Pig Roast Party

[emarson]

Hi,
I am dreaming of throwing a 30th bday party with a big pig roast in my backyard. I see a few threads on here regarding this but with mixed reviews for Outback Catering and Eva Lechon. Wondering if anyone has advice on the best way to handle this event? I have 25 people, and want the best tasting food of course...but also help with delivery and serving would be ideal...

Thanks in advance!

[odub]

To feed 25 people, you don't need that large of a pig but therein lies part of the rub: I'm planning on doing a pig roast in a month but I'm used to pigs around the 40lb mark and the butcher told me, straight up: the smaller you go, the more expensive it gets because most pig farmers don't want to sell off a younger pig before its reached its prime weight.

Sounds like you want this catered though vs. DIY?

[emarson]

Ideally someone would come and DIY-it for me! If you're looking for a gig...

As for pig size, I'd be happy to go for a bigger one and deal with the leftovers!!

[odub]

Be careful what you wish for!

Unfortunately, I don't have good advice for you since I'm used to doing everything. But for 25 people, you're talking a pretty small pig. Not quite suckling young but I think something in the 20-30 lb range would be about right. Anything larger and you better have a second freezer for leftovers!

[porker]

When you get upwards of 130lbs dressed, its more of pain to handle the beast. I did a 120lber for 40 people. We ate a bit less than 1/2, I'd guestimate 50-60lbs of original weight, or about 1.5lb dressed weight per person.
Leftovers happily distributed.

[emosbaugh]

i would highly recommend heirloom la. http://www.heirloomla.com/

you can see pictures on their blog of the pig they do. i did a quick search and found a couple of posts
http://heirloom-la.blogspot.com/2011/01/lacy-gordon.html
http://heirloom-la.blogspot.com/2010/...

[porker]

Do you strictly want it catered (third party cooking in your backyard or delivered) or do you want to do it yourself?
Not living in CA, I can't comment on the first....
Doing my own backyard hogs, I can make suggestions on the second (in fact, I'm doing a pig this Sunday for Mothers Day).

[raytamsgv]

Are you planning to roast it in your backyard, or do you want a roasted pig delivered?

[emarson]

Ideally roasted in the backyard...but if that is too expensive/difficult, I'm happy to have the roasted guy delivered. Thanks!