Since I live in Taipei County and not in the “country” I have not enjoyed this food experience in Taiwan. The closest I have come was in Taitung County, in an aboriginal village with wild boar. It was not pit roasted but damned good. In Northern Idaho we used to use the backhoe and dig a pit about 6 foot deep. We and neighbors always had some pigs so an average size pig, about 150 lbs, was slaughtered and readied for the pit. Threw in a bunch of apple wood from our orchard. Light it up with - depending on how much alcohol we had consumed, usually about a gallon - the fuel, and ya - - probably the alcohol too . Let it burn to coals. We wrapped the piggy in foil and placed it on the coals and then put a bunch of river rock on the fire and the pig and backfilled with the removed soil. Open my grandpops moonshine and sit around drinking through the night while everyone else was sleeping. In the morning about 12 hours later, we would uncover the soil with the backhoe and remove the river rock. Then gently lift the foil wrapped pig from the pit and put on the communal table and the women would take over. We would snack on that meat for the whole day, slathered with my special BBQ sause, the recipe that I won’t reveal, and everybody sings, plays bluegrass and drinks grandpops “shine”. I revel in the memory of all the local kids, and my own too, dancing and singing with BBQ slathered across their face.
EDIT: If anybody has a location, I will assist in arranging a “Forumosa Pig Party”. I can’t supply the shine but perhaps we can find alternatives.
A few weeks ago I went up to the mountains to celebrate the homecoming of a relative who had spent a couple of months in hospital. After the ceremonial killing of the pig and a couple of hours burning and scraping the hair of the carcass, it was unceremoniously hacked into pieces and boiled. I was thoroughly disappointed at the waste of such a good pig. No crackling and juicy, roasted pork. Got offered slivers of raw liver, though.
Cultural differences that suck.
Count me in for the pig party.
I had it a party near Zhudong once. The killing and blow-torching of the pig proceeded as you describe. But then it was cut up and expertly roasted on bamboo sticks around a pit. The most sublime pork this fan has ever had. Even better than what I have had in Nortn Carolina or Memphis (my mouth is watering as I speak). Charlie, you was robbed.
Enigma, I’d enjoy joining you on this pig roasting adventure. Ideally, we’d do it out in in Pinglin at somewhere like Heilongtan. I know a good spot by a river in Taoyuan Co. near Lofu on the northern cross. It occurs to me that perhaps the good people at Fubar in Fulong could be persuaded to host a pig pickin’.
Are you proposing to roast the pig yourself? I know that a number of aborigines do this as a business. Here’s a group from Alishan who came up to the nortb coast to roast some pig. Here’s Wubai getting his pig on at Walile on the north coast. Notice the similarity in the method used in North Carolina:
Taiwan:
North Carolina
Man o man…I sure do miss a pig roastin’.
Flat Spit like that or on a pole rotisserie style. Been to quite a few of them back in the world.
Also young goat and legs of lamb. Good way to spend a day…and evening.
[quote=“Enigma”]Since I live in Taipei County and not in the “country” I have not enjoyed this food experience in Taiwan. The closest I have come was in Taidong County, in an aboriginal village with wild boar. It was not pit roasted but damned good. In Northern Idaho we used to use the backhoe and dig a pit about 6 foot deep. We and neighbors always had some pigs so an average size pig, about 150 lbs, was slaughtered and readied for the pit. Threw in a bunch of apple wood from our orchard. Light it up with - depending on how much alcohol we had consumed, usually about a gallon - the fuel, and ya - - probably the alcohol too . Let it burn to coals. We wrapped the piggy in foil and placed it on the coals and then put a bunch of river rock on the fire and the pig and backfilled with the removed soil. Open my grandpops moonshine and sit around drinking through the night while everyone else was sleeping. In the morning about 12 hours later, we would uncover the soil with the backhoe and remove the river rock. Then gently lift the foil wrapped pig from the pit and put on the communal table and the women would take over. We would snack on that meat for the whole day, slathered with my special BBQ sause, the recipe that I won’t reveal, and everybody sings, plays bluegrass and drinks grandpops “shine”. I revel in the memory of all the local kids, and my own too, dancing and singing with BBQ slathered across their face.
