Hog roast
What a Hog Roast Package Includes: 9 Things to Check
A hog roast package usually includes the pig, machine, chef, rolls, stuffing, apple sauce and crackling. Nine checks so two quotes compare like for like.
What is included in a hog roast package?
A standard catered hog roast package in the UK usually includes the pig, the machine and gas, a chef to cook and carve, bread rolls, sage and onion stuffing, apple sauce, crackling, and disposable plates and napkins. Many include a gazebo and a serving table. Sides, salads, potatoes, a second meat, a vegetarian option, desserts, crockery and waiting staff are usually priced as extras per head. Two quotes that look similar can differ on half of these, so check each line.
The nine things to check
1. The pig: size, and whether it is a whole pig or a half for smaller numbers.
2. The trimmings: rolls, stuffing, apple sauce and crackling, and whether gluten-free rolls are available.
3. Staff: how many, and for how long. One chef can cook and carve; a buffet or plated meal needs more.
4. Plates and cutlery: disposable or crockery.
5. A vegetarian or second-meat option: included, or extra.
6. Sides and dessert: included, or extra.
7. Gazebo, table and lighting: needed for evening service outdoors.
8. Travel: the included radius and the mileage rate beyond it.
9. Leftovers and clearing away: whether leftover pork is left with you, and who takes the waste.
What paperwork should come with it?
A hog roast business must be registered with its council, and you can check its food hygiene rating on the Food Standards Agency's ratings site. Venues usually also ask for public liability insurance, commonly £5 million, a gas safety certificate for the LPG machine, and a risk assessment. A business that does events regularly will have these ready.
What does it not usually include?
VAT (check whether prices are inc or ex), drinks, crockery hire, extra staff hours, a generator if lighting is needed, and anything at a site the vehicle cannot reach. Ask for these in writing on the quote.
How do you compare packages?
Put each quote on the same basis: total price, including VAT, for your date and guest numbers, with the nine items above ticked or priced. Then ask each business where it is based. Several networks of county-named hog roast websites exist, and our guide to telling local businesses from franchise and referral networks explains how to check who will actually turn up.
Common questions
Does a hog roast come with a vegetarian option?
Sometimes included, often an extra per head. Ask for it on the quote rather than assuming.
Do I get to keep the leftovers?
Many hog roast caterers will leave leftover pork with you if asked. It needs to be cooled and refrigerated quickly and eaten within a day or two.
Is a gazebo included?
Often, but not always. For evening or wet-weather service, ask for it to be listed on the quote.
What is a half-pig hog roast?
Some businesses offer half a pig, or a boned and rolled joint on the machine, for smaller numbers. It is cheaper but still subject to minimum charges.