This year, when you’re planning a big backyard get-together and you’re stressing about feeding everyone, forget about the hot dogs and hamburgers and try your hand at pig roasting. With the growing interest in luaus, tiki parties and other Hawaiian-themed events, the art of pig roasting has become a fixture at many family gatherings. With its ability to roast a pig large enough to feed over 50 people, a pig roaster could be your next great investment.

Buying a Pig Roaster

Pig roasters are similar to traditional charcoal grills, but contain self-turning spits or similarly effective heat-controlled systems. Before buying a pig roaster, determine the maximum number of guests you anticipate hosting. The weight of a whole pig usually ranges between 60 and 125 pounds, so you must select a roaster that can accommodate the biggest pig you’ll ever roast.

Commercial pig roasters are usually gas-, wood- or charcoal-powered and made of stainless steel. They can be expensive, but they often have useful features, such as wheels and trailer mounts, for easy transport. The primary advantage of a commercial roaster is that you don’t have to monitor the cooking process; it maintains an even temperature and prevents charring, leaving you free to lounge on your patio furniture with your guests while your dinner literally cooks itself.

Renting a Pig Roaster

If pig roasting is not likely to become a family tradition, you can get a pig roaster rental from many local butcher shops and specialized BBQ caterers. Be sure the capacity of the pig roaster you rent corresponds to the size of the pig. Also, you might want to check with local providers to see if you can reserve a pig roaster rental in advance, if you’re renting during the summer or on a long weekend.

How to Build a Pig Roaster

If you’d rather save cash for a bigger, better pig to roast, think creatively and set up your own homemade pig roaster. You can find complete pig roaster plans online, all of which build off of common principles.

The easiest and most common way to make a homemade pig roaster is to dig a fire pit in your backyard and surround it with foiled cinder blocks to create a cooking chamber. You can erect a makeshift spit over the pit, or stack the cinder blocks high enough to set up a grilling rack over the fire. The pit will be fueled with either wood or charcoal, but you will have to monitor and turn the pig as it roasts. If you have enough cinder blocks, try to create enclosed chamber to trap heat and preserve fuel as you roast the pig.

Since pig roasting has become a popular pastime, many avid grillers have found their own methods for designing a homemade pig roaster using recycled materials, such as old gas tanks. Be resourceful and try different options until you find the method that works most efficiently and with the least amount of cleanup time – after all, you’ll want to have time to spare to mingle with your guests and enjoy the summer sunshine.