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Hog roast catering
A staffed hog roast costs £10 to £18 per head in the UK, or £700 to £1,300 as a package for 50 to 150 guests, with rolls, stuffing, apple sauce and crackling included. The price per head falls as numbers rise, because the pig, the machine and the chef's day cost much the same for 60 guests as for 120.
What this covers
What it costs. A hog roast in rolls with stuffing and apple sauce costs £10 to £15 per head for 50 to 100 guests, falling to £6 to £9 per head at 200. Full cost breakdown.
What the job covers
- A whole pig on the spit for a wedding evening reception of 120
- Pork in rolls with stuffing and apple sauce for a village fete
- Hog roast with salads, new potatoes and a vegetarian main for a 60th birthday
- Pre-carved pork delivered hot for a garden party of 30
- Spit-roast turkey or lamb alongside the pig for a mixed crowd
What is involved
The caterer arrives four to six hours before the food is wanted, with a whole pig already on the spit of a hog roast machine, usually gas-fired, and cooks it on site. At serving time the pork is carved to order into floured rolls with sage and onion stuffing, apple sauce and crackling, from a table under a gazebo. Upgraded packages add a second roast such as turkey or beef, salads, new potatoes and a vegetarian main, and move from rolls in the hand to plated service.
The pig is sized to the guest list. A 50 to 60 kilo pig, weighed dead, feeds around 100 to 120 people in rolls; below about 40 guests many caterers roast a boned joint or a loin instead, because a whole pig costs the same whether 30 or 90 people eat it. Machine-only hire also exists, at £150 to £300 a day with gas, but then the six hours of cooking and the job of getting the pork cooked through to the bone are yours. Many websites named after a county belong to franchise networks rather than one local firm, which is not a problem in itself, but it is worth knowing who will actually turn up.
The practical check is the pitch. A hog roast machine needs a flat, firm spot outdoors or in a well ventilated covered area, with room for a gazebo and a vehicle close by, and many venues will not allow bottled gas indoors. Ask the venue what it permits before you book the caterer, and check that the food hygiene rating shown is the caterer's own. caterers.trade lists only caterers rated 3 or above, or Pass in Scotland.
Choosing someone for the job
Ask what weight of pig they will bring for your numbers, and whether it is a whole pig or a joint. Ask exactly what the quoted price includes: rolls, stuffing, apple sauce, crackling, napkins, a gazebo, and a chef to carve. Ask how long they need on site and what they need from the venue, which is usually a flat outdoor pitch and vehicle access. Ask what the vegetarian option is, and get it in writing. And ask whether they are the business that turns up on the day or a booking site passing the job to someone else, then check the food hygiene rating belongs to that business.
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Common questions
How much is a hog roast for 100 people?
A staffed hog roast in rolls for 100 guests costs £800 to £1,300 in most of the UK. Adding salads, potatoes and a second meat takes it to £1,300 to £2,200. The price per head at 100 guests is usually lower than at 50, because the pig and the chef's day cost much the same.
What size pig do I need for a hog roast?
Caterers work on roughly half a kilo of dead weight per guest when the pork goes into rolls, so a 50 to 60 kilo pig feeds around 100 to 120. For under 40 guests a boned joint or loin is often roasted instead of a whole pig. Your caterer sizes it; ask what weight they have allowed.
How long does a hog roast take to cook?
Four to six hours for a medium pig, and longer for a large one, so the caterer arrives well before the food is needed. Carving and serving 100 guests takes around an hour.
Is a hog roast cheaper than a buffet?
For 80 guests or more it usually is, because the cost per head falls with numbers. For a party of under 40, a cold buffet is often cheaper, since a whole pig costs the same whether 30 or 90 people eat it.
Can you have a hog roast indoors?
Most hog roast machines run on bottled gas, and many venues do not allow that indoors. The usual set-up is outside under a gazebo, or in a covered area by a door with the food carried in. Check the venue's rules before you book.
What comes with a hog roast?
The standard package is pork in floured rolls with sage and onion stuffing, apple sauce and crackling. Upgrades add coleslaw, salads, new potatoes, a second meat such as turkey or beef, and a vegetarian main. Ask what the vegetarian option is, because it is the part most often left vague.