They throw a pig roast in their back yard every other summer. They invite everyone they know - relatives, neighbors, friends, children's friends and dates, the dates' parents, people from the community, the kids' teachers, co-workers, the guy across the street, college classmates and so on.
It's a big event that takes a lot of hard work. The event staff is immediate family members, and each one gets a special shirt to memorialize the event. Shirts from previous years pig roasts are treasured collectibles. Here's a home-built model wearing this year's shirt.
It's no easy thing, roasting pigs. The actual roasting begins twenty-four hours before dinner. Good oak and maple is carted in by the barrow full....
...and burned in a fire pit to make the hot coals that are used to roast the pigs.
The hot coals from the fire pit are carefully shoveled into the roasting pit, under the pigs. There were two pigs this year; one was the traditional whole pig roasted on an open grill, and the other was a whole pig that was sectioned and wrapped in foil to cook. The foil-wrapped pig was contributed by a friend as a sort of throw-down challenge to see which technique produced better barbecue.
I sampled both. My opinion: It was impossible tell which was better- we need another pig roast next year for additional sampling and tasting. (You reading this, Karen?)
The whole pig cooked a bit faster than the foil-wrapped pig, and was taken off the grill before my camera got there. More about what happened next in a moment.
Pig roasting is a team event. There is an overnight team that tends the fires from 5PM to 5AM, and then the daytime team takes charge until dinner is served.
The overnight team requires special equipment. First, the basket-o-bug repellant.
And second, the barrels-o-beer. Note the very redneck-esque improvised thermal wrap made of R-19 fiberglass batt insulation and matching pink blanket from someone's bed. (Side note: When you go off to college, anything left in your bedroom is up for grabs.)
The overnight team is sort of the after-party before the actual party. Energy is dissipated. Sleep patterns are disrupted. Stories are told. Songs are sung. Sobriety is quashed.
Meanwhile, the pigs cook.
The pigs are served Carolina style, which means pulled pork. Pork pulling is no easy task. It takes a dedicated and experienced crew of pork pullers (I'm wandering into dangerous territory with this sentence, aren't I?) to take apart the pigs and chop the meat.
Sadie patrols the perimeter of the table where the pig is pulled, keeping America safe from scraps that might fall to ground. Good dog!
How about a nice trotter hot off the grill?
Or perhaps whatever this part used to be...
Dinner was served at last. Big pans of pulled pork and roasted chopped chicken awaited. Just scoop it onto your plate and add barbecue sauce.
And then walk over to the big table, filled to overflowing with salads and fresh-from-the-garden vegetables. Fill the rest of your plate!
And then go outside to share the meal with relatives, old friends and new friends..
A big, big thanks to Karen, Jim, Amanda, Jack, Renae and Margaret. We had a great time, as always. Can't wait for the next one!
That was a great post. It looks like it was so much fun!
ReplyDeleteMmmm, pork. You know, I actually prefer it to beef. (Though I wouldn't turn down a good steak.)
ReplyDeleteMy Dad ran a maintenance yard for the school district in South Miami and on special occasions, he'd let his crew do a Cuban pork roast. Might rival this one but why choose?
What does a guy have to do to get on the invitation list?