We visited our pork butcher house to see how a whole pig is roasted after discovering he also sell whole roasted pig. I have seen whole roasted pig in Chinese weddings and some Chinese festival celebrations in temples but never knew how it was done. So yesterday we were invited to his house to have a first hand look at the finished product. A roast pig ready to go ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) Inside the oven ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) This oven can handle 20 medium size pigs at one time. Fresh out of the oven ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) Butcher and wife team ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) Real hard work, start at 3am in the morning and finishes around 4pm in the afternoon 5 pigs in total. yummy in a row!!! ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) Years ago when he was much younger, he used to do about 50 pigs daily and during festivals he can get up 100 pigs order. Nowadays only once in while he'll get a order for a couple of pigs and during festivals 10 pigs if he is lucky. The high cost is the main reason for the very small orders. He is still doing it because he love doing it and because of his advancing age he might have to stop doing it soon. When he stop there will be no successor and I guess the next generation will not be able to enjoy the taste of a whole roasted pig.
I am so impressed and envious. Wish I could have seen that. I have never had a whole roasted pig. I love pork and can only imagine what that would taste like. I know people who have roasted pig at their house but I think that probably is different. I know a butcher and plan on asking him if he has done that or if I can buy some of the meat from a whole roasted pig. One of my favorite kinds of meat even though we all know it is not good for us.. :'(
Here's the plan, KKNg. Before the butcher retires, he teaches you how to roast whole pigs, and when he does retire--YOU take over! Around here whole pigs are pit roasted. A large pit is dug, lined with stone, the pig is laid in the pit and a large sheet of metal is placed over the pit with a few stones on top to keep it in place. The smell of that roasting pig can be wafted for miles, and everyone is salivating!
Barb, most of the meaty part are eaten as it is and they are yummy!. The other bony parts are used to recook in stew or soup and it is deliciously ... sorry I'm salivating as I am writing this because we are having German pork knuckle for lunch and the aroma from the roasting is getting to me ... You know you can roast a piece of pork belly and make Chinese roast pork which is just as tasty if not tastier. If you like I can post the recipe and how to do in the Cooking section. Haha!!! MG I wish I can do that and if I were to I think I'll be eating more than I can sell The butcher had been doing it for more than 50 years and he mentioned that when he first started as an apprentice with his father, they were also using the pit system. I'm also salivating right now ... lunch time :-D ... join me? yum
