely fantastic on a spit roast!

Borderfox · 24-05-2011 02:30PM

Heres one I prepared earlier

one from an event from last year

citybaker · 17-08-2011 07:10PM

Can anyone recommend a spit roast caterer? Have been in touch with hog roast.ie, adare farm and Crowe's farm but would love to hear of any direct experience if it is out there,

Borderfox · 17-08-2011 07:19PM

The picture above is hogroast.ie, tasted even better than it looked

Toots · 17-08-2011 07:23PM

Oh god, now I want pork so much! Need some nice floury baps to go with that. I was at a 50th that had a pig on a spit, no idea who the company was but it went down a bomb, the pig was demolished!

I'd say if there had been a spare pig knocking around somewhere that would have been eaten too!

Chickus · 17-08-2011 07:26PM

I definatly know that the hotel in mullingar (near by-pass) used it, my cousin worked there and was raving about it....the couple had it around 11pm instead of usual sandwiches..contact them maybe

Borderfox · 18-08-2011 01:21PM

Chickus wrote: »

I definatly know that the hotel in mullingar (near by-pass) used it, my cousin worked there and was raving about it....the couple had it around 11pm instead of usual sandwiches..contact them maybe

Mullingar Park Hotel?

Chickus · 19-08-2011 12:14PM

yeah thats the one..my cousin said it was a huge hit and they could have done with a second one as it was such a huge hit

Borderfox · 19-08-2011 08:32PM

The food in there was the best I have ever had at a wedding, spectacular

citybaker · 19-08-2011 09:37PM

Hi borderfox, do you know if there is any markets or other places (preferably around Dublin) that could sample pig on the spit type affair!

Borderfox · 20-08-2011 01:13AM

citybaker wrote: »

Hi borderfox, do you know if there is any markets or other places (preferably around Dublin) that could sample pig on the spit type affair!

I dont know off hand but get in touch with Hogroast.ie and they might know some. The last place I saw one was at Ballinlough country fair last month, I would say any of the artisan markets might have it (Howth, Red Stables (dont know if thats still on) Temple bar market)

dbrook4 · 20-08-2011 09:25AM

On Sundays the people's park dun laogharie have a stall that sell spit roast pork rolls

Dick Turnip · 25-08-2012 03:57PM

citybaker wrote: »

Hi borderfox, do you know if there is any markets or other places (preferably around Dublin) that could sample pig on the spit type affair!

Was in at the tall ships on Thursday and Adare Farm spit roast was set up beside the chq building beside where the music stage is

Ever2010 · 25-08-2012 10:58PM

100% recommend Crowes farm - not only does their pork taste amazing it's free-range, raised on their farm and slaughtered and butchered by them. The passion the whole family have for their pigs is amazing.

jomc · 25-08-2012 11:54PM

I was at a wedding that had one before and i'd say it was 50-50 between the people that loved it and the people that weren't into it

pwurple · 26-08-2012 08:22AM

I have seen them done before, and while it is delicious, it does look a little industrial with the stainless steel contraption they do them in. It's not quite the open fire you picture...

DM addict · 26-08-2012 09:08AM

I had one for my wedding - just last week - in tailors hall and it was fabulous. Everyone loved it, the crackling was to die for and quite a few people had thirds as well as seconds.

Tailors Hall has a catering contract with Brambles so they provided it for us, but I believe they may subcontract it out through hog-roast.ie

Cost was 22.50 per head for the hog, three salads and boiled new potatoes. (obviously other costs such as canapes etc boosted the price)

Happy to answer any questions I can!

blindside88 · 29-08-2012 08:29PM

Afaik kearneys meats in Carlow also offer a pig on a spit service. Give them a call. I have found them to be very reasonably priced when ever dealing with them for meat

Dostoevsky · 29-08-2012 09:21PM

Was at a party in summer 2011 when there was a pig on a spit. The family was culturally very Irish and there were trad musicians coming and going all day. The pig on the spit fitted very well into that culture. I enjoyed the novelty of it. It felt very much like I had stepped back in time (pig on a spit is a very old celebration tradition from Gaelic Ireland).

I don't know the name of the company which was doing it, but I'm sure I can find out if required.

stinkle · 19-09-2012 06:28PM

A pig on a Spit is one of our potential wedding grub options so I love this thread! If we go with it there's other BBQ dishes too so hopefully the veggies and religious won't mind. I'm not mad on pork myself but it seems like a great idea.

One question that OHs mam had about it was: what if ceremony/photos run a bit late - would piggy/bbq food be a bit overdone? I honestly don't see why this would be more of an issue than if we went with a 'normal' meal though! And we would want everything starting on time anyway, especially since it'll be an on site civil ceremony and there aren't too many places the guests can vanish to!

My question is: does this type of reception generally go down well? I can see our friends enjoying it, not so sure would the aunts and uncles grumble about it. I should mention that the venue will serve a normal starter and dessert, plus a silent option if we REALLY need it.

Oh and lastly...this is my mammys main concern - the weather! We obviously have no control over that, but would a dismal day put a dampener on such a dinner (excuse the pun)? Wedding is next summer but its Ireland so ya never know.

mayobumblebee · 23-09-2012 08:16AM

had a spit roast for my wedding this year.
we told the guy what time we wanted to eat and he worked twords that and i have to say even with us being late due to a few last minute photos and stuff he was well able to handle it.
it is a great talking point most of my guests couldnt wait to get some.
as long as you have something elce for the few who wont touch it you will be fine and in my experience thats a very select few, it was grand.
on the weather front we had fantastic weather all day in ireland too who knew but he did tell me he had worked in some really bad weather he even had a small gazebo with him incase ha ha
the weather was a HUGE worry though as even the day before the forcasts were all over the place it was a wait in hope situation but went very well

it does taste amazing by the way

Death and Taxes · 29-12-2012 11:07PM

i head to Montenegro every January for Orthodox Christmas, always have a nice sized pig on a spit, beautiful meat, beautiful feast, nothing quite like it.

daenerysstormborn3 · 08-02-2013 11:15AM

Apologies for bumping an old thread but looking for some advice here.

I have contacted Jack Molloy & Son, The Rotary Pig and The Spitting Pig in relation to booking a hog roast for 4th August. I have e-mailed them all three times and rang twice looking for prices, full menus and to speak to someone about a proper vegetarian option (not just salad) and nobody has gotten back to me (they're obviously all booked up for the bank holiday weekend :rolleyes:).

I am specifically looking for a company in South East and I'm not particularly worried about price as it will be a party of only 40-50 people max.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

pooch90 · 08-02-2013 04:21PM

I know there's a man who goes to the Big One market in Cahir on a Sunday who does them but not sure of name. It's a butcher.

Has anyone had pig on a spit for an event before

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