EDIT: If anybody has a location, I will assist in arranging a “Forumosa Pig Party”. I can’t supply the shine but perhaps we can find alternatives.[/quote]
Fubar? Fuuuuuuuubar? Do you hear us? A pig roasted on a spit would sure draw a big crowd of paying Flobbians, it sounds like, me included. :lick:
If anyone knows how to contact Fubar, let me know. I will contact them unless one of their regulars wants to pass this suggestion on to them. I have a farm fresh supplier for the pig if they don’t have a supplier themselves. This “Pig Party” sounds like it would be a great attraction. I know me and several friends would definately attend even if it means taking a day off.
My old man still does one every year. Had some up at Fushan Village once, too. Best one, though was on the deck of Carnegies a year or two back.
If Fubar was amenable though, I think we would need to round up a reasonable number people who would commit to going and pay up a deposit in advance etc.
I believe Fubar already offers this, but you have to book a good while in advance so they can acquire and prepare the beast.
Did the pig in a pit roast only once, but I still remember how delicious it was.
Hi all,
We do spit roasts the South African way down at The Fu Bar. Slow cooked, on a rotisserie, basted with yummy secret sauce. We currently offer suckling pig, lamb, or pigs in two sizes, for groups of 40 or I guess up to a 100 or so. The rig we use is a side burner, both to prevent the bad charcoal smoke from infusing the animal as it cooks, and for better temperature control. I need some time to order the beast and prepare, but no hassles with getting it done. We ask for a 50% deposit before ordering. We have comfortable seating for 50 in good weather, 35 if it is raining. If we have a more relaxed atmosphere and everyone is prepared to use long tables and stools, we can squeeze in a few more.
We are also able to cater a spit roast out on site if someone has a venue. The rig is portable. Feel free to contact me on my cell 0955 496 175 or shoot me a pm if you want more details!
Regards,
Etienne
Hi all,
Haven’t forgotten about this! We usually only do spits as a closed event, where there is one person responsible for payment. Am looking at ways to do it where each person pays for themselves, but without running the risk of having a great big pig on the spit and nobody to eat him. Will be back once we find a suitable solution!
Grillmaster
[quote=“Grillmaster”]Hi all,
Haven’t forgotten about this! We usually only do spits as a closed event, where there is one person responsible for payment. Am looking at ways to do it where each person pays for themselves, but without running the risk of having a great big pig on the spit and nobody to eat him. Will be back once we find a suitable solution!
Grillmaster[/quote]
How much (approximately) does it cost, and how many people do you reckon it will feed? I’m sure something can be worked out…
Rule number one: Pig shall not roast pig.
I love the cute little ear hats.
Why not have a Happy Day, vs. a Happy Hour, at Fu Bar. Enigma can bring some of Boone County’s best. “Thunder Road” brand and his gittar.
I’m trying. I posted for Fubar and did a PM. I am in hopes that Fubar will combine Forumosa and another Roast so they are accomodated but not overcrowded. If it was planned a couple months in advance, I think there would be enough members here to do it. But there must be other events, (roasts) that they need some people to attend. I am still waiting for a response but I know they are busy. I am hopeful that they will come up with a date that will work for them and some fourmosans. However, I have found that people here tend to commit and not follow through. Fubar is going to want a 50% deposit so, at least me me, I am ready to put up and secure it. I am not sure everybody that wants to attend will do the same but maybe we will find out. For an example of not following through, check out Landis’ estore that had a similar problem.
I really hope we can pull this off and have a great time.
BTW, you really don’t want to hear my gittar or my banjo. They both sound much like the dying pig.
Hi all,
We are working on something. Watch this space.
Regards,
Etienne