Roasting a whole pig in a roasting box is a fantastic option for a party, wedding or other event. There is something inherently celebratory about roasting an entire animal on a spit and the delicious barbeque smell is sure to have everyone salivating.

When you are hosting a party with a pig roast hire, it is the big hunk of roasting pork that will certainly taste centre stage. However, it is also important to consider the condiments, sauces and side dishes that you offer along with it. Your guests will not want to just eat pork all by itself and if you serve the right side dishes they will complement the meat and make it even more enjoyable.

Prepare the Pig with a Marinade

If you want to spice up your pig roast and give it a bit of a different flavour, you can always rub the meat with a marinade that will offer it a bit more flavour throughout the process. For example, a tomato relish, a lemon salsa or a cherry sauce can really add a lot of delicious flavour to a roast pig, especially if it is added throughout the cooking process and allowed to soak into the meat.

Corn on the Cob

A great accompaniment to any pig roast is some delicious creamy corn on the cob. Take some fresh corn and steam it, right in the husks themselves. Offer plenty of butter and salt for your guests so that they can season their own corn on the cob. This is a wonderful summer food and is perfect for an outdoor barbeque.

Coleslaw and Salad

Coleslaw is the perfect side dish for a pork roast for a couple of reasons. First of all, it is served chilled so it helps to contrast the temperature of the warm and juicy pig meat. Also, if the coleslaw has a lot of vinegar in it, this will help to cut through the greasiness in your mouth from the pig meat. This is why you will see many Southern USA barbeque places offering coleslaw as a side dish alongside their pulled pork.

Also, you will want to provide a few different types of salad as well, such as spinach salad, mixed green salad or Mexican inspired salad with salsa, avocado, carrot and corn.

Apple Sauce

Some things just go well together and pork and applesauce is one of those golden combinations. There is a perfect balance between the greasy, juicy, smoked barbeque flavour of the roast pork meat and the sweet, tangy, fruity and light applesauce. If you are serving up a pork roast, make sure that you have plenty of delicious chilled applesauce to serve alongside it.

Use Bramley cooking apples, peel them, chop them and bring them to a boil in a pan. Reduce and simmer until they are soft and pulpy. Then, remove the apples from the heat and beat them with a wooden spoon until they are smooth. Add in a little bit of butter and caster sugar to taste. Make sure that the apple sauce is nice and thick, so that it can be spooned onto the pork.

Baps, Potatoes or Rice?

There are a few options when it comes to serving a carbohydrate along with your pork roast. You might want to offer fresh and fluffy white or whole wheat burger buns. Your guests can put the pork meat on the bap, add the condiments of their choice (such as apple sauce, barbeque sauce, tomato sauce) and then enjoy. Also, sometimes a pork roast can go really well with rice as a side dish – such as a New Orleans style Cajun jambalaya or a South American inspired red beans and rice mixture. Another option is to offer potatoes, whether in the form of seasoned wedges, roasted potatoes or even jacket potatoes.

The answer will depend on the culinary theme of the event, the preferences of your guests and whether or not guests have utensils and a place to sit (rice or potatoes) or are simply snacking while standing (burger buns).

These are just a few ideas, but of course whatever you serve at your pig roast is up to you – so go with what you love!

Chris Hoole is a freelance writer as well as a food and culture blogger. He offers great insights on his blog into regional cuisine, tips for hosting parties and the intriguing origins of our favourite foods.