- Joined
- Sep 5, 2013
- Location
- Auckland, NZ
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:
… and about these three …
Thanks in advance for your advice …
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.
Thanks in advance for your advice …