Pig roast

$350 with supplied Adult beverages and incidentals?

Be VERY CAREFUL.Arrange to provide the pig yourself! You could show up to cook a frozen pig.Just sayin.Leave NOTHING to others.Be in COMPLETE control of EVERY aspect of the cook yourself.

Hoss has hit the nail on the head!

My bad experience was showing up to cook a pig that the customer provided. I arrived to find that they had killed an old boar pig that they had been feeding garbage. It smelled so rank that I didn't think it was edible--they wanted it--I cooked it--it tasted terrible. There I stood by my by my well lettered BBQ pit--wishing that I could hide my name.

Next day one of my wife's co-workers tells her about this party she went to that the guy cooking the pig didn't know what he was doing, and the pig tasted horrible. My wife asked her the caterer's name and guess what?--it was Chuck Wagon BBQ Co

now--I supply the pig or I do not cook it---if the customer wants to supply the pig I tell them where to rent a BBQ pit. No one else will protect your reputation--you must protect it yourself.

Chuckwagonbbqco said:

Hoss has hit the nail on the head!

My bad experience was showing up to cook a pig that the customer provided. I arrived to find that they had killed an old boar pig that they had been feeding garbage. It smelled so rank that I didn't think it was edible--they wanted it--I cooked it--it tasted terrible. There I stood by my by my well lettered BBQ pit--wishing that I could hide my name.

Next day one of my wife's co-workers tells her about this party she went to that the guy cooking the pig didn't know what he was doing, and the pig tasted horrible. My wife asked her the caterer's name and guess what?--it was Chuck Wagon BBQ Co

now--I supply the pig or I do not cook it---if the customer wants to supply the pig I tell them where to rent a BBQ pit. No one else will protect your reputation--you must protect it yourself.

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Well put .....

Nothing else to consider in that statement but protecting yourself.

Unsavory butcher or customer may also have a pig on the edge of spoiling and you get the finger pointed at you... and your reputation.

I would NEVER cook someone elses Never health reasons ,,,,

mjancel said:

Thanks for the heads up but still wonder what I should charge for my hourly rate of being there cooking my time is def worth more than 10 pr hr but is 20 shooting myself to hi

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only you can decide what you're free time is worth.

It doesn't sound like you have an actual catering business... Make sure the risk is worth the reward. Are you looking to get into business ? get experience ? Just make some $$ ?

Consider the benefits of having proper health permits and insurance if your cooking for strangers.

mjancel said:

Thanks for the heads up but still wonder what I should charge for my hourly rate of being there cooking my time is def worth more than 10 pr hr but is 20 shooting myself to hi

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Try this for a close estimate, add to the base cost of the pig, charge an equipment mileage fee, and finally a cooking fee. Remember you can buy these pigs wholesale from a local slaughter house.

Keep in mind the cooking price appears lower because you are making a profit on the meat, but if you can't purchase wholesale pigs this will be of no help to you..

http://bringhurstmeats.com/roasting.htm

Whenever you are not in total control of the meat either from the farm, frozen OR from a reputable reseller you never know what conditions the meat will be kept. People get very sick from spoiled meat... Not a risk I'm willing to put my name & reputation (as well as people's well-being) behind. It's like Russian Roulette IMO. Be careful...

Cheers

I take my current hourly pay rate for my day job, and multiply by 1.5. If they don't want to pay that, it's my weekend and not worth my time. With that being said, $20/hr is undervaluing yourself.

as far as them providing the pig, its up to you. If it was me, i'd tell them where to get it, what size it should be, and any special requirements, does it need to be butterflied for your pit, are you going to do it race car style?

I'm not in the catering business but I do have FRIENDS who want me to cook ribs and/or pulled pork for them if I've got something already smoking. I NEVER, EVER, EVER let them buy the meat. My number one rule is I buy the meat and they can reimburse me. Non-negotiable. I've only had one person have an issue with it. I told him up front where I was going to buy the meat and how much it would cost. Though it was only a few dollars difference in total price he wanted to go Wal-Mart and buy some of the enhanced spare ribs. I told him (nicely) that I don't cook those type ribs and I told him why. So he said no problem and went about his merry way.

PorkQPine said:

If you are cooking and charging then you are in the catering business.

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To be in the business, he would have to be charging for the purpose of making a profit...to only be charging for essential costs of supplies is just being a good frined.

How many businesses do you know that operate and charge for only essential or incidental cost?

mjancel said:

Someone ask me to come to there house and cook a pig they would provide
The pig. They wanted to know what I would charge. I have no clue
I was thinking
Towing cooker setup tear down 100

Wood. 100

My service 20$ per hour



Lang 84

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Listen, I agree with the majority here...you should control every aspect of what you will be cooking. If you're asked to do a whole pig, be there when it's picked up and make sure it's being stored properly.

Has this person ever done this before? Do they have a walk in cooler? Is it going to be picked up the day before the cook and kept on ice in a large enough cooler? Is the place it's being bought from a legitimate supply source that practoces safe handling of product? There are many questions that you need to know the answer to.

For you're expertise, I'd say $20 an hour may be just right, it may be a little light. That depends on what the surrounding market will support. In L.A. or NYC, $20 an hour would be serious low balling it...the midwest, probably a little high depending on where. It also depends on what your experience level is with a pig. If you're known for your abilitlies, $20 an hour may be reasonable. Like I said, a lot of factors to consider.

If they are set on supplying it, and IF you feel confident in it's storage and safe handling, I would charge between $400 and $500 just for my services. But that would include those other costs you mentioned. But every thing would be supplied by them. Plates, drinks, napkins...so on and so forth.

PorkQPine said:

I am always amazed that people come on seeking advise and then ignore it. Don't cook any food that you don't provide, never, never, never.

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Looking at the OP, I don't think he was seeking the kind of advice he was given...but was only really seeking advice as to what to charge for his services. I don't remember seeing any where that he was asking if it was a good idea or not???