The classic hog roast roll
The traditional hog roast is served in a soft roll with three things: sage and onion stuffing, apple sauce and a piece of crackling. The stuffing adds savoury depth, the apple sauce adds sweetness and a little sharpness to cut through the rich pork, and the crackling adds crunch and salt. Together they make a roll that’s far more than the sum of its parts.
Why apple sauce?
Pork is rich and fatty, especially with crackling. A sharp, slightly sweet sauce balances it, which is why apple and pork have been paired in British cooking for a very long time. Some people prefer a little mustard; ask whether your caterer can provide it.
Rolls or plates?
Rolls are quick to serve and easy to eat standing up, which suits parties, fêtes, staff days and evening wedding food.
Plates suit a sit-down meal such as a wedding breakfast or a wake: carved pork with crackling, stuffing and apple sauce, plus sides. China can replace standard plates for a more formal feel.
Standard rolls contain gluten. We can provide gluten-free rolls on request.
Salads
A fresh salad cuts through the richness of the pork. Good choices include a crisp green salad, a mixed leaf and tomato salad, and a crunchy cabbage salad. In summer, salads keep a hog roast feeling light.
Coleslaw
Coleslaw is the natural partner for a pork roll: crunchy, creamy and slightly sharp. Many people add a spoonful straight into the roll.
Potatoes
New potatoes suit summer and plated meals. Roast potatoes suit autumn, winter and Christmas, and go well with crackling. Jacket potatoes are hearty and popular at family parties. One kind of potato is usually enough; two works for a big plated meal.
Alternatives to pork
A hog roast is pork, so plan for people who don’t eat it. Options we offer:
- Spit-roast lamb, carved like the pork
- Rotisserie chicken, in rolls or on plates
- Halloumi and vegetable skewers for vegetarians
- A vegan burger or sausage for vegans
- Roast turkey for Christmas events
We don’t offer halal meat. If guests need halal food, arrange it separately. See vegetarian and vegan guests at a hog roast.
How many sides?
For evening food or a fête, rolls on their own or with coleslaw are plenty. For a main meal, two or three sides make it complete: say a salad, coleslaw and potatoes. More choice slows down the serving line and adds cost, so keep it focused.
Matching sides to the season
| Season | Good sides |
|---|---|
| Summer | Green or mixed salads, coleslaw, new potatoes |
| Autumn | Coleslaw, roast or jacket potatoes, a crunchy cabbage salad |
| Winter and Christmas | Roast potatoes, coleslaw, roast turkey alongside the pork |
Matching sides to the event
- Wedding breakfast: plates with two or three sides, possibly on china
- Evening wedding food: rolls, maybe coleslaw
- Garden party: rolls with salads and jacket potatoes
- Staff lunch: rolls and one side, quick to serve
- Wake: plates or rolls, salads and new potatoes
- Care home: thinly carved pork on plates with potatoes and apple sauce
Drinks and desserts
We focus on the roast, the alternatives and the sides. Many hosts arrange drinks through the venue or themselves, and a simple dessert such as a cake or ice cream rounds things off.
Allergens
Rolls and stuffing usually contain gluten; sauces and coleslaw may contain other allergens such as egg or mustard. Ask for allergen information for every dish. See our allergen guide.
Getting the balance right
A hog roast is rich: pork, crackling, stuffing. Good sides bring balance. Something fresh and crunchy (a green salad, coleslaw or cabbage salad) cuts the richness; something starchy (potatoes) makes it a meal. Too many heavy sides at once can make it feel like a lot, so think fresh plus starchy rather than starchy plus starchy.
Rolls: what makes a good one
A hog roast roll needs to be soft enough to bite easily but sturdy enough to hold juicy pork, stuffing and sauce without falling apart. Most caterers use soft white or brown rolls. Gluten-free rolls are available on request.
Serving it in the right order
At a serving station, the usual order is roll or plate, then pork and crackling from the chef, then stuffing and apple sauce, then sides. Putting sides last stops people filling up on salad before reaching the meat, and keeps the line moving.
Leftover sides
Salads and dressed sides don’t keep well once they’ve been out. Plan quantities with your caterer rather than over-ordering, and follow food safety advice on chilling and storing anything you keep.
Sauces and extras
Apple sauce is the essential. Some guests like mustard; others like gravy on a plated meal. If you have a preference, mention it when you ask for a quote, and check the allergen information, as mustard is one of the 14 major allergens.
A sample menu
| Part | Example |
|---|---|
| Main | Hog roast with crackling, in rolls or on plates |
| With it | Sage and onion stuffing, apple sauce |
| Alternatives | Rotisserie chicken; halloumi and vegetable skewers (V); vegan burger (Ve) |
| Sides | Green salad, coleslaw, new potatoes |
Your caterer will adjust this to your event, season and guests.
Our menu
For reference, our menu is roast pork in rolls with sage and onion stuffing, apple sauce and crackling; spit-roast lamb; rotisserie chicken; roast turkey at Christmas; halloumi and vegetable skewers (V); a vegan burger or sausage (Ve); and salads, coleslaw and new, roast or jacket potatoes. See the full menu.
Ask us
Not sure which sides to choose? Tell us about your event and we’ll suggest a menu that suits it.
Quick answers
What sauce goes with hog roast?
Apple sauce is the classic; some people like mustard too.
Is stuffing gluten-free?
Usually not. Ask for the allergen list.
Do we need sides with a hog roast?
Not for evening food, but for a main meal two or three sides help.
Can we have both rolls and plates?
Yes, ask your caterer to plan both.
Planning an event? Tell us about it and we’ll check the date and send a quote.