Perhaps Game of Thrones mania has overtaken the world, or maybe the primal allure of standing outside watching a whole animal roasting has never left us, but medieval style hog roasts have become a very popular entertainment. They are fun, can be put together with some careful planning, and make a memorable event.
If you have decided to organize a medieval hog roast of your own, there are a few things to consider when planning. Giving yourself enough time to prepare the event is key to a successful experience.
The Hog: The Main Event
The central activity is the hog roast itself. You can hire a pig courtsy of our hog roast hire service will also be able to give you instructions for roasting. Whether you are local to us in Anstey, Leicestershire or in one of the surrounding towns including Hinckley or other areas of the Midlands. Remember that it takes a lot of time to properly cook a whole animal; allow approximately an hour and fifteen minutes per ten pounds of pig. Calculate one pound of animal per guest. Unless you number mechanical engineers and blacksmiths amongst your friends renting a spit is probably your easiest choice.
Side Dishes: Making it Medieval
The side dishes you choose will emphasize the medieval character of the meal. This can be tricky because a lot of classic medieval flavor combinations seem odd to the modern palate. Exotic spices were used liberally on both sweet and savory dishes. Apple sauce is an absolute must, and a sage and bread stuffing is a crowd-pleasing choice. A green salad with plenty of fresh herbs is both historically accurate and aligned with modern tastes. A side dish of roasted or stewed onions would also be historically correct. Both sweet and savory pies were popular choices for medieval feast tables; a vegetable and cheese pie would go nicely with the roast pig if you have many hands to help cook. A simple dish of buttered peas with lots of fresh parsley is an easier choice that is also on theme. If you want to be more adventurous, you might choose some side dishes from the many medieval cookbooks that are currently available. A simple google search for “medieval cookery” yields many websites for the historical cooking enthusiast.
Ending the Feast
To finish the meal consider serving fresh or cooked fruit. Cherries and apples became a particularly important food crop during the Tudor period. Pears poached in red wine, saffron, cinnamon, and ginger is a classic choice. Ginger or almond cookies, or custard tarts, all had a place on the medieval feast table. A classic fool (stewed fruit stirred into whipped heavy cream) is also authentic, easy, and delicious.