Vegetarian options to serve alongside a hog roast at a wedding

[securityrisk]

Casual wedding next summer, thoughts are hog roast for the main meal. What would you serve as a vegetarian option that fits the same vibe?

I'd appreciate any advice and experiences of this type of menu.

Or is it a really bad idea 😬

We were forewarned and did this. I’d probably say quadruple the vegetarian/pescatarian options. It’s all just food to omnivores.

Please rethink the hog roast, a lot of people find it gross whether they are vegetarian or not. I'm not and I'm quite happy to bone joints, spatchcock chickens and the like but there's something about enjoying the spectacle of a whole pig slowly roasting that I find repugnant.

I love a hog roast. I think I would call some hog roast providers and see what they usually do? They'll probably have the best idea of what works well with their current set up.

Often you don’t actually see the Hog roasting so to speak. It’s usually already done and carved up, it’s not always sitting there with face and nose still attached.

I would rethink hog roast, unless it's outside and away from the rest of the food.

As a pescatarian I would say

• no fake meat alternative
• something like halloumi and aubergine or roasted veg would be my dream
• chili is also a good alternative

Quite a few of my meat eating friends have given up pork and red meat in the last few years.

True about side dishes, but since when was vegetable lasagna a side?

That sounds repulsive and I love all sorts of foods.

As a vegetarian, I really dislike chomping my way through a big block of low flavour chewy-ness (the main reason I became vegetarian as a child). I would not enjoy a slab of Halloumi, a giant mushroom or fake meat.

I would always choose something like nut roast, falafel, bean burger... @securityrisk .

My son and DIL had a hog roast for their wedding reception in our garden. We didn’t have it right next to the marquee and they brought it partly cooked and finished it on site. If you’re going to eat meat I think you know exactly where it comes from so it’s a bit disingenuous to be put off because you can see the whole animal. Get a high welfare, locally slaughtered one and eat every bit if you want to be as morally correct as possible and I say that as a vegetarian for the last 50+ years!
We also provided several salads to serve alongside and home made quiches for the few vegetarians and I don’t remember anyone going hungry.

A hog roast is basically a pork sandwich - not exactly wedding food! If someone doesn’t like / can’t eat pork, they’re going to starve.
So, how many guests, what are the catering facilities available, where are they going to eat?

Hog roast 🤢 have you got any Muslim or Jewish guests as unlikely to eat it.

I eat a lot of veggie food (not veggie but I was for a long time) and have never touched jackfruit 😂

I went to a veggie wedding recently and they did an amazing wellington which was actually vegan - obviously you can have veggie ones too. It’s a good, hearty meal.

I'd eat vegan pork but I don't think I could manage it at an event where the real thing was being eaten alongside me - for one thing, I'd be too paranoid I'd got mixed up!

Quite surprised at the amount of people being very squeamish about ‘hog roast’ I’m talking about the Non-vegetarian posters.

it’s just roast pork, don’t you ever eat sausages or stuffing etc?

Dead pig rotating in a spit. How romantic.

I am a vegetarian and I wouldn’t be eating anything if that was happening. The smell and the visuals are quite off putting.

As a veggie of nearly 40 years please don’t do fake meat 🙏🏻 I never understand why anyone would want to eat ‘vegan pork’ it sounds absolutely revolting. Just have some veggie pizza and chips available - and then any hog avoiders, veggie or otherwise, have a decent alternative.

The last buffet I went to people with 'food requests' shall I call them all had an individual tray given to them. So mine was 'lactose free', vegetarians got veggie trays, gluten free etc.

There was still other food available on the buffet but it meant you got a selection

Definitely not vegan pork or a similar fake meat - plenty of people don’t eat meat BECAUSE of the look/taste/texture. Replicating it is just as bad for many veggies! I would do something like cheese and onion pie slices or quiche to have with the sides

Depending on numbers, could you change your mind on the hog roast, and get a company to come and make a huge paella instead? They could make 2 - one veggie and one meat. The sight and smell of chefs cooking paella would be very welcoming and interesting for guests. My friend did this and it was fabulous. They brought everything, including gazebos, plates etc and cleared up very efficiently too.

Suprised at the amount of people who are hating the hog roast idea. Maybe its just where i’m from but its an EXTREMELY popular option and most people are really excited about the hog roast 🙈 i’m not sure on your set up however its usually offered with buns, stuffing, gravy then theres potatoes (of some description), salad, corn on the cobs and coleslaw.

i wonder if you could offer some sort of hallumi gyros style wraps for veggie then the rest of the sides above would be appropriate.

Pizza is great- however i have been to a few weddings with pizza vans and it can take a longggggg time as obviously they can only do 1/2 pizzas at a time. We queued for over an hour for a pizza 🍕 🙈 but that van did do individual pizzas, maybe if they just keep making them slicing them and serving them buffet style that would be better.

i wouldn’t worry about people being too full - they will be drinking … they will eat especially if its served around 8/8:30.

I never think there is enough food when I have had a hog roast - the portions tend to be on the less generous side. I went to a wedding 15 years ago where one was served and the only thing I recall about the day now, was feeling hungry. Drinking and dancing means more food is needed than usual.

Those mobile pizza vans, if that is what you are thinking for the evening, are great but pizzas come out slowly as they can only usually cook 2 or 3 at a time. Again, there may be long periods during which people are hungry.

My greatest fear as a host is people feeling hungry and I recognise that not everyone feels the same!

Be aware of time and space limitations with the wood fire pizza ... Bloody awful waiting times as the 50 people in front of you in the queue are waiting 10+ mins each for theirs to be put together and cooked!

Hog roast 🤢 have you got any Muslim or Jewish guests as unlikely to eat it

We did. They didn’t have to eat it because there were other options.

Not a vege but i would not eat a hog roast

not the whole animal roasting on a spit. It takes hours to cook. I worry about food poisoning

google it. Its quite common

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