The average time to cook a pig is 6 hours. It can vary from 3.5 hours to 8 hours depending on the size of the pig. For every 10 kilos of pig you need a clear hours cooking time. This can also vary slightly due to time of the year location etc. In the summer on a hot sunny day the cooking time can be reduced by a good hour as the sun beats down and helps to reduce heat loss from the machine. In the winter the cooking time can go up by a couple of hours as the pig could be colder due to the weather and the machine can loose a lot of heat through the outside temperature. Location can also play a part as a very windy location can increase the cooking time.
An average size pig (50 kilos) will feed 100 people on to a real plate, 120 people onto a disposable plate accompanied by salads and potatoes etc or make 160 5inch rolls or 200 4inch rolls. Bigger or smaller pigs can be provided. We do a smaller machine which will cook up to a 35 kilo pig and is ideal for smaller parties of 10 - 50 people. Or using the bigger commercial machines we can cook a pig and a couple of legs of pork to feed up to 300 people.
No there is no minimum number of people however there is a minimum price. This is dictated by the number of people, time of year, day of the week, menu choice and location. The best thing to do is to fill in the enquiry form with whatever information you have to get a guide on the price. Remember the more and better quality of the information the better and more accurate the quote. We have catered for various different sized events over the years, from small dinner parties with less than 20 guests to larger events catering for thousands. We have the facilities to cook several pigs to cater for as many people as necessary. We also have smaller machines to roast smaller pigs or lambs, turkey, chickens etc for special occasions with fewer numbers.
Yes we can cook your meat for you or we can simply hire you a machine and let you do your own event. If this is done as part of a bigger event there is not a very big saving from a financial point of view as the only saving for us is the cost of the pig and there is often a lot more work involved for us collecting the pig and preparing it on site. The benefits are really that you know exactly what it is that you are eating and where it has come from.
Yes we can do as little or as much as you require. If you want to provide the other catering we can just cook the pig to compliment it. Or if you are using a venue which wants to provide all the other services we can just cook the pig whilst they do everything else. We are happy to do whatever your requirements are. You can even hire a machine with or without a pig and do all the catering yourselves.
We can do a hog roast either inside or outside. While having hog roasts outside may be perfect for an outdoor event or BBQ in the summer it's not ideal for a Christmas party! Holding your hog roast indoors is just as easy for us to do and just as enjoyable for you and your guests. So if the weather does let you down on your special day we can always make arrangements to cook inside. As long as we have a large well ventilated space it is not a problem. Or we can cook the hog roast outside and then move it inside to serve. Another alternative would be to hire a marquee for your event.
Yes. We have catered for many occasions where some or all of the guests have not eaten pork although we are famous for our outstanding hog roasts it is not all that we do. We offer a selection of other tasty meats, which like our hog roasts are prepared and cooked to perfection. Choose from Spit Roasted Spring Lamb, whole Spit Roasted Turkey, local Free Range Spit Roasted Chicken, Spit Roasted Sirloin of Roast Beef, and BBQ 100% Beef 6oz Handmade Burgers, Chefs Own Gourmet sausage, chicken Kebabs & Meaty Marinated Spare Ribs. We also cater for vegetarians and offer a selection of tasty meat free alternatives.
Our prices are based upon a number of factors such as location, number of guests, date of the event, your choice of menu etc. As we can change and adapt our sample menus to suit your preferences this will also affect the price. Every customer and every event is very different so pricing is also individual. When making an enquiry with us we will take the basic details of your event and what you want then arrange your own personal quotations. Our prices are always reasonable and we have a menu to suit all budgets and all occasions.
All of our menus include a spitting pig chef and catering assistant to prepare, carve and serve. Wether you require serving staff or not are entirely your choice. Again every event is very different and we have catered for all different styles. We can provide an informal style buffet where guests help themselves or a more formal style of event where food would be served to the table by professional waiters/ waitresses. Some of our packages will include experienced waiting on staff and front of house person. We can provide staff to serve canapés or reception drinks and lay tables. Whatever type of service you require please just ask.
We cover the whole of the UK from the tip of Scotland to the tip of Cornwall and all points in between. Spitting Pig is a nationwide business. We do this through a series of local depots based in many different locations throughout the UK so that we can cover all regions with local service and staff done with a large company back up. Our head office and enquiry centre is based in Lancashire.
Yes. Every customer has their own individual ideas about what they want. Our menus are there to give you an idea and many of our clients make amendments. They are a very good starting point and can help to give you an idea of cost. If we do not have the exact menu that you have in mind we can adjust to give you more choice. Please just ask a member of the sales team when making your enquiry and we can create your ideal menu.
Yes. Your quotation is fully inclusive of all cutlery that you will need. For some packages this will simply be napkins for a bbq or disposable plate's cutlery and paper napkins for informal buffet style catering and on other packages will be real cutlery and crockery glasses etc for more formal style events.
Yes. Spitting Pig has over twenty years experience as professional caterers and we are registered, inspected and approved caterer by local authority. All of our chefs and catering assistants are fully trained and qualified. Waiting on staff are also fully trained to the highest standard. Our staff also hold food hygiene certificates and work accordingly at all times. All of our staff will treat your guests courteously, your venue with respect and leave you discreetly to enjoy the rest of your event, with no mess to tidy away.
Yes. As well as providing a first class catering service we also offer hog roast machine hire. Our machines are top of the range, reliable and easy to use. We will deliver the machine for you before the event with full easy to follow instructions and collect the machine after your event. The price for machine hire includes delivery, collection, and a gas bottle and can also include a pig. Alternatively if you are cooking for a smaller number of people (less than 60) the smaller machine would be ideal and is available to hire from just £195.
