Best commercial, crowd-pleasing approach to whole hog ...

[longwayfromhome]

Hi there

Asking here because I’d like responses not just from commercial operators, but from all you members who have been ‘consumers’ at whole hog catering and vending events.



I know certain traditions have whole hog done in a certain style – for instance the Carolinas have their butterflied whole hog and the Philippines have their rotisseried lechon. But from both the end-consumers of the product and from the commercial operators amongst you, and all things being equal, what approach to whole hog cooking for vending and catering do you believe gives the best response from the consumer? Some thoughts. The different styles I am defining as:

• Racer style in an enclosed smoker
• Butterflied in an enclosed smoker
• Rotisseried over an open fire (this fire may be mobile of course). I know there are many rotisseries you can rent which require the top to be closed, but let’s ignore those for now…

… and about these three …

• Seems to me that only the racer-style and the rotisserie have a visual element – the butterflied style, though I have seen them dressed up quite a bit at the end of the cook particularly in competitions, doesn’t really focus on appearance …
• With both the racer and the butterflied being in enclosed smokers, the cooking pigs are kinda cut off from the consumers who are denied being able to participate in the cook, which for many is a thrill in its own right.
• Only the rotisserie really offers the potential for a full-on visual experience as it is (usually) out in the open
• On the other hand, a rotisserie in most cases has to be set up beforehand and the cook is usually done from start-to-finish in the one location. This is a big commitment to being onsite (presuming the visuals are part of what the consumer wants) as these cooks go many hours.
• Both racer and butterflied in an enclosed unit can have a substantial portion of the cook done remotely and then driven to the event location and finished off … presuming the event is not too far away.
• I was reading a post (I think here) a few years ago from some guys from Chicago who said they had moved through all three of these styles and settled on rotisserie because of the visuals as the most commercially productive for them, and I remember that their rotisserie unit was quite orientated to be visually dramatic.

Anyway, I’m not trying to make definitive statements here, exceedingly happy to be corrected – I am just trying to get on the end of some collective wisdom and draw on the many years of experience and thoughts you may have had on this subject. You’ll also notice I have a smoker that is for Carolina’s style chopped and pulled bbq, that is kinda incidental to the discussion.

Thanks in advance for your advice …

 

[IamMadMan]

Hi there

Asking here because I’d like responses not just from commercial operators, but from all you members who have been ‘consumers’ at whole hog catering and vending events.

• Racer style in an enclosed smoker
• Butterflied in an enclosed smoker
• Rotisseried over an open fire (this fire may be mobile of course). I know there are many rotisseries you can rent which require the top to be closed, but let’s ignore those for now…

… and about these three …

• Seems to me that only the racer-style and the rotisserie have a visual element – the butterflied style, though I have seen them dressed up quite a bit at the end of the cook particularly in competitions, doesn’t really focus on appearance …
• With both the racer and the butterflied being in enclosed smokers, the cooking pigs are kinda cut off from the consumers who are denied being able to participate in the cook, which for many is a thrill in its own right.
• Only the rotisserie really offers the potential for a full-on visual experience as it is (usually) out in the open
• On the other hand, a rotisserie in most cases has to be set up beforehand and the cook is usually done from start-to-finish in the one location. This is a big commitment to being onsite (presuming the visuals are part of what the consumer wants) as these cooks go many hours.
• Both racer and butterflied in an enclosed unit can have a substantial portion of the cook done remotely and then driven to the event location and finished off … presuming the event is not too far away.
• I was reading a post (I think here) a few years ago from some guys from Chicago who said they had moved through all three of these styles and settled on rotisserie because of the visuals as the most commercially productive for them, and I remember that their rotisserie unit was quite orientated to be visually dramatic.

Anyway, I’m not trying to make definitive statements here, exceedingly happy to be corrected – I am just trying to get on the end of some collective wisdom and draw on the many years of experience and thoughts you may have had on this subject. You’ll also notice I have a smoker that is for Carolina’s style chopped and pulled bbq, that is kinda incidental to the discussion.

Thanks in advance for your advice …

Keep in mind that your guests are not there for the whole cook that in most cases take you through an overnight cook. Most guests usually arrive 30 - 45 minutes before cutting up the pig.

While the rotisserie may give the best view for the consumer, I think that most consumers are just happy enough to see the pig displayed just before cutting and serving. But that's just my past experiences...

 

[BillN]

My experience they can all be displayed to make a statement, personally I am less about the presentation as all can be amazing. I say do what you are most comfortable with and works best for the circumstance. The best whole hog I have ever had was cooked in an underground pit where the rocks were heated for hours with mesquite and the hog was wrapped in banana leaves and burlap then the pit was sealed with a metal lid and sealed with dirt for an over night cook.

 

[cowgirl]

My experience they can all be displayed to make a statement, personally I am less about the presentation as all can be amazing. I say do what you are most comfortable with and works best for the circumstance. The best whole hog I have ever had was cooked in an underground pit where the rocks were heated for hours with mesquite and the hog was wrapped in banana leaves and burlap then the pit was sealed with a metal lid and sealed with dirt for an over night cook.

Second the underground pit comment. :thumb:

 

[m-fine]

The under ground pit is little more than steaming the pig which can be done in a box (la Caja) or through other means just as well.

My opinion is that whole hog is all about presentation. I say that because If I had my choice of best ways to prepare different parts of the pig, I will have a bunch of different answers. In addition, if you ask me what parts of the pig makes the best pulled pork BBQ, I am going to give one answer. So, cooking a whole hog is a compromise from a food perspective, but it sure beats the heck out of a butt in terms of presentation.

If the crowd is big enough, I would be tempted to do a smaller pig for presentation and for people to pick at, and a bunch of butts to serve as the primary source of pulled pork. The meat is better and there is less struggle than trying to mess with a pig in the 150+ range.

 

[cowgirl]

My underground pigs come out smoked. Nothing like a La Caja cooker.
They are also the tastiest I've had...but not the prettiest presentation wise.

 

[Big Frank]

I'm doing a 60 lb on a Rotisserie right now. It's cool seeing the faces of the kids when they come into the back yard and see the pig.