Whole Roast Pig Source?

[Vancouver Lee]

Back in Ontario, I could hook you up with a guy who spit-roasts pigs for a living. Not a very good living, mind you, judging by the looks of the guy, but I'm sure he's happy. The best part - his name is Floyd Grills. I made him show me his driver's licence to prove it, and sure enough it's true. He grills an awesome pig...I'll try to dig out some photos tonight.

edited to add: guess I need to pay more attention to the dates of these threads...

Edited May 2, 2005 by Vancouver Lee (log)

[Keith Talent]

If I was a better member of this community and not just a me first greedy asshole, I'd have posted a followup to the whole hog experience before now.

I got the pig from Fraser Meats on Main, no no just kidding, on Fraser. $170 (+/-? I forget, it was almost a year ago.) The pig was superb. Everyone without exception was impressed and satified. Weighed 50 pounds? I dunno. Boned, except still maintained in an essentially piggy shape. Dozen ribs on either side were left in place, and was the only downside as some unfortunate words were exchanged, knife play was engaged in and some old friends ceased to be in an effort to grab more of the ribs. Would be nice if they'd genitically engineer a pig with like thirty ribs a side. Skin was incredibally crisp and tasty, plentiful too which did help with the mediation of various simmering rib disputes.

I've got some great pictures of my oldest friend dismembering the poor beast on the bar in the kitchen, transfering great slabs to waiting platters. Kids liked it, adults liked it. Total win. Only downside is the strage Filipino sauce they throw in gratis, and has no redeeming fearures that I could tell, still got a couple bottles in the pantry. It's not hot or spicy, just mildly sweet and inoffensive. Made with bread crumbs (?!?) palm sugar water and vinegar. Doesn't add anything.

Totally superb, totally recommended for a party of 40-50 people.

[inanimate]

I will not have this summer go by without participating in the eating of a whole roasted pig now.

[Dining Diva]

i went to a friend's bday party where he and a friend roasted a whole pig. very interesting experience but to be honest i didn't think it was that great. the pork was tender but had a strong taste and i love it when the skin is really crispy but this was a bit chewy ... just too used to the chinatown roasted pork i guess where the skin is always super crispy and the meat is tender and flavourful

the highlight of the evening tho was when one of my friend's neighbours took the roasted pig's head and snuck back into his house with it on a stick and scared the living crap out of his daughter and her "friend" that was over.

Edited May 2, 2005 by Dining Diva (log)

[barolo]

edited because I didn't check the date....

but does anyone know a Berkshire/Korubuta pork dealer anywhere?  I'd like a ham....

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Sloping Hills Farm in Nanaimo has Berkshire. You could try calling them to see if anyone on the mainland is carrying their pork.

Here's a Link with contact information.

[peppyre]

The last spit roasted pig I had was at the family reunion that I went to 2 years ago. First off, 1 rather large pig is not enough for 150 drunk Ukranians, that are farmers. It roasted for about 8 hours after being injected with the marinade that I made for it. Ummm....there was a lot of alcohol flowing during that week and I can't remember what went into the marinade, tequila and garlic is all I remember. This is what happens when you have a bottle of red wine with your morning coffee and then go the ranch with boys Anyhow, the pig was absolutely heavenly. You could smell it roasting from my Aunt's farm next door (which means about 2K away) The skin was crispy, the meat moist and tender. I do have pictures that I will scan this week for everyone to drool over. My dad, the butcher, had the honours of carving the beast, and me, the photographer for the event, were sealed into this tent-type thingy for keeping out bugs out. There was pork fat everywhere!! And on everything. I had to wash my camera! I can certainly say that I am looking forward to another feast like that, whenever it may be.

Hmmmm...I wonder if I could talk my dad into a pit in his backyard. He does like fire.....

[victornet]

Have you researched which local restaurants serve good baby pig?

This is what I've done (here in NYC) and found that with a weeks notice I can get a great baby pig (10 lbs when the gods are smiling, as much as 15 lbs at other times) cooked and ready to warm and eat. My local source is called Great NY Noodletown, but if you don't want to buy a caja china and wait all day I'd look to the local pros.

[vsrachel]

Further upthread, Fraser Meats is recommended as a good place to buy a pig. It is, unfortunately, now closed.

A friend is hosting a pig roast in the next couple weeks, and is looking to source a 20-30 pound specimen (victim).

Does anyone have any suggestions for butchers, etc? Thanks!

[bill_n_opus]

That's unfortunate. I was following this thread thinking "I'm gonna do a whole pig this summer!" ....

[Chef Fowke]

This was a great read! We need to take this post and others from the past and set up a 'best of Vancouver's Past Posts'.

Great read.

PS. PM me, my butcher on the NS supplies whole animals with enough notice (will smoked it as well).

[Anchoress]

Yes, fantastic read. My only complaint is that I think it's extremely bad taste to bring Willy Pickton into the conversation. There's no way to make it funny, it's just awful and disgusting.

[makanmakan]

this thread brought me back to my childhood of growing up in malaysia. my parents used to love throwing huge parties where my mom would cook for weeks in preparation. my uncle always showed up with a baby suckling pig and i can still see it hanging up, spread eagled and he and my dad smearing marinade on it. it would horrify me now with the whole food safe thing, but it would hang there for hours in tropical temperature soaking in the spices. my dad had a big barrel that was cut in half to make a rotisserie and they would throw huge amounts of charcoal in it and roast the pig in it. the smell was always incredible and the results of the piggie was delicious. tender juicy meat with the crispiest skin on it.

[makanmakan]

oh, by the way, i also remembered reading around xmas time that senhor roosters had a whole roast pig event on boxing day. that might be another place to check for roast pig.

[jahvay]

Further upthread, Fraser Meats is recommended as a good place to buy a pig. It is, unfortunately, now closed.

A friend is hosting a pig roast in the next couple weeks, and is looking to source a 20-30 pound specimen (victim).

Does anyone have any suggestions for butchers, etc? Thanks!

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The place to get a pig is Columbus Butcher on 1st and Renfrew. They will give you a raw pig or the classic pig roasters are the Phillipinos. Ask a phillipino about the local Lechon, the guy in the community who roasts for a special event. He will deliver it to you.

[DaFonz]

The Japanese meat store on East Hastings - Nikuya Meats - has Japanese Kurobuta - sweet potato fed.

107-2828 E.Hastings St. Vancouver

Tel:604-216-2983

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I love the meat from nikuya... it's.. to die for.

nikuya.ca too btw!

random fact.. nikuya means meat shop in japanese..