The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: janeislay on February 23, 2011, 08:25:20 pm
-
Anyone know the best age to kill a pig for roasting it on a spit ?
And is it possible to freeze a whole pig if its ready before the required date ?
Thanks
Jane
-
Usually for a roast spit it does not go by age, it goes by weight. some spits can take 60-70 kilos, the bigger the spit the bigger you can have you carcase. I would not freeze the whole carcase, just think how long it would need to defrost. If your pig is ready weeks before it is needed I would seriously think of buying a carcase from the slaughterhouse you use. If it is ready a couple of weeks before you need it, you could ask the slaughterhouse to keep it for you till you need it, there may be a charge for your carcase being kept in the chiller. I am unsure how long you can actually hang a pig for but I will find out for you.
-
Unless you were able to use a commercial blast freezing freezer the pig would take far too long to freeze for safety. Then thawing out would be another risk. I hang mine for a week when the abattoir are in a good mood, and less when not.
-
So if I let the pigs have less food, and let them do more foraging, that would slow them down a bit ? Gosh how much more difficult - never thought about the weight mattering for the spit we're planning to hire.
My lops, which seem to be very slow growing, would be nearly nine months old by the wedding; the Tamworth x Saddlebacks will be nearly seven months.
I believe you usually expect them to be best weight at around seven months ?; I guess we'll just have to see what they all look like, nearer the time.
The option to buy in a pig for the occasion is a non-starter; I don't want anything fed on processed feed. Apart from the fact that there aren't that many pig-keepers on the Isle of Islay now.
OK - I take the point about freezing - thanks.
-
Check with the hire co. the weight limit for the spit. The carcase weight is obviously less than the l/w and if your x-breds are 7 months old, I would guess a liveweight of around 80kgs which would result in a carcase of ca. 60kg. If that's too heavy for the hog roast, you could save a few kgs by removing the head which although it spoils the appearance will do nothing in terms of reducing the amount of roast pork available.
-
Thanks Mr Pig - that was my next question. i.e. what would a liveweight of 80kg kill out at - without head, and legs off at knuckes ?
I've just spoken to the spit man, and he says max is 37 kg :o >:(
He also needs a generator for power, as it's gas fired. Noisy, for a wedding >:(
I know with lamb, you reckon on deadweight being roughly half the liveweight; how does it work with pigs ?
-
Sad that he is cooking on gas. Here its normal to use wood. Is there any chance of your hiring a spit roast and doing your own? Hard work but very satisfying.
-
I'm planning a hog roast for my Mum and Dad's Golden Wedding Anniversary in September. Hubby is going to build me a spit over a fire pit, I prefer them cooked over wood.
-
My thoughts exactly. Hate the idea of roasting over a gas fire - what's the point ?
Tho I rather think we're going to be up to our eyes in the wedding reception etc to have time to tend a spit roast for the evening do ! I can image himself in his kilt and me in my gladrags ;D The happy groom will no doubt be getting out of his mind and my daughter talking non-stop to all the guests ::)
Not too keen either, having the piggy headless. Will look at alternatives.
-
How many are you feeding? 37kgs is not very big especially once you discount all the bones. People tend to have good appetites in the opn air so do ensure that this will meet your needs. Maybe time to look at alternatives.
-
Where are you getting your spit??
I'm trying to find one and youre only a ferry ride from me!
-
Where are you getting your spit??
I'm trying to find one and youre only a ferry ride from me!
Where abouts are you ? Presumably in Argyll ?
There is a gas-fired spit for hire on the island, but it has a max weight of 37k. My pigs are more likely to be nearer 60k, I think. (Thanks Mr Pig). We need to feed around 160 - 200.
I'm looking at hiring from either Hog Roast Scotland, or the Spitting Pig, Scotland - but they're all gas fired spits or ovens. So I'm stuck !
-
Hi
I'm just on the mouth of loch fyne, you pass me everytime you sail home!
I wonder if that hog roast guy will loan to here??
-
Hi
I'm just on the mouth of loch fyne, you pass me everytime you sail home!
I wonder if that hog roast guy will loan to here??
I'll wave, next time I'm passing :wave:
They say they deliver ANYWHERE in Scotland.
-
My friend does roast spits, they have purchased a larger one if you goggle "the juicy meat company" they would give you a price. 37 kilos is a waste of time to roast. For 160-200 guests a roast of 70 kilos approx is needed. My friend also breeds the pigs and they are free range breed outdoors and have done a lot of events.. They are worth a try maybe distance would be a problem but you can always ask.
-
Congratulations on your wedding jane!!
How exciting!! You are very brave and organised!!
We are getting married in May and should have done that - but we are going to a hotel.
Saying that though - before I started keeping pigs I wasn't keen on hog roasts (not the meat _ I'll bet that tastes amazing) - just the visual thing of it being a pig there. I know it's mad - but I've only killed two of my pigs am still getting my head around it. It would bother me looking and knowing that was one of my pigs. Different eating bacon, burgers etc.
Will follow this thread with interest though. Hope you get sorted xx
-
My friend does roast spits, they have purchased a larger one if you goggle "the juicy meat company" they would give you a price. 37 kilos is a waste of time to roast. For 160-200 guests a roast of 70 kilos approx is needed. My friend also breeds the pigs and they are free range breed outdoors and have done a lot of events.. They are worth a try maybe distance would be a problem but you can always ask.
Thanks for this; they look ideal, except that it's gas cooking again.
Leri - it's not ME that's getting married :) It's my daughter. And I know what you mean about being bothered about eating my dear little pigs, but being a keen meat eater, I'd rather eat what we've grown ourselves, that's killed either by us or at a local abattoir just up the road.
-
I've found a charcoal hog roast to buy, which is ideal for a large pig (of which I have several), lambs, chickens, fish and all barbecue food, which I'd like to be able to hire out to folk coming to our self-catering houses, which sleep 10, 8 and 8. Also thought about having hog roast nights on our farm, to use our pigs, lambs, venison, etc.
Then comes the deflater, after getting all excited: what about the regulations for selling cooked meats from the farm ?
I thought that you could sell meat direct from farm as long as it wasn't packaged - anyone know the legislation in Scotland ?
(I've tried ScotGov pages, but nothing relevant).
Surely folk staying in our holiday houses could cook their own BBQs in the gardens ?
-
tradding standards enviromental health
food hygine certificates etc etc
i think you will strugle to get a non gas fired spit to hire the gas is more reliable to cook (all to do with uncooked meat etc)
-
Jane - congratulations to your daughter then! :D
I don't mind eating our pigs so much - it's just seeing the whole pig turning on the spit I'm a bit wierd with!
Have no idea re regs - sounds right that there might be something - especially if you are selling the meat. Can't see why holiday people can't use a barbecue though.
When is it did you say? Please do post some piccys! (I've got wedding fever at the mo!! Lol)
-
tradding standards enviromental health
food hygine certificates etc etc
i think you will strugle to get a non gas fired spit to hire the gas is more reliable to cook (all to do with uncooked meat etc)
Thanks, I'll check them out, now I know what I'm looking for !
I know I can't hire a charcoal one, but I'll check that the caterers doing the afternoon buffet have the correct paperwork to use one if I buy it.
Leri - I see your point - hadn't thought of having to watch it on the spit ! Wedding is mid June. The marquee will be going in one of our fields - it's a wellie boot wedding !
We
-
Fantastic!! We so should have done that!!
I went to a wonderful simple wellie boot wedding with Ger soon after we met and dreamt about us doing it ever since!
In the end though since we got engaged on Santes Dwynwen day (Welsh St Valentine's 25th January) this year - and decided not to hang about (I'm getting no younger and we might want a piglet of our own!) so rang and rang that venue but no reply so went for a lovely little local hotel instead. It has a wonderful dark wood staircase and I've fallen in love with the idea of coming down those stairs :)
Ours is before yours then!! I'll post pics for u instead! hehe
-
Please do, Leri. What date is your wedding ? I'm leaving most of the arrangements to my daughter; a bad mistake I fear !! She has no notion of budgets :o
-
Hello, thought you might like to read this blog post (http://brixtonsbounty.blogspot.com/2010/08/hog-roast-at-nimby.html) where I did a hog roast last summer. Cheers!
-
May 18th :)
Yes you have to be very careful - I think anyone hears the 'W' word thinks mad woman who will pay anything for any old tat we convince her she must have for her big day!
You need to be quite basic about what you do NEED. Still isn't easy to keep cost down. It's a little bit easier to be sensible second time around as it is for me. Having two kids and no money helps you HAVE to keep the cost down! Lol
Saying that - you only do it once :) (Well twice in my case - but you know what I mean!! ;))
-
Hello, thought you might like to read this blog post (http://brixtonsbounty.blogspot.com/2010/08/hog-roast-at-nimby.html) where I did a hog roast last summer. Cheers!
Looks a great occasion - and quite a few helpful tips there. Were you selling tickets or was it just friends only ? What licences, if any, do you need to do this ?
-
May 18th :)
Yes you have to be very careful - I think anyone hears the 'W' word thinks mad woman who will pay anything for any old tat we convince her she must have for her big day!
You need to be quite basic about what you do NEED. Still isn't easy to keep cost down. It's a little bit easier to be sensible second time around as it is for me. Having two kids and no money helps you HAVE to keep the cost down! Lol
Saying that - you only do it once :) (Well twice in my case - but you know what I mean!! ;))
Leri - Not long now then !
-
Please post the photos when available
-
Hello, thought you might like to read this blog post (http://brixtonsbounty.blogspot.com/2010/08/hog-roast-at-nimby.html) where I did a hog roast last summer. Cheers!
Looks a great occasion - and quite a few helpful tips there. Were you selling tickets or was it just friends only ? What licences, if any, do you need to do this ?
Was just friends... no money changed hands... AFAIK you don't need a license - it's just a big BBQ aint it?
Yes it was a good day!
8) :) ;D :pig:
-
I'm thinking on the lines of selling tickets to ceilidhs after the wedding - maybe four or five a year. We used to hold an annual sow here for horses and sheep, with a 6 mile cross country run (bogs and all), and our horse trailer as a bar.
So minus the livestock, we could have a hog roast and bar but I gather we'd need "an occasional liquer licence" and possibly a public entertainment licence too. I wouldn't real describe burnt pig as public entertainment, but there you are ::)
-
Pig roasts are big over here, average price for a wood fired pig roast, 500 euros to feed about 60 people.
-
Hi Jane. Did promise you these some time ago!!
Eleri & Geraint's wedding 18th May 2011 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDrp7iUf34E#)
-
Friends had a hog-roast at their child's wedding and hired a firm to do it. The pig was encosed in a sort of rotating "oven" which was slightly tilted to catch all the fat (I didn't see them baste the pig once!) Result. Very dry, flavourless meat which could only be swallowed with a load of apple sauce. I could only think "What a waste of a pig" :